J. M. Synge, 1871-1909 by David H. Greene and Edward M. Stephens (review)

BOOle REVlEWS J. M. SYNGE, 1871-1909, by David H. Greene and Edward M. Stephens, l-,facmillan Company, 1959,321 pp. Price $6.95. The appearance of the name of Edward M. Stephens as coauthor of the present biography is mislcading, for Stephens, who was Synge's nephew and had for many years been collecting materials for a biography of his uncle, died before any of the book was written. His widow turned over ali his papers to David H. Greene with the stipulation that her husband be named as joint author; but Grcene takes full responsibility for the organization and writing of the work. In his Introduction he sets forth with complete lucidity his theory of biography: Synge once wrote, "the deeds of a man's lifetime are impersonal and concrete , might have been done by anyone, while art is the expression of the abstract beauty of the person." I would assume that the chief thing a biography can do is to record the deeds of a man's lifetime. The interpretations of those "impersonal and concrete" facts will be as many and as varied as the people who study them. It hardly necds saying that to Synge's art itself readers wiJl stili go for "the abstract beauty of the person himself." To this principle the author rigorously adheres, with results that will plcase or dismay the reader according to his own taste in biography. There is no attempt to analyze the springs of Syngc's genius nor to reveal the essence of his being as a man; but there is it wcalth of material from which to form an analysis. Students of Synge who have chafed for ycars under the necessary limitations of the Bourgeois biography are bound to be grateful to Professor Greene for making available so much new information. There are three subjects about which he supplies special enlightenment: Synge's lifelong struggle against the narrow religiosity of his widowed mother, the agitations of his relationship with Molly Allgood and a number of other young girls, and the process of his writing. A good deal of space is naturally devoted to the Abbey Theatre; but since so much has already appeared in print about its stormy history, there is little here that is new except about Synge's personal feelings for Yeats and Lady Gregory, which apparently fluctuated betwecn jealousy and grateful recognition of their generosity toward him. Greene says of Mrs. Synge's religious convictions: "Her theology, shaped by the evangelical movement, held that man was essentially wicked and, by justice at least, entitled to nothing but damnation." At eightecn Synge, who had becn tormented by religious doubt followed by total disbelief, finally defied her oppressive rule, refusing any longer to attend church or to make any pretcnse of religious practice. He was thus divided from his mother and from his brothers and sisters, who responded sympathctically to her influence. Mrs. Synge disapproved of his ambition to be first a professional musician and then a writer; 'and "no membcr of his family was to sce a play of his perfomled during his lifctime ." But the division continued to be a cause of distress to them both, as a letter from Mrs. Synge, writtcn in 1901 to her missionary son, Samuel, vividly shows: Poor fellow, how sad, he has let himself run down dreadfully and I can't get him home. He has always some excuse; he says he would rather wait till this house is cmpty as he is "wom and weary and disfigured" and he does not want to come home until they are all gone! Poor boy, "worn and weary and sad," if he would only come to Jcsus, He would make 93 94 MODERN DRAMA May him glad, so my heart is full of thoughts and prayer for him, more than ever since I got that letter. Upon his return to Ireland, Synge continued to live alternately with his family and in hired rooms. He never entirely broke the connection with them; and the strength of their hold on him is demonstrated by his concern over what they would think of his engagement and by his long hesitation before revealing it...