O'casey's the plough and the stars and dib's mille hourras pour une gueuse : the lure of revolution

Abstract

This dissertation is a comparative study of two writers Sean O'casey from ireland and Mohammed Dib from Algeria whose plays exemplify what is called littérature engagée , a literature characterised by the exposition of oppressive political and social realities and the advocacy of change. The focus will be on the disillusionment felt by the irish and the Algerians with their respective revolutions as brought forth in the plough and the stars (1926) and mille hourras pour une gueuse (1980). On the Algerian side, this literary disillusionment has been highlighted by critics, among whom charles bonn, jean déjeux, naget khadda, fewzia sari. On the irish side, one may cite ronald ayling saros cowasjee, gabriel fallon, jules koslow and john o'riordan