Ubu Roi

Act IV begins with Mama Turd continuing her plan to steal Poland’s treasures, this time the riches kept in the crypt of the ancient kings of Poland: “This gold will be better off in daylight than among the graves of bygone princes” (47). The place gives her “the horrors,” though, and after she decides aloud that she’ll “get the rest of the gold some other time,” a voice rises from the tomb saying, “Never, Mama Turd!” (47). Mama Turd then runs off, carrying the stolen gold with her. 

In the town square in Warsaw, the people are celebrating Buggerlaus, who announces his offer “to march at [their] head, and re-establish the race of [his] forefathers” (48). Mama Turd and Gyron enter with their guards as the group declares their intention to “rush the palace, and wipe out the whole brood” (48).The crowd begins throwing stones at them. The attack takes down the guards and Gyron fights with Buggerlaus, who defeats him. The group turns their attention to Mama Turd, who runs off with the group chasing her while throwing stones. 

Scene 3 returns to Papa Turd on the march with the Polish army in the Ukraine. Papa Turd says the group is “dying of thirst and tiredness,” as they’ve traveled the whole way on foot, and that they have yet to meet the Russian army (49).