The Progress

Introduction

St. John Ervine's The Progress is a deeply moving anti-war play. It presents before us the crudeness of war and its aftermath. The play in itself carries a war raged against the scientific progress that is happening all over the world to shatter human kind, into pieces.

Professor Corrie

Throughout the play, we could find Prof. Corrie busy with his experiments, formulae and mumbles. Prof. Corrie is engaged with his new invention so that he forgets the rest of the world. He forgets to bring his sister, Mrs. Meldon from the railway station; he forgets to listen to the knocks at the door by the servant, Hannah. He even forgets to talk with other persons.

His regular activities are to give a slight laugh, to murmur and to feel happy about his new invention, a powerful atom bomb. Prof. Corrie never refuses to give away his stand of scientific view of the society. He is a strong believer of war as a means to peace.

Mrs. Meldon

Mrs. Meldon, even before she appears on the stage is said to be mourning. She feels sad about the loss of her son, Eddie, who was killed at the age of 19 in the First World War. Her mind is fully occupied with the third anniversary of her son’s death. That is the reason she orders a wreath.

She refuses to come out of the past. She feels very bad about her loneliness. She also refuses to accept with Prof. Corrie’s thoughts. In short, we can describe Mrs. Meldon as a sensitive woman, who is filled with emotions and motherly love.

The War between Corrie and Mrs. Meldon

Corrie and Mrs. Meldon are poles apart in their view of life. In the play, we could see Corrie to be happy for his new invention, whereas Mrs. Meldon is sad for the same reason. Corrie compels her to take a broad point of view and look at war in a new patriotic manner. Mrs. Meldon does not accept to Prof. Corrie instead she views the world and war as a mother.

Their conflict rises into a pleading. Mrs. Meldon requests Prof. Corrie to destroy his new invention. She feels afraid that Corrie’s new invention would destroy several young chaps like Eddie. Prof. Corrie is under the belief that he would have a best deal with the government and earn lots of name and wealth. He does not care for human life instead; he wants his name to be written in the history of wars. Mrs. Meldon stabs Prof. Corrie in order to bring peace in the world.

Conclusion

This play realistically portrays the rough hands of war and about the loss of human life in vain.