A surprising amount of Translations depends on suppression, both political and personal, and the unspoken.(TM) To what extent are suppression and the unspoken important in the text?
Caner Cifci
English Literature
‘A surprising amount of Translations depends on suppression, both political and personal, and the unspoken.’
To what extent are suppression and the unspoken important in the text?
The play ‘Translations’ by Brian Friel is set in Ireland in 1833, During this time Ireland was undergoing colonisation by the English and the play represents a microcosm of the events occurring all across the nation at the time. Throughout the English empire’s reign many Irish people were left without say in what was being happening to their own country and having to encounter suppression by the overwhelming power the English had had over them. The play very much portrays this image within itself and Friel has deliberately done this in order to reiterate history and reveal the struggle the Irish had to encounter. Suppression and the unspoken are heavily used within the play and the importance of its role within the play varies. Although some being more important compared to others, the issues as a collective seem much valid in justifying its importance. It can be argued that Friel illustrates it like so in order to aid the audience in judging for themselves the issues surrounding the colonisation.
Suppression is a key theme which is used through Translations; ultimately it is the intrusion of the English which is deemed the biggest suppression the Irish had to confront and the unspoken nature of the Irish is what inevitably lead to the suppression. It is apparent in the early phases of the play that characters within the play encounter suppression even before the English arrive. A character which would be deemed as being suppressed is Manus. Culture plays a major part within Manus’ suppression as it comes from his father. Manus is described as a “Monitor to his father”. It seems that despite what Manus may want for himself, it is the oppressive hand of his father which ultimately decides what happens to him. A further sign of Manus’ oppression can be noted through his acceptance of the position he is in. Despite being in his early thirties and the eldest son in his family, Manus is still treated in such a way that it seems people’s respect for him is very limited. During the early phases of the play, it seems that Manus has no other alternative to his lifestyle and must accept it. He is ignored by Maire several times and has to cover for his dad who is late for class.