What Issues Of Communication Are Raised In The Play 'Translations'?
What Issues Of Communication Are Raised In The Play 'Translations'? The play 'Translations' by Brian Friel is in many respects an intelligent and enlightening metaphor for the situation in Northern Ireland. Throughout the play Friel uses his satirical twists and mixes of tragedy with comedy to express the vulgarity and hypocrisy in Ireland. Friel introduces a variety of extremely heavy topics dealing with societal problems such as generation gaps, communication and cultural difference. The play centres mostly on the tragedy of English imperialism as well as Irish nationalism. The themes that run through Translations are only an indication of the subject matter Friel begins to base his writings on. Translations may be located both temporally and spatially to a fixed point in Irish history. The characters hail from Baile Beag, renamed with the anglicised title of Ballybeg. The action of the play occurs over a number of days towards the end of August 1833. Before delving into the play it is clear, from these most general of points, that the main plot of Translations is a period of great significance in the colonial relationship between Ireland and England. The issue of communication in particular takes a significant central point in the play 'Translations'. The problems of translations between the languages are a metaphor for the problems of communication between England and
Explore the range of linguistic and stylistic effects used to bring out the central themes and issues of Brian Friel's play "Translations"
Remind yourself of Act II Scene I beginning with the first speech by Owen, "Now where have we got to?" to the end of Hugh's speech, "Gentlemen." [he leaves]. Explore the range of linguistic and stylistic effects used here by Friel to bring out the central themes and issues of the play. In the play 'Translations Brian Friel explores many issues, one of which is the process of naming. The play is based on the introduction of the first Ordnance Survey, bringing with it the inevitability of anglicizing place names. In the extract naming is emphasised by constant references to various places in Ireland, and their English equivalents; for example "Bun na hAbhann...Burnfoot!". The link between a place and historical events is also emphasised; "And you place names-what was the one we came across this morning?-Termon, from Terminus, the god of boundaries." The theme of naming is very closely linked to the loss which occurs as a result. As place names are anglicized, something is lost. Communities such as Baile Beag lose their cultural and political identities, and the original meaning is distorted. Friel used the theme of naming to highlight this loss of identity within the Irish community. The importance of names is also stressed in the repetition of place names: "Owen: Bun na hAbhann Yolland: Again Owen: Bun na hAbhann Yolland: Bun na hAbhann" Friel uses mapping, both
Classics in Friel's Translations
Discuss the importance of the classical content in 'Translations'. How do they contribute to the exploration of colonialism in the play? 'It would not be too much to say that myth is the secret opening through which the inexhaustible energies of the cosmos pour into human cultural manifestation. 1' Translations is a play in which many doors are opened through mythological and classical content. Looking at this content in closer detail allows us to see the play from a different angle, and gives new meanings to many of the themes and ideas presented. Most notably to the theme of colonialism which is at the forefront throughout the play. Jimmy Jack Cassie, for whom the 'world of ancient myths is as real and as immediate as everyday life', provides us with our first examples of the classical content in Translations. He acts as a human 'bridge' between the present worlds of Baile Beag and those of Ancient Greece and Rome, and links many of the themes and events with classical history and mythology. One of the most important thematic links is the development of Jimmy Jack's 'relationship' with the Goddess Athene. Jimmy fails to treat her like a fictional character, even comparing her to women from his village 'no harm to our own Grania... But I would go bull straight for Athene'. His relationship with the mythological character is real to him, and thus the problems he faces
Naming and Power in Friel's Translations
Write a critical appreciation of this passage, focus on Friel's exploration of the relationship between naming and power This passage, near the start of Act Two in Translations shows Owen and Yolland in the process of naming the places they come across on their map of Ireland. The characters and the text itself both deal with the issues surrounding these names and the powers names have over both people and places. The powers of destruction and creation are shown to be one of the effects of the process of naming. The beginning of the passage touches on the destructive side of naming by using the prefix 'de' ('describe' and 'denominate') twice in the words Owen uses to explain what they are trying to do by changing Irish place names; 'we are trying to denominate and at the same time describe that tiny area of soggy, rocky, sandy ground...' . The prefix 'de' usually expresses a reversal or negation which in this case would mean they are 'de - scribing' i.e. 'unwriting' and 'de- nominating' which phonologically sounds as if they are taking away the names of the places, although if one looks at the semantics of the words they mean completely different things. Use of the prefix 'de' also gives Owens remark a more negative feel, making the reader wonder if what they are doing is perhaps a bad, destructive thing rather than the constructive process it was intended to be; a theme
