Moral Dilemmas Faced by characters in Friels 'Translations'
In 'Translations', Brian Friel explores the nature and the use of language, its immense value as well as its limitations. One large theme he develops is the relationship between language, culture and identity, and the dilemma that is caused as a result.The play charts the tragic relations between Maire and Yolland, the local Irish girl and the well-meaning English soldier. He is misunderstood by the community, which feels threatened by his invasive presence. Indeed, the English language is wiping out any trace of Irish culture, changing the Ireland as a nation, and Yolland's job, anglicising each and every place-name, is contributing to this process. Thus the relationship between these two lovers is destined to fail, in a manner reminiscent of Romeo the Montague and Juliet the Capulet. If only Irish and English could get along, if only language were immaterial, we are made to think, these two clearly compatible beings could flourish together. Their closeness and love is shown to be so powerful as to often not even require a language to express them:MAIRE [in Irish]: 'the grass must be wet. My feet are soaking'. YOLLAND [in English]: 'your feet must be wet. The grass is soaking.'In the same scene, Yolland tells Maire how he y
'Hugh balances his attachment to his roots with open-mindedness, and he values the past as well as the future: he is the voice of reason, the consummate "translator", and this is symbolized by his knowledge of so many different languages. In the play Friel puts into question more than just the value and limitations of communication and cultural borders; he wishes to create debate about language and culture as a whole, about identity in the wider sense. Friel's suggestion is that, in a way, each of us speaks a language all of our own, and that true understanding of a person's thoughts is only achievable through a wise interpretation of that person's words. Hugh's response to the situation is the wisest, as befits a schoolmaster! Though old-fashioned, he is the one character who is able to "interpret between privacies" - indeed, the phrase is his own - and keep a level head about matters. To see Translations as nothing more than an exploration of "cultural borders" in my opinion is to fail to acknowledge much of the meaning in the play. Having a non confronting personality and his inability to accept responsibility or change, be it through the Anglicisation of his home land or a change in profession, he shelters behind his work with Sarah, which in the play brings him great pleasure and a scapegoat from confrontation with Maire and consequently his responsibilities. Yolland, in being open-minded, refuses to view any Irishman as an enemy. It's the same me, isn't it? Well, isn't it?' MANUS: 'Indeed it is. Maire desperately wants to learn English, but the suggestion is that ambiguities such as these would remain, as Hugh wisely points out in accepting to teach her:HUGH: 'I will provide you with the available words and the available grammar. Despite the risks, however, Friel encourages the pursuit of understanding, of the ability to interpret between privacies.
Common topics in this essay:
English Roland,
Latin Greek,
Yolland Maire,
Owen' Manus,
Irish English,
Manus Sarah,
Ireland Maire,
Indeed English,
Maire Yolland,
Brian Friel,
english language,
language culture identity,
culture identity,
cultural borders,
language culture,
irish english,
mixing english,
yolland maire,
interpret privacies,
maire yolland,
value limitations,
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Acceptance Essays
