Purgatory - Summary | The Heritage of Words

English | Summary
Unit Seven : Crime and Confession
Purgatory
William Butler Yeats
The Heritage of Words

The boy and his father walk on the moonlight night; they are near a ruined house. Pointing towards the house, the old man describes the past of it. The house used to be occupied by his mother and her husband. The mother of the old man had married with the groom of the stable as soon as she met him. The man later turned out to be a drunkard and gambler. Due to drinking and gambling, he emptied everything he had. The mother died while giving birth to him.

This Summary is Moved to our New Site => http://www.merospark.com/hseb-notes/purgatory/

Important Questions :

1. In the short drama Purgatory, the writer WB Yeats expresses the following things: 

Ans :

• The crime of the father will be repeated by his son to an endless cycle of violence. 
• Living beings can render help to the departed soul which suffers in purgatory. 
• The living beings have to suffer the consequences of the sin committed by the dead while alive. 

2. What is the theme of purgatory?

Ans : Purgatory is a story of remorseful of a departed soul that committed mistakes on itself while being alive. In order to purify itself, it is undergoing suffering in purgatory. It is also concerned with the living beings who suffer the consequences of the sin committed by the dead people while alive and the help rendered by the living beings to get the soul released from purgatory.

3. What is the motive (aim) in murdering his son by the old man?

Ans : The old man believes that by murdering his son, he has stopped the boy to have a son of his own who would kill him after attaining 16 years of age, thereby breaking the endless cycle of violence. He also believes that by killing his son, he helps his mother’s soul to get released from purgatory. 

Questions for Practice :

1. Do you think Yeast believed in life after death ?
2. Explain how Purgatory explores the relation of human life to supernatural forces.
3. What is the Old Man's motive in murdering the Boy ?

Read this Also :

• Women's Business - Summary | The Heritage of Words
• The Children Who Wait - Summary | The Heritage of Words
• A Child is Born - Summary | The Heritage of Words
• The Tell-Tale Heart - Summary | The Heritage of Words

Don't forget to LIKE, SHARE and COMMENT. Please Join with us on Facebook and Google+ for daily Notes and Updates.