Critical discussion of the following passage- Page 31 from stage direction 'Owen enters with Lancey' to the end of the act. Before this passage what happens is that Hugh turns up and he is slightly drunk

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You must write a close critical discussion of the following passage-

Page 31 from stage direction ‘Owen enters with Lancey’ to the end of the act.

Before this passage what happens is that Hugh turns up and he is slightly drunk. We can see this because Hugh drinks alcohol in this scene and he asks Lancey whether he would like some aqua vitae. Hugh then explains to the others in the class about the soldiers and what they will be doing. He tells them that the soldiers will be mapping the area. He also tells them that he has asked the officer in charge to talk to the class about the purposes of this plan. After this Owen arrives and interrupts what Hugh is saying to the class. The passage comes at the end of Act 1 after what has been described above.

Two officers come with Owen to the class: Captain Lancey and Lieutenant Yolland. Owen introduces them to the others. Owen acts as a translator for Lancey but he edits what Lancey says by taking things out to abbreviate what is being said. Owen translates what Lancey says about the purpose of the survey. Lancey’s actions are staged as if he were talking to children because he speaks ‘a shade too loudly and enunciating excessively.’ The audience can interpret this that Lancey sees himself as superior to the ‘foreign civilians’ because he sees them as children. However, after Jimmy asks in Latin if he knows Latin, Lancey says to Jimmy: ‘I do not speak Gaelic, sir.’ This shows that Lancey is not as intelligent he thinks he is and doesn’t know more than the people of the class. Owen doesn’t translate what Lancey says about the survey being done for Military purposes as well as civil purposes. Owen just says that the job is being done by the soldiers because they are skilled at their work and doesn’t say what Lancey says about the job being done so that the ‘Military authorities will be equipped with up-to-date and accurate information on every corner of this part of the empire.’ Owen changed Lancey’s words because if the class were told that the map was being used for military intelligence and for reassessing taxation it would not be taken very kindly. The Irish do not want their place names to be changed for the army because they do not think it is a strong enough reason. Lancey says that one of the purposes of the survey is so that ‘the entire basis of land valuation can be reassessed for purposes of more equitable taxation.’ This means that the English could be more interested in the amount of money they will make from the project than intellectual endeavours. The audience could interpret Owen to be convincing and persuasive because when Lancey looks at Owen after he has spoken and Owen smiles reassuringly as if to say that he has translated everything he has said. This is an example of how Owen and Lancey’s interactions are staged.

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On stage Lancey is presented as crisp, which contrasts with Hugh who is presented as carefree with his attitude towards appearance. When the audience see this they see a difference in personality between Hugh and Lancey. Lancey and Hugh hold a different set of values as Lancey values wealth and appearance whilst Hugh values intelligence and learning. The passage is staged with Hugh pouring himself some more alcohol. This shows the audience Hugh’s carefree attitude and that he does not value his health or appearance but his intelligence and learning. Hugh’s friendly informal way of teaching contrasts with Lancey’s ...

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