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Lady Gregory · English Literature

In Lady Gregory's witty comedy 'The Workhouse Ward' (1908), why do the two elderly, bedridden protagonists endlessly argue with one another?

  1. Lifelong rivals whose quarreling is all that keeps them engaged and alive in a bleak place.
  2. They are fighting over ownership of a small plot of land left in a vague family will.
  3. One suspects the other of stealing his daily rations of tobacco and tea.
  4. They hold opposing radical views on the actions of the local county magistrates.
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Correct answer: Lifelong rivals whose quarreling is all that keeps them engaged and alive in a bleak place.

The play centers on Mike McInerney and Michael Miskell, two paupers whose endless bickering defines their daily existence in the workhouse. When Mike's sister arrives to rescue him and take him to her comfortable home, he refuses to leave unless his companion can come along too. When she refuses, Mike stays behind, showing that their hostile companionship is preferable to comfortable isolation.

Difficulty: Medium Question 4 of 10

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