The title Riders to the Sea is actually a metaphor. On the one hand, it refers to the riders of the text, such as Bartley and Michael, riding down to the sea to carry out their business. On the other hand, this is a metaphor for death: as they ride to the sea, they ride to their ultimate fate. This recalls the biblical rider, Death, on his pale horse.
The Question and Answer section for Riders to the Sea is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
In the final scene, Maurya is praying for the souls of her husband, her husband's father, and four sons... praying that they may rest in peace, after which, the curtains close.
Bartley rides the horses out to sea and to the steamer ship, which is anchored offshore, afterward, the horses are taken and sold at a fair on the mainland.
The climax occurs when Bartley's body is brought in, confirming that the sea has in fact taken all of Maurya's sons from her.
