The Love Scene between George and Maire from Translations

The Love Scene between George and Maire from Translations

This scene, in my opinion is the dramatic centre of Translations. The

scene displays that George and Maire have fallen in love as they

return from the dance together; the pair find it hard to communicate,

and exhaust every method of communication before reciting place names

to one another. The common language of the place names increases the

tension between George and Maire until, finally, they kiss. The kiss

is witnessed by Sarah who uses her new found talent of speech to tell

Manus. The scene, in my view is very important as it is the catalyst

for the disastrous events which follow, it leads to the disappearance

of George, the search of Baile Baeg by new English soldiers, Maire’s

despair, and the imminent ‘evictions and leveling of every abode’.

The stage directions play a prominent part in the scene, they specify

darkness and music being played, the music is significant as it is a

common form of communication, everybody can relate to it. The ‘music

rises to a crescendo’ as Maire and Yolland enter on stage and the

audience are involved in the excitement and merriment of the pair. The

music also crescendos later after Sarah has seen them which emphasizes

the significance of what has just happened. The stage directions also

describe their actions towards one another, the gestures and the pause

before the kiss; all which would add a lot of drama and pace to the

scene.

Act 2 Scene 1, which is just before the love scene, is very different.

Maire and George at this point are still very shy and use Owen to

translate everything between them:

Maire: Tell him then

Owen: Tell him what?

Maire: About the dance.

Maire is essentially inviting Ge...

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...hows that she has gone to tell him about George and Maire,

bring the scene to a climax. It is also poignant that after Sarah has

been given the gift of speech, she is now about to use it to tell her

teacher and change everything in Baile Baeg, possibly costing George’s

life.

As the scene acts as a microcosm of the play’s messages, Friel

displays the themes of translation, cultural differences and conflict

of interests all in one scene. As a result, I think that this is a

very important, if not the most important scene of the entire play, as

the scenes before all build up to this moment, and the later events

preceding it are all results of George and Maire’s union. Brian Friel

has also managed to keep the audience interested by using tension,

pace, irony and suspense; and successfully brings the end of the act

to a climax, keeping the audience engaged.