Myth and Significance in Colleen Murphy’s

The present paper attempts to explore the functional use of the German myth of  The Pied Piper of Hameln in the Canadian dramatist Colleen Murphy’s (1954--) The Piper, (2002). In the selected play, Murphy exhibits a serious and important social issue namely, child neglect: its aspects, causes, and negative repercussions on the child, and on the future of the society at large. Murphy’s The Piper presents the parents and adults of the Corporate Democracy of Hameln as completely preoccupied with the affairs and enterprises of the Corporate, thereby ignoring the good rearing of their children. It becomes essential, therefore, that the study refers to various theories on child care and child psychology. The study also points out to Murphy’s use of the myth of the Pied Piper in portraying an ill-functioning society on the social, economic, and political levels. Consequently, the use of myth in evoking a deteriorated society will be dealt with. Murphy’s employment of the technical devices of satire, irony, and symbolism in dealing with the inter-related significance of myth will be tackled. Finally, the study examines the instrumentality of myth in transmitting warning messages that might hinder the establishment of a well-balanced, and well- functioning society.  It tries to explore the ubiquity of myth that allows it to transcend its regional implications, and reach universality.