Our Country's Good: characters

Our Country’s Good: characters

Major Characters in ‘Our Country’s Good’

Ralph Clark

• Lieutenant Ralph Clark serves as the play’s protagonist, tasked with directing the convicts in a production of ‘The Recruiting Officer’.
• Ralph, initially ambitious and aspiring to climb the military ranks, begins to empathise with the convicts during the course of the play.
• He develops a complex relationship with convict Mary Brenham, highlighting themes of love, compassion, and the transformative power of theatre.

Mary Brenham

• Mary Brenham, a convict, is selected to act in the play and forms a close relationship with Ralph Clark.
• Mary’s growth as an actor represents the redemptive and transformative potential of theatre.
• Mary demonstrates resilience in the face of adversity, embodying the spirit of hope that pervades the play.

Captain Phillip

• As the Governor, Captain Phillip is positioned above the other characters in authority and advocates for the reformation of convicts through theatre.
• Phillip’s forward-thinking vision highlights his role as a moral compass and his belief in the power of redemption.

Minor Characters in ‘Our Country’s Good’

Dabby Bryant

• Dabby Bryant provides a contrast to Mary’s character, as she is more skeptical about the potential benefits of the play.
• Dabby’s character conveys the hardship of convict life, emphasising the cyclical nature of hope and despair in the play.

Liz Morden

• Liz Morden is another convict actress who undergoes significant transformation through participation in the play.
• Liz’s role is important due to her trial and subsequent pardon, which significantly highlights the theme of justice and its contrast with mercy.

Major Ross

• Major Ross represents the opposition to Captain Phillip’s reformative approach, symbolising oppressive authority in the play.
• Ross’s opposition to the convicts’ involvement in the play offers a contrasting perspective and heightens the conflict inherent in their situation.

John Wisehammer

• John Wisehammer is a convict who offers a unique voice due to his literacy and eloquent language usage.
• He possesses a love for linguistic creativity, illustrating the transformative effects of education and literacy.

Symbolism in Characterisation

• The characters in Our Country’s Good represent a broad spectrum of social status and morality, serving as symbols rather than just individuals.
• The characters and their individual arcs illustrate various themes such as transformation, redemption, hope, oppression, justice and the power of theatre and language.