I expect that Boyle will be left on his own, possibly with his best friend, Joxer Daily, at his side. Boyle has done nothing to help or support his family in any situation.
Boyle is the head of the house, but it is Juno who seems to do all the work since Boyle would rather spend his time sipping lager and telling tales. Juno is very responsible and very reliable, while Boyle is completely undependable and irresponsible. Juno will protect her family with her life, but Boyle is plain lazy; “If it weren’t for the terrible pains in me legs…” is always his excuse for not finding a job to help support his family financially.
Johnny and Mary are the children of Boyle and Juno. Johnny, who was injured fighting for Ireland, and Mary, who is on strike for the principle of it, are both still trying to grow up.
Mary, the elder of the two siblings, is stubborn, saying that she will “stick to her principles,” and Johnny is trying to hide from his comrades. Johnny has recently become very sensitive and quiet. He is worried about the death of Robbie Tancred, an old childhood friend. Mary however, is still as outgoing as ever. She enjoys a social life, and does not seem at all phased about being on strike, and having an awkward family. Mary and Johnny are both similar in the way that they both stand up for what they believe in. Mary is on strike, and Johnny stands up for his beliefs for Ireland. He lost an arm, and received a permanent limp from fighting during the Easter Rising. Johnny feels disgusted that Mary is pregnant and yet he hasn’t told anyone what he has done. “She should be dhriven out o’ th’ house she’s brought disgrace on!” He is being hypocritical.
Mrs. Madigan, Mrs. Tancred and Joxer are all friendly with the Boyle family. Joxer is Boyle’s “butty” and drinking companion. Mrs. Madigan and Mrs. Tancred are the Boyle’s neighbours.
Mrs. Madigan and Joxer are both very friendly and wish to help out. Yet, Joxer is a lazy lay-about. Mrs. Tancred is in grief when we meet her, but speaks passionately about wanting no more deaths and killings. When Mrs. Madigan hears of the Boyle’s inheritance, she has nothing but good words for them. Though when she finds out that there is no money, she angrily confronts Boyle for money she lent him, and then takes his gramophone as payment. She seems very “two faced”; nice and friendly one minute, then the next she is biting off Boyles head.
Jerry Devine was Mary’s old boyfriend. He is still in love with her, but she has found a new boyfriend. He is called Charlie Bentham, a rich school teacher, now turning to work in law. Jerry doesn’t realize that Mary doesn’t want to be with him. He says to her; “Let me kiss your hand” when she refuses to go back with him. He is completely obsessed with Mary. Charlie is in love with Mary too and helps the Boyle’s with the will.
However when Mary becomes pregnant, Charlie runs away to England, afraid of commitment and the results of his actions. When Jerry comes to Mary again, he wants her to return with him, as he knows that Bentham has left. He doesn’t know that Mary is pregnant, and when he finds out, he leaves in shock.
On the surface, Jerry and Charlie both seem to love and care about Mary, but when the worst comes to the worst, they quickly leave her to fend for herself.
The women in “Juno and the Paycock” have many positive characteristics. They have strength, determination and are all friendly and caring. They all have strength to get through hard times (eg. Juno supporting her family; Mrs. Tancred during her bereavement). Juno is determined to make Boyle find a job and no matter what the situation, they are always loving (eg. Mrs. Madigan always wanting to help out). Women are completely different from the men. The men are lazy (eg. Boyle not finding any jobs; Boyle and Joxer in the “snug” all of the time), money wasters (eg. Boyle spending the money on a gramophone), and contradictive (eg. Boyle says he doesn’t like the church or Father Farrell, then saying that the country would be nothing without them).
Women’s qualities outweigh their faults. They are “stronger” and “better” than what their faults says about them. Their negative qualities say they are vain and stubborn, but this is nothing in comparison to their positive qualities of being strong, resilient, loving, caring and determined. During this period in history, women were made to feel that they were inferior to men. But, O’Casey’s play defies this. Juno stands her ground against the men, and when she has had enough of them, she leaves Boyle. Juno and Mary decide to make their own way in the world, and forget about Boyle.
“It’ll have what’s far betther – it’ll have two mothers.” I feel that the baby will be better off with two mothers, especially if they are Juno and Mary. They are both wise enough not to fall into traps set by men, and know how not to raise the child. Juno was a good mother to Johnny and Mary, and so will be a great help to Mary and her child. They would raise the baby to be everything that Boyle was not. Yes, the women are more superior to the men. They are smarter and wiser. Although the men feel that they are in power, the women are “weaving their way through the woodwork”.