Our Country’s Good
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Act One, Scene One Act One, Scene Two Act One, Scene Three Act One, Scene Four Act One, Scene Five Act One, Scene Six Act One, Scene Seven Act One, Scene Eight Act One, Scene Nine Act One, Scene Ten Act One, Scene Eleven Act Two, Scene One Act Two, Scene Two Act Two, Scene Three Act Two, Scene Four Act Two, Scene Five Act Two, Scene Six Act Two, Scene Seven Act Two, Scene Eight Act Two, Scene Nine Act Two, Scene Ten Act Two, Scene Eleven
Themes
All Themes Punishment and Rehabilitation Theater, Liberation, and Unity Love, Sex, and Power Governance and Justice Guilt, Regret, and Forgiveness
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Captain Arthur Phillip (Governor Phillip) Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark Mary Brenham Captain Watkin Tench Captain David Collins (Judge Collins) Midshipman Harry Brewer Duckling Smith Liz Morden Handy Baker Ketch Freeman (James Freeman) Dabby Bryant John Arscott Robert Sideway John Wisehammer Black Caesar Major Robbie Ross Henry Kable
Symbols
All Symbols Public Hangings
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Our Country’s Good

by

Timberlake Wertenbaker
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Handy Baker Character Analysis

A marine who thinks it’s unfair that the officers and the convicts get the same amount of food. Because of this, he steals from the food supply with Ketch and several others. Handy Baker is one of Duckling’s lovers, a fact that gives Harry Brewer extra motivation to hang him. In the aftermath of this execution, Harry is haunted by Handy’s ghost, who visits him periodically and torments him by saying sexually explicit things about Duckling and guilt-tripping him about his involvement with the hanging.

Handy Baker Quotes in Our Country’s Good

The Our Country’s Good quotes below are all either spoken by Handy Baker or refer to Handy Baker. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Punishment and Rehabilitation Theme Icon
).
Act One, Scene Four Quotes

Duckling’s gone silent on me again. I know it’s because of Handy Baker. I saw him as well as I see you. Duckling wants me, he said, even if you’ve hanged me. At least your poker’s danced its last shindy, I said. At least it’s young and straight, he said, she likes that. I went for him but he was gone. But he’s going to come back, I know it. I didn’t want to hang him, Ralph, I didn’t.

Related Characters: Midshipman Harry Brewer (speaker), Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark , Duckling Smith, Handy Baker
Love, Sex, and Power Theme Icon
Guilt, Regret, and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:
Act One, Scene Seven Quotes

HARRY. […] I’m sorry, Duckling, please. Why can’t you? —can’t you just be with me? Don’t be angry. I’ll do anything for you, you know that. What do you want, Duckling?

DUCKLING. I don’t want to be watched all the time. I wake up in the middle of the night and you’re watching me. What do you think I’m going to do in my sleep, Harry? Watching, watching, watching. JUST STOP WATCHING ME.

HARRY. You want to leave me. All right, go and live in the women’s camp, sell yourself to a convict for a biscuit. Leave if you want to. You’re filthy, filthy, opening your legs to the first marine —

DUCKLING. Why are you so angry with your Duckling, Harry? Don’t you like it when I open my legs wide to you?

Related Characters: Midshipman Harry Brewer (speaker), Duckling Smith (speaker), Handy Baker
Love, Sex, and Power Theme Icon
Guilt, Regret, and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Page Number: 36
Explanation and Analysis:
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Handy Baker Quotes in Our Country’s Good

The Our Country’s Good quotes below are all either spoken by Handy Baker or refer to Handy Baker. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Punishment and Rehabilitation Theme Icon
).
Act One, Scene Four Quotes

Duckling’s gone silent on me again. I know it’s because of Handy Baker. I saw him as well as I see you. Duckling wants me, he said, even if you’ve hanged me. At least your poker’s danced its last shindy, I said. At least it’s young and straight, he said, she likes that. I went for him but he was gone. But he’s going to come back, I know it. I didn’t want to hang him, Ralph, I didn’t.

Related Characters: Midshipman Harry Brewer (speaker), Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark , Duckling Smith, Handy Baker
Love, Sex, and Power Theme Icon
Guilt, Regret, and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:
Act One, Scene Seven Quotes

HARRY. […] I’m sorry, Duckling, please. Why can’t you? —can’t you just be with me? Don’t be angry. I’ll do anything for you, you know that. What do you want, Duckling?

DUCKLING. I don’t want to be watched all the time. I wake up in the middle of the night and you’re watching me. What do you think I’m going to do in my sleep, Harry? Watching, watching, watching. JUST STOP WATCHING ME.

HARRY. You want to leave me. All right, go and live in the women’s camp, sell yourself to a convict for a biscuit. Leave if you want to. You’re filthy, filthy, opening your legs to the first marine —

DUCKLING. Why are you so angry with your Duckling, Harry? Don’t you like it when I open my legs wide to you?

Related Characters: Midshipman Harry Brewer (speaker), Duckling Smith (speaker), Handy Baker
Love, Sex, and Power Theme Icon
Guilt, Regret, and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Page Number: 36
Explanation and Analysis:
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