The Playboy of the Western World

by

J. M. Synge

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Playboy of the Western World makes teaching easy.
Jimmy Farrell is one of the regulars at Michael Flaherty’s pub, and a good friend of the owner too. When Old Mahon comes to the pub looking for his son, Philly begins to suspect that the man is Christy’s father and that Christy’s story about killing his “da” might not be true.

Philly O’Cullen Quotes in The Playboy of the Western World

The The Playboy of the Western World quotes below are all either spoken by Philly O’Cullen or refer to Philly O’Cullen. 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:
Heroism Theme Icon
).
Act 1 Quotes

PEGEEN (with a sign to the men to be quiet). You’re only saying it. You did nothing at all. A soft lad the like of you wouldn’t slit the windpipe of a screeching sow.

CHRISTY (offended). You’re not speaking the truth.

PEGEEN (in mock rage). Not speaking the truth, is it? Would you have me knock the head of you with the butt of the broom?

CHRISTY (twisting round on her with a sharp cry of horror). Don’t strike me. I killed my poor father, Tuesday was a week, for doing the like of that.

PEGEEN (with blank amazement). Is it killed your father?

CHRISTY (subsiding). With the help of God I did surely, and that the Holy Immaculate Mother may intercede for his soul.

PHILLY (retreating with Jimmy). There’s a daring fellow.

JIMMY. Oh, glory be to God!

MICHAEL (with great respect). That was a hanging crime, mister honey. You should have had good reason for doing the like of that.

Related Characters: Christopher “Christy” Mahon (speaker), Pegeen Mike (speaker), Michael James Flaherty / Pegeen’s Father (speaker), Philly O’Cullen (speaker), Jimmy Farrell (speaker), Old Mahon / Christy’s Father
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 10-11
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3 Quotes

WIDOW QUIN (taking men to the right stealthily). Do you know what? That mans raving from his wound to-day, for I met him a while since telling a rambling tale of a tinker had him destroyed. Then he heard of Christy’s deed, and he up and says it was his son had cracked his skull. O isn’t madness a fright, for he’ll go killing someone yet, and he thinking it’s the man has struck him so?

JIMMY (entirely convinced). It’s a fright, surely. I knew a party was kicked in the head by a red mare, and he went killing horses a great while, till he eat the insides of a clock and died after.

PHILLY (with suspicion). Did he see Christy?

Related Characters: Widow Quin (speaker), Philly O’Cullen (speaker), Jimmy Farrell (speaker), Christopher “Christy” Mahon, Old Mahon / Christy’s Father
Page Number: 41
Explanation and Analysis:
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Philly O’Cullen Quotes in The Playboy of the Western World

The The Playboy of the Western World quotes below are all either spoken by Philly O’Cullen or refer to Philly O’Cullen. 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:
Heroism Theme Icon
).
Act 1 Quotes

PEGEEN (with a sign to the men to be quiet). You’re only saying it. You did nothing at all. A soft lad the like of you wouldn’t slit the windpipe of a screeching sow.

CHRISTY (offended). You’re not speaking the truth.

PEGEEN (in mock rage). Not speaking the truth, is it? Would you have me knock the head of you with the butt of the broom?

CHRISTY (twisting round on her with a sharp cry of horror). Don’t strike me. I killed my poor father, Tuesday was a week, for doing the like of that.

PEGEEN (with blank amazement). Is it killed your father?

CHRISTY (subsiding). With the help of God I did surely, and that the Holy Immaculate Mother may intercede for his soul.

PHILLY (retreating with Jimmy). There’s a daring fellow.

JIMMY. Oh, glory be to God!

MICHAEL (with great respect). That was a hanging crime, mister honey. You should have had good reason for doing the like of that.

Related Characters: Christopher “Christy” Mahon (speaker), Pegeen Mike (speaker), Michael James Flaherty / Pegeen’s Father (speaker), Philly O’Cullen (speaker), Jimmy Farrell (speaker), Old Mahon / Christy’s Father
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 10-11
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3 Quotes

WIDOW QUIN (taking men to the right stealthily). Do you know what? That mans raving from his wound to-day, for I met him a while since telling a rambling tale of a tinker had him destroyed. Then he heard of Christy’s deed, and he up and says it was his son had cracked his skull. O isn’t madness a fright, for he’ll go killing someone yet, and he thinking it’s the man has struck him so?

JIMMY (entirely convinced). It’s a fright, surely. I knew a party was kicked in the head by a red mare, and he went killing horses a great while, till he eat the insides of a clock and died after.

PHILLY (with suspicion). Did he see Christy?

Related Characters: Widow Quin (speaker), Philly O’Cullen (speaker), Jimmy Farrell (speaker), Christopher “Christy” Mahon, Old Mahon / Christy’s Father
Page Number: 41
Explanation and Analysis: