Overview
Synopsis
Derek Walcott’s The Sea at Dauphin gives the audience a glimpse inside the rough lives of the fisherman and villagers of the West Indies. Afa is obstinate, believing himself brave for refusing to acknowledge the rough waters and deadly dangers of the sea. However, he drunkenly promised to take Hounakin, elderly and recently widowed, out in his canoe to experience the life of a fisherman. Now, in the sunrise and anticipation of the day, Afa regrets that offer. He is more concerned about his profits than the safety of his passenger--which rightly earns accusations of Afa’s greed, pride, and even cruelty from his mate Augustin. In this world where the villagers live and die by the sea, Afa is willing to risk his life to ensure his own survival. He will defy nature and God to pursue success.
Deliberately modeled on Irish writer J.M. Synge’s Riders to the Sea, Walcott’s The Sea at Dauphin is a drama of men against the power of nature. With poetic stage directions, vivid descriptions, and use of French patois dialect, The Sea at Dauphin is a postcolonial masterpiece.
Show Information
- Book
- Derek Walcott
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 1954
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- St. Lucia, seaside village, October, 1950s
- Cast Size
- small
- Dancing
- None
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Elderly, Child, Mature Adult Characters, Small Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
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Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress