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The Daily Insight

What does God speed the Plough mean?

Author

Matthew Barrera

Updated on April 05, 2026

: : GOD SPEED THE PLOW — “God speed the plough, ‘a wish for success or prosperity,’ was originally a phrase in a 15th-century song sung by ploughmen on Plough Monday, the first Monday after Twelfth Day, which is the end of the Christmas holidays, when farm laborers returned to the plough. …

Is Speed-the-Plow a comedy?

Speed the Plough is a five-act comedy by Thomas Morton, first performed in 1798 at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden to great acclaim.

When was Speed-the-Plow written?

1988
Speed-the-Plow was written in 1988 and while the design of STC’s production is, with the exception of a few details, relatively close to timeless, some crucial parts of the script are not.

Who wrote Speed-the-Plow?

David Mamet
Speed-the-Plow/Playwrights
David Mamet is the author of the plays Oleanna, Glengarry Glen Ross (1984 Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle Award), American Buffalo, A Life in the Theater, Speed-the-Plow, Edmond, Lakeboat, The Water Engine, The Woods, Sexual Perversity in Chicago, Reunion, The Cryptogram (1995 Obie Award), and The Old …

What is the plow purpose?

plow, also spelled plough, most important agricultural implement since the beginning of history, used to turn and break up soil, to bury crop residues, and to help control weeds.

Why was the plow important?

It was used for farming to break up tough soil without soil getting stuck to it. Wood plows couldn’t plow the rich soil of the Middle-West without breaking.

How does the plow work?

The plow consists of a bladelike plowshare that cuts into the soil to begin to prepare it for planting. As it cuts a furrow, lifts it up, turns over, and breaks up the soil. This also buries the vegetation which was on the surface and exposes soil which can now be prepared for planting a new crop.

How the plow changed the world?

The invention of the heavy plough made it possible to harness areas with clay soil, and clay soil was more fertile than the lighter soil types. This led to prosperity and literally created a breeding ground for economic growth and cities – especially in Northern Europe.

What was the purpose of the plow?

A plow (also spelled “plough”) is a farm tool with one or more heavy blades that breaks the soil and cuts a furrow (small ditch) for sowing seeds. An important piece of the plow is called a moldboard, which is a wedge formed by the curved part of a steel blade that turns the furrow.

Why was the iron plow important?

The significance of this plow is the in fact that it was one of the only real steps forward in Agricultural technology in about 2000 years. Not only this, but it helped to kick start agricultural innovation in America that continues to this day.

How does plow contribute to food history?

5: The Plow This ancient tool revolutionized farming. By 3500 B.C.E., Egyptians were turning the soil using an iron-tipped, wooden wedge-shaped implement pulled by oxen. Thanks to the plow, early farmers were able to till more land faster than before, allowing them to produce more crops in a shorter time.

What is speed-the-plow about?

It was a prayer for prosperity and productivity. Speed-the-Plow begins with the introduction of Bobby Gould, a recently promoted Hollywood executive. Charlie Fox is a business colleague (ranking below Gould) who brings in a movie script that is connected to a hit-making director.

Is ‘speed-the-plow’ a tone poem?

As quoted in The Producer’s Perspective, Jack Kroll of Newsweek described Speed-the-Plow as “another tone poem by our nation’s foremost master of the language of moral epilepsy .”

When did speed the plow come out on Broadway?

Speed-the-Plow premiered on Broadway at the Royale Theatre in a production by the Lincoln Center Theater, opening on May 3, 1988 and closing on December 31, 1988 after 279 performances. The cast featured Joe Mantegna (Gould), Ron Silver (Fox) and Madonna (Karen).

Who is Charlie Fox in speed-the-plow?

Speed-the-Plow begins with the introduction of Bobby Gould, a recently promoted Hollywood executive. Charlie Fox is a business colleague (ranking below Gould) who brings in a movie script that is connected to a hit-making director.