Brian Friel’s character each play significantly important roles in the themes discusses in the play, they each have their own particular view on the British taking over Ireland, and many characters have conflicting views. The every first character, Manus, is described as ‘shabby’, we also learn that ‘he is lame’ and that he teaches as his father’s ‘unpaid assistant’ (Act I, stage directions). Manus holds the strong views of the Irish nationalist, who is against England’s invasion of Ireland and the changes they have come to make. The actions of Doalty when he steals the surveyor’s pole are also an act of Irish nationalism which amuses Manus, he describes it as a ‘gesture’. Brian Friel also introduces later in the play Manus’s brother Owen, who can be used to contrast their very different views and the choices they have made in life. Owen is described as being ‘dressed smartly – a city man’ (Act I, stage directions, pg 26). Owen has obviously been educated and he has made the decision to move away from the country life of farming and work in the businesses of the city. He too speaks English as does his father and Manus, we are led to believe that learning the language has helped him to move away from the poorer country life and live more luxuriously in the city. Later in the act we also discover that he has returned for work needs, he has been employed as a translator between the British soldiers and the people of Ireland. As he puts it himself his job is to “translate the quaint, archaic tongue you people persist in speaking into the King’s good English (Act I, pg 30) he very obviously echoes the views of the stereotypical English colonist, since he moved away he has either become loyal to the ideas of the British or is trying to convince and encourage his people that the changes are necessary and English is the way forward. As a translator he is not very fair and decides to withhold anything he feels would be interpreted as controversial by the local people. It could also be said that he patronising his people. An example of mistranslation is when he holds back information that the ordnance survey is also being used to calculate taxation as well as mapping their land. This mistranslation questions the assumption that ideas can be translated between cultures without being altered and transformed; this is the root cause of misunderstanding. The invasion of the English language is robbing Ireland of its roots, its culture, and the etymological meanings of area names are being taken away, lost forever. One culture is being taken over by another unwelcome culture; this is the cause of the decline of the Irish language.
We are also introduced to Sarah, who is a mute, she “has a speech defect…considered locally to be dumb”. Brian Friel uses her character to foreground the most basic form of verbal communication. There is obviously a difficulty in Sarah presenting her opinions and views, but Manus and the other characters obviously have found away around this and are able to interpret her signs and grunts as an attempt to communicate. If Ireland was to become a completely English speaking country all the people around her would also be as ‘clueless’ to speaking as she is, as we see in the play the Irish characters find it hard to pronounce the foreign sound of English words. The character of Sarah is used as a device to symbolise Ireland being unable to speak English, and being seen as “dumb” in the eyes of the English-speaking. Manus is teaching her the mechanics of speech and the production of sound, he is helping her overcome this barrier of not being able to communicate with others verbally. It would obviously be a massive achievement for her and Manus recognises this he is very encouraging. When he teaches her to speak her very first few words he says to her ‘Now we’re really started! Nothing’ll stop us now! Nothing in the wide world!’ (Act I). He is a very positive thinker; this line could reflect his Irish nationalism perhaps he is also speaking about Ireland as a country nothing will get in their way and that they will win against the British invasion of their culture.
Hugh, Manus and Owen’s father is introduced to us by descriptions by the other characters, before he even makes his first appearance. We learn that he is very well-educated, probably the most learned man in the village, but also that he is pompous and enjoys his drink. He spends his time teaching in his hedge-school, he teaches the classic languages Latin and Greek, and not English. Like Manus his views on English are that it ‘couldn’t really express us’ and that its only use is “usually for the purposes of commerce”. The fact that Irish people who know English very rarely use it unless necessary, as they prefer to speak their mother tongue is highlighted by the character’s of Hugh and Manus. Brian Friel foregrounds the concept of etymology, the true meanings and roots of words using Hugh’s character. Hugh teaches his classes by discussing his days, using occasional Latin, Greek or English and prompting the students to describe the etymology and give him the meanings of such words, ‘perambulance….- Bridget?’ Bridget replies: ‘Perambulance – to walk about’ (Act I). Hugh foregrounds classical languages (although they are languages no longer spoken) over English. He uses his knowledge of other languages to humiliate the British and as power, as they do not understand Latin or Greek.
Maire is one of the characters who holds a positive view on the English language. She accepts that English will help her move on from the rural living, she is looking to emigrate and it is the fact that she is unable to speak English which is preventing her from doing so. She is seeking to correct this, her view is that ‘fit me better if I had even that much English’ (Act I) she is talking to Hugh and the rest of the class how Latin and Greek will not help in her life, they are dead languages it is English she needs. Her attitude to English is pragmatic; she complains to Hugh that classic languages can be put to no practical use n her everyday life. Her view is shared by Owen who has learned English and moved away to a better life in the city, English is a language of progress in both of their opinions.
Of the characters who are British, who are soldiers, Brian Friel uses Captain Lancey and Lieutenant Yolland to portray the two extreme views on the Irish the British hold both are linguistically isolated form the Irish. Yolland’s character is the complete opposite of Captain Lancey’s, Yolland has the passion to learn the Gaelic language and communicate in a respectful and appreciative way to the Irish. He has also fallen in love with the country and feels as though he belongs in Ireland. Yolland also has the strange desire to learn the Gaelic language. Conversely Captain Lancey is here on strict business terms only, he addressed all persons in English, and he has no care or desire to learn the local language. He is rather patronising, when addressing the Irish ‘he speaks as if he were addressing children – a shade too loudly’ (Act I, stage directions, pg 32). He represents the ignorant English, those who do not attempt at all to try and sympathise and communicate no more than necessary with the local people. He obviously considers English as a language which has great power and authority. There is a lack of communication between him and the Irish, as he uses a translator. Also although he is a learned and educated man, he does not understand the well valued elitist languages of Latin and Greek which Hugh finds to be quite laughable.
In conclusion, Brian Friel uses a wide variation of devices to get his many complex and intertwining themes and views across to the audience. There are many underlying ideas and also some obvious strong nationalist views. Each of the characters play significant roles in presenting the ideas, the are all very individual in their views and so Brian Friel is able to cover every view point. We are able to sympathise with the characters, but it is not strongly biased in favour of the Irish as we can easily see the need for the introduction of the English language. Obviously no single viewpoint can be termed as correct, and Brian Friel is able to appreciate this in his play. In Act I Brian Friel uses these devices extensively to introduce his themes which are worked and built upon in the rest of the play.
