Shattered Dreams: Disillusioned Optimism and Consequences of Late Intrusion in Brian Friel's Molly Sweeney

Abstract

This study aims at exploring the negative effects of unrestricted medical interventions, the fallacy of blind optimism, and the moral challenges raised by delayed intervention. It also confirms that these problems taken together are what cause the main characters of the play, Molly, who has been blind since birth, her husband Frank, and her physician Mr. Rice, to have their aspirations shattered. Through textual analysis, the dynamics between the characters are revealed. Molly, despite her contentment with blindness, hopes for fulfillment through a medical intervention, Frank is relentlessly optimistic, and Rice portrays himself as a savior. However, the late intrusion proves devastating, fundamentally altering their lives. Frank's insistence on having Dr. Rice perform a surgery to correct her vision despite recognizing him as a heavy drinker, losing his previous reputation in the medical field and experiencing personal problems could be interpreted as an arbitrary interference lacking wisdom. And Rice's decision, lacking a full understanding of the complexities accompanying the surgery aftermath, leads to shackling the stability of Molly's existence. Her expectations are not met by her recovered vision, and she finds it difficult to adjust. To put it briefly, contentment in the face of hardship is better than delusional optimism.