Ownership and wealth, change, and the role of women are central themes, as McGrath examines the systematic erosion of Highland identity and the continued exploitation of the land.
Issues of ownership are present throughout the play:
in the songs sung by characters
in their monologues and dialogues
in stage directions describing their actions
in the historical accounts which frame the narrative
As the play draws to a close, M.C.3 poses the question:
Who owns the land?
Throughout the play McGrath argues that wealthy capitalists own and run Scotland.
Each sub-section of the play provides evidence to support the argument that wealthy landowners have had a corrosive – rather than a positive – effect on the Highlands. In particular the play puts forward that they have played a significant role in:
