Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
The Hostage
play by Behan
Also known as: āAn Giallā
The Hostage, play in three acts by Brendan Behan, produced in 1958 and published in 1962. The play, which is considered Behanās masterwork, employs ballads, slapstick, and fantasies to satirize social conditions and warfare. In the play, an English soldier is held hostage in a brothel by members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), who hope thus to prevent the execution of one of their own men.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.
Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
By clicking "Sign Up", you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.