W.B. Yeats: The Green Helmet

About this episode

This episode explores W.B. Yeats' 'The Green Helmet' and its parallels to the Arthurian legend of 'The Green Knight' through a comedic lens.

"The Green Helmet," has multiple similarities the "The Green Knight" from the mythology of King Arthur, but set in an almost farcical manner. When Cuchulainn returns from Scotland, he finds his allies have played a game of whipping off a man's head... only to find out that he is coming back to claim theirs. The mysterious man leaves them with his helmet, which seems to magically induce jealousy between everyone around Cuchulainn, including his friends, their servants, and eventually all of their wives, all fighting about who is the best among them so as to not be the one to forfeit their life. The debt must be paid... but the question is, by whom?

People in this episode

Host: Brendan Moir

Topics covered

• mythology
• jealousy
• farcical elements
• friendship
• life and death

Keywords

• W.B. Yeats
• The Green Helmet
• The Green Knight
• Cuchulainn
• mythology
• jealousy
• farcical

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Green Helmet, The Green Knight

More episodes of Brendan Moir's Playwright Corner

• George Bernard Shaw: Mrs. Warren's Profession (Act III) · June 13, 2026 · 31 min
• George Bernard Shaw: Mrs. Warren's Profession (Act II) · June 6, 2026 · 42 min
• George Bernard Shaw: Mrs. Warren's Profession (Act I) · May 30, 2026 · 34 min
• W. B. Yeats: The Death of Cuchulainn · May 9, 2026 · 21 min
• W. B. Yeats: The Only Jealousy of Emer · May 2, 2026 · 24 min
• W. B. Yeats: On Baile's Strand, Pt. 2 · April 18, 2026 · 20 min