Manx Literature
'Illiam Dhone' - A play by J. J. Kneen (14)
“Illiam Dhone: A Manx Historical Drama which won the Chruinnaght Gold Medal, 1924”
by J. J. Keen
Published by Yn Chruinnaght Vanninagh Ashoonagh, as “Publication No. 1”, in 1926
Printed by S. K. Broadgate & Co. Ltd., Douglas
A seven-scene play on the life, death and aftermath of William Christian (“Illiam Dhone”).The play is a masterful handling of the contentious question of the traitor/nationalist status of Illiam Dhone in handing the island over to the Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War. Kneen manages to leave the question still open in the play, despite making Dhone a very strong and heroic character.
That J. J. Kneen (1873 - 1938) was perhaps the leading Manx linguist as well as scholar and nationalist of his day would not come as a surprise after reading this play. He had a great many articles and translations to him name, although his most famous work is probably the translation the Manx National Anthem into Manx.
Kneen was a keen playwright also, writing many plays on Manx topics and themes. This play of ‘Illiam Dhone’ is a curious instance in that Kneen deals with Dhone and the complex issues surrounding him masterfully while giving the play a very strange format - effectively splitting it into three parts:
(1) the Manx “rebellion” (in which Dhone does not appear throughout the first scene, when the Derby Monarchist rule is overthrown),
(2) the arrest, trial and execution of Dhone, eleven years later,
(3) the story of Dhone son’s overcoming a rival to marry the daughter of one of Dhone’s accusers.
It should be clear what a daring opening act it is to leap straight into the rebellion, but also what a curious final act Kneen gives the play. It almost feels as if the play would be better titled, ‘Illiam Dhone and the Curse of the Clan Christian’.
Some of the characterisation is wonderful, particularly the interplay of Lady Molineux and Bishop Rutter in Scene I, where Rutter’s almost camp reactions to her outspoken attacks of the Roundheads is brilliant when set against the raucous songs that are left to us by the historical Samuel Rutter (Bishop 1660-1662/3). But this is nothing to the brilliant handling of Dhone himself, who is heroic, clearly drawn and yet vague at the same time. This is perhaps shown in one of the key lines in the play when Dhone is refusing to try to escape from the troops out to arrest him:
Christian:
Were it a crime to be a patriot, then am I a criminal indeed. I ever placed my country before aught else.
[...]
‘Twould be as well for a mouse to struggle against a lion, as for our puny little Isle to attempt to dictate to the armed forces if the English State.
[Scene III., p. 11]
A detailed biography (and bibliography) of J. J. Keen can be found here:
www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/people/antiqarn/jjkneen.htm
Samuel Rutter’s biography & the drinking song that they sing in Scene I can be found here:
www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxnb/v08p159.htm
Illiam Dhone’s Wikipedia page is here:
'Illiam Dhone' - A play by J. J. Kneen (14)
“Illiam Dhone: A Manx Historical Drama which won the Chruinnaght Gold Medal, 1924”
by J. J. Keen
Published by Yn Chruinnaght Vanninagh Ashoonagh, as “Publication No. 1”, in 1926
Printed by S. K. Broadgate & Co. Ltd., Douglas
A seven-scene play on the life, death and aftermath of William Christian (“Illiam Dhone”).The play is a masterful handling of the contentious question of the traitor/nationalist status of Illiam Dhone in handing the island over to the Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War. Kneen manages to leave the question still open in the play, despite making Dhone a very strong and heroic character.
That J. J. Kneen (1873 - 1938) was perhaps the leading Manx linguist as well as scholar and nationalist of his day would not come as a surprise after reading this play. He had a great many articles and translations to him name, although his most famous work is probably the translation the Manx National Anthem into Manx.
Kneen was a keen playwright also, writing many plays on Manx topics and themes. This play of ‘Illiam Dhone’ is a curious instance in that Kneen deals with Dhone and the complex issues surrounding him masterfully while giving the play a very strange format - effectively splitting it into three parts:
(1) the Manx “rebellion” (in which Dhone does not appear throughout the first scene, when the Derby Monarchist rule is overthrown),
(2) the arrest, trial and execution of Dhone, eleven years later,
(3) the story of Dhone son’s overcoming a rival to marry the daughter of one of Dhone’s accusers.
It should be clear what a daring opening act it is to leap straight into the rebellion, but also what a curious final act Kneen gives the play. It almost feels as if the play would be better titled, ‘Illiam Dhone and the Curse of the Clan Christian’.
Some of the characterisation is wonderful, particularly the interplay of Lady Molineux and Bishop Rutter in Scene I, where Rutter’s almost camp reactions to her outspoken attacks of the Roundheads is brilliant when set against the raucous songs that are left to us by the historical Samuel Rutter (Bishop 1660-1662/3). But this is nothing to the brilliant handling of Dhone himself, who is heroic, clearly drawn and yet vague at the same time. This is perhaps shown in one of the key lines in the play when Dhone is refusing to try to escape from the troops out to arrest him:
Christian:
Were it a crime to be a patriot, then am I a criminal indeed. I ever placed my country before aught else.
[...]
‘Twould be as well for a mouse to struggle against a lion, as for our puny little Isle to attempt to dictate to the armed forces if the English State.
[Scene III., p. 11]
A detailed biography (and bibliography) of J. J. Keen can be found here:
www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/people/antiqarn/jjkneen.htm
Samuel Rutter’s biography & the drinking song that they sing in Scene I can be found here:
www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxnb/v08p159.htm
Illiam Dhone’s Wikipedia page is here: