the introduction of the figure of the Old Man, whose monologue, along with the following stage direction, raises audience’s awareness of the fictional nature of theatrical representation.

the introductory stage direction focusing on production elements (stage arrangement, lighting, musical instruments, and the location of masked players) intended to emphasize division between audience and stage.

the descriptive introductory stage direction providing the setting and introducing the characters.

the Old Man, the Young Man (Cuchulain), and the Hawk-Woman

Cuchulain and Conchubar, the Fool and the Blind Man

Cuchulain, Aoife, the Blind Man, and Emer

None of these.

unfolding and folding the black cloth signifying the well.

binding Cuchulain’s strength as warrior to strengthen Conchubar’s authority (this ritualistic ceremony is presided over by three women).

three-time moving round the circle of the heads of those that had wounded Cuchulain.

the Street-Singer's song referring to mythical heroes, historical figures and cultural realia of Ireland.

the lyrics sung by three Musicians as they ceremoniously unfold and fold up the cloth.

the Blind Man being indifferent to Cuchulain's grief and making the Fool steal some food for them.

the idea that a short heroic life is better than a long monotonous one.

the conflict between the physical world of imposed social norms and material values and idealistic mode of existence, between political mediocrity and heroism, passion.

the split between the heroic and anti-heroic, between the world affirming the values of intense personality and humanity and the calculating world of reason.

to provide a music accompaniment which serves a pause between scenes.

to set up the scene, the theme, and the tone of the play.

Yeats uses no Musicians.

The stylized dance in this play is performed by a representative of the supernatural world and represents the intermingling of two modes of existence.

In this play, Yeats used shifts between prose and verse to display the interplay between different levels of reality.

The play has a fractured structure and combines myth, history, and present.

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японський середньовічний театр Но