The introduction to play is the most descriptive in my opinion. This section is severely planned out using many a descriptive word. This section is the foundation of the play presented later on. Its purpose is to get you into the mood of the play, and also help you get your mind in order, to understand the different situations. In this section we understand the life of people and the surroundings at night fall. Families are described to be fast asleep. Thomas even uses such personalities as, pensioners, cobbler, schoolteacher, postman, the undertaker etc. This therefore sums up that the whole scene is at rest, not even one person on foot. It is confirmed clearly that this section is read by the First Voice, though stated that it should be spoken Very Softly.
Throughout the whole play were encountered with many different characters such as Captain Cat, Eli Jenkins, Mr. and Mrs. Pugh, Mog and Myfanwy etc. Most characters speak only a few lines at a time and thus the story is told in fast pace. The only substantial pieces are narrated by the first and second voices who describe the scene where required. Being that Under Milk Wood is a black comedy, many of the characters are therefore organised in this way.
The First Voice is known as the narrator of the play. This voice is the setting/ foundation of the play. Being that the voice sets the setting for the play, and it’s only introduced at a certain stage, the voice has no personal identity. Knowing that the voice is the setting for the play, it knows everything about the characters etc. in great detail. This voice I feel is the most important stage of the play. This voice is what invites the audience to listen. This voice leads the way to the mood and the atmosphere. The main character/ observer of the play would be Captain Cat. He is known as the blind retired sea-captain, a link between the living and the dead. Captain Cat lost the love of his life tragically, some time ago. Captain Cat is type of mysterious character because he his living in the present and the past. This is how he co-operates with the living and the dead. Due to the death of his long lost love, he is a deeply saddened and lonely type of character. Evidence of this is shown in his tears. The loss of his love has a great effect on him as a person. Being that Captain Cat is also a narrator of the play, he again his great knowledge of the other characters. He pursues to expose the truth about characters such as Ocky Milkman, Mrs. Dai Bread One etc “slap, slap, slap”.
A couple which is introduced to us in the play would be Mr. And Mrs. Pugh. This couple has one of most negative relationship imaginable. They continuously criticise each other in a dark and vicious way. Due to the fact that their married and they interact in such manor, it is totally difficult to understand how this couple are still together. Evidence of their hatred character is shown when they condemn other characters, e.g. When Mrs. Pugh condemns Polly Garter for having babies. The second voice describes her character as “needling stalactite hag”. Due to character in which she presents, she is then called upon as Mrs. Cold Pugh. Mr. Pugh, is also another negative and hatred character. His lack of sensitivity and human qualities is shown through the relation of the pig and trough. Their home is described to match their character,
“an icicle forms in the cold air of the dining vault”
It is clearly understood therefore that their whole relationship with each other and their surroundings is cold and grey.
A true typical Welshmen would be The Reverend Eli Jenkins. He idealises the world in his he lives in, and appreciates what life brings him. Due to the fact that he is a Reverend, he is strongly poetic. His respect and thoughts of life are written in his song, which names welsh rivers and places. His character is also understood to be a great supporter of the Eisteddfod. All due to his ways and mind, in my opinion he is a minute and successful representative of welsh culture.
Polly Garter is known for her babies and for her belief in life. Although, she is also known for her reputation with many other lovers in the village (she is the talk of the town). She is strongly known for her relation with other men around her, and this is why other wives in the town are afraid of her. Due to her reputation and thought towards life, she develops an open and free minded type of character. She is totally different to the other people within the village, because of her character. Mentally, she is isolated from the rest.
One more couple which is shown to us in the play would be Mog and Myfanwy Price. This couple is deeply in love. Their priorities like money and comfort is pushed away from their feelings towards each other. From the fact they are deeply in love, it is clear that they continuously fantasise about their love towards each other. Evidence of feelings and thoughts that they give towards each other is presented to the audience at many stages.
“I will warm the sheets like an electric toaster, I will lie by your side like a Sunday roast”
Though they will never come together as a couple, they are “happily apart from one another”.
To add to the creativity of the script writing, Thomas uses many different techniques to do so. During the first section (First Voice), Thomas uses natural human senses such as listening, feeling and seeing. He encourages you to listen to the scene,
“Hush, the babies are sleeping, the farmers…”
“Look. It is night, dumbly, royally winding through…”
Rather than describing scenes through using basic words, he helps the reader to understand the images by informing them of different senses. Not forgetting that Thomas has always used poetic material in his work. That’s how I feel Thomas continued to complete tasks successfully in all of his work pieces, and become a writer who is highly respected.
In my opinion it’s highly impressive how the use of his imagination can create such finely crafted images. He continuously uses different skills to develop the structure. He also uses the transferred epithet method in his work. An example of where he uses this method can be seen in the first section (First Voice),
“though moles see fine tonight in the snouting, velvet dingles”
The use of transferred epithet is a very creative method, which allows the text to feel more interesting and also it keeps you attached to the reading.
“Evans the Death, the undertaker,”
This transferred epithet is used again to create an aural appeal. It may also suggest he is more like death than an undertaker. Another transferred epithet is the “jolly rogered sea”. The sea isn’t jolly rogered but pirate ships are.
There are also many metaphors and similes in the play such as “Sea’s barking like seals” this description adds to the atmosphere and appeals to the ear which is poetic as it is pleasing to hear.
“And the afternoon buzzes like bees” Thomas has described very well something simple and regular, the afternoon, he says it’s like bees buzzing this describes to things the sound of buzzing could be the sound of a hundred voices chatting in the town or he could be describing the movement of the town on the that particular afternoon.
“For (Eli Jenkins) the town is a green sermon on the innocence of man”. When Eli Jenkins looks at Llareggub he sees an epitome, a perfect place, a teacher, a preacher. It is a green sermon of nature and life. Perhaps Eli Jenkins is thinking of mans true innocence, the “Garden of Eden” as Eli Jenkins is member of the clergy, this is very possible.
In my opinion the way in which he co-operates the different factors with language which each character uses, is interesting and highly creative.
The structure is also clearly made with many different themes. Themes which are commonly discovered are the relationships between characters and the welshness of the play. The relationships between the characters are very strong. It’s commonly known that most little villages tend to be similar like little families. Throughout the play we meet characters who are named with their profession e.g. Village Butcher is known as Butcher Beynon, Organist is known as Organ Morgan. This type of material is strong evidence of how well they relate to each other. This also tells us that each character is aware of what the other does and their history. We also understand that most of the characters respect each other by also calling them by their titles e.g. Mr, Mrs.
The welshness of the play is very strong. Many factors are used to give it the clear welsh setting. Being that the story is based on a small fishing village of Laugharne in West Wales, we can then relate to its welsh culture and use of language. Many welsh words are spoken by many characters, especially by Rev. Eli Jenkins. An extract of the play which includes a section spoken by Rev. Eli Jenkins proves thus to us.
“Or Moel y Wyddfa’s glory”
“By Carreg Cennen, King of time”
This character speaks English though with short use of the welsh language (typical Welshman).
Overlooking the whole of the play, in my opinion, the purpose of the play is to give a taste to the reader and let them understand the life of a typical Welshman from day to day. Through the reading and understanding of the play, I feel that the reader can thoroughly understand how strong the relationships between characters within a small village can be. This play is most definitely a clear example of life in wales. During the development of this play, I also feel that Dylan Thomas has created a very detailed piece of work, and this is what makes it such and interesting play. The style in which he uses is very particular and creative. This therefore is one of the main reasons why Dylan Thomas is highly respected. In my opinion, he includes most types of material within each character. A character is not only just straight forward in what they say, but also they have that little humorous side to them.
Overviewing the play as a whole, I have thoroughly enjoyed the reading of it, and it is defintialy the most successful pieces of play from an Anglo-Welsh writer. I feel that due to the standard of creativity in this play, it could possibly be up above with the most successful plays ever written.
