Juno and the Paycock

Two months have passed since Act II. It is early evening. The curtain rises on the Boyle apartment with Juno asking Mary if she has heard from Charlie. Mary replies that she hasn’t heard from him in a month. Juno is worried about Mary’s health, so they plan to see the doctor that evening. Juno also wonders why Mary waits so long to tell her about important matters, like Charlie not contacting her. Juno calls into the other room for Jack, asking about their debt and needing some of the money from the will, which they haven’t received yet. Jack is in bed, complaining of pains in his legs.

When Juno and Mary leave for the doctor’s office, Joxer and Mr. Nugent enter. Mr. Nugent wants the money Jack owes him. He has heard from the solicitor that Jack isn’t going to see any of the money from the will. Joxer admits the whole deal seemed fishy to him, and he’s been upset about how the Boyles have acted so high and mighty since learning of their impending fortune. Through the dialogue, it becomes clear that Jack has been borrowing money from neighbors with the promise that he will pay them back once he receives the inheritance. Mr. Nugent looks in on Jack, who now requests a topcoat. Mr. Nugent angrily takes the clothes he has given Jack with him because he refuses to do any more for Jack without upfront money. Mr. Nugent exits with Jack getting out of bed and hurrying toward the door, where he runs into Joxer. Jack thinks Joxer is acting oddly about the inheritance. Mrs. Madigan soon appears at the door and asks for the money she loaned Jack. She is persistent, even though Jack puts her off. She takes the gramophone with her and says she will pawn that for the money he owes her. Now that two people have taken his things, Jack laments to Joxer about the lack of morality these days. Jack mentions again that Joxer is acting strangely about Jack getting the inheritance money. An upset Joxer leaves when Johnny appears, asking if his mother and Mary have returned.

At this point, the tone shifts. Juno arrives at the door and wants to talk to Jack about Mary. She tells Jack that Mary is pregnant. Jack is upset and says Charlie has to marry her. Juno says he left for England and who knows where else. Jack wants to talk to Mary, but she’s staying at Juno’s sister’s place now. Johnny agrees with Jack that Mary’s actions are dishonorable. Juno suggests they all move to a place where they are not known once they receive the money. Jack suddenly admits that they aren’t getting any money because Charlie made out the will wrong. Because the will only states, “first cousin” and “second cousin” rather than actual names, everyone is coming out of the woodwork to claim the inheritance. Juno says she now understands why Charlie left Mary.

Johnny starts to yell at his father about getting them into debt. Jack decides to go out and drink, calling for Joxer upstairs to join him. Johnny throws himself on the bed, lamenting that no one thinks about him. Someone knocks at the door, and two men from a furnishing company enter, claiming they have to take back the furniture that the Boyle family bought. Johnny tells Juno to go to the pub to get Jack.

Mary enters, saying she heard they weren’t getting the money. Jerry also enters, asking to talk to Mary. He said he heard from Juno on her way out about what happened and that he still loves her, even though she discarded him for another man. Thinking her mother told Jerry the news, Mary admits to her pregnancy. A surprised Jerry says how sorry he feels, but it becomes clear to Mary that he will not stay with her. Jerry exits, and Johnny returns and admonishes Mary for telling Jerry all her secrets. Mary runs off. Johnny has another fearful moment, similar to Act II, and the men taking the furniture think he has gone mad. Two men labeled “Irregulars” then arrive. They claim Johnny gave Robbie “away to the gang that sent him to his grave” (456). The “Irregulars” drag Johnny away.

The curtain falls for a brief period of time. When it rises, it is one hour later. Mary and Juno are sitting with most of the furniture gone. Juno says that Jack was fairly intoxicated when she left him at the bar. Mrs. Madigan arrives with news that two policemen are downstairs and want to talk to Juno, who recognizes instantly that something awful has happened to Johnny. Mrs. Madigan admits that the police want Juno to identify the body at the hospital. Juno tells Mary they will go to the hospital together and then stay at her sister’s home to care for the baby, forcing Jack to fend for himself. Juno wishes out loud that she had been more sympathetic about Mrs. Tancred’s son, rather than thinking of his Die-hard politics. She and Mary exit.

A very drunk Jack and Joxer enter, with Jack wondering why the policemen were talking to his wife and daughter. Jack incoherently muses out loud about where the chairs are, Ireland’s freedom, and his involvement in the Easter Uprising. He ends the play with the expression he has said throughout, “The whole worl’s in a terr…ible state o’ chassis” (457).