Translations By Brian Friel Analysis

The Power of Language in “Translations” by Brain Friel

Brian Friel, “Translations” emphasizes the powerful way language impacts people, their identity and culture in a small rural town of Baile Beag, Ireland. Friel connects language to social and political issues that are invading Ireland by the British, exposing the unbridgeable gap between the two different cultures; also he uses symbolism and two distinctly different dialects.

The narration of the story has two distinctly different dialects, English and Gaelic. This distinction provides the reader with an understanding of language being an essential aspect and way of interaction in our daily lives. Language is a way to inform people around us of our feelings, thoughts, desires, questions and understanding of the world around us. Communicating effectively by words, tone of voice and gestures betters ourselves and relationships.

The main idea of this play is the powerful way language impacts people, by portraying their beliefs, theirs traditions and their individuality. By changing the language of their culture, it

changes the meaning of their identity and the loss of their cultures history. For Hugh, it is their history that represents the means of their language, making those words meaningful to their culture not the factual past that ultimate shapes us, stating “. . . it is not the literal past, the ‘facts’ of history, that shape us, but images of the past embodied in language. . . we must never cease renewing those images; because once we do, we fossilise” (Friel 88). Towards the end of the play we see a shift in Hugh’s attitude towards teaching his students English, by agreeing to teach Maire as she desires to learn “We must learn where we live. We must learn to make them our own. We must make them our new home” (88). Hugh realizes and accepts the need to adapt to the change that is inevitably being imposed on their culture.
Communication becomes a symbol for Irish identity.

At the beginning of the play we see Sarah struggle with this simple task, creating a barrier for her and her identity. Having a speech defect and only able to communicate through grunts, causing her to not even be able to utter her name isolating her to her self and not being able to fully communicate her thoughts to others. With Manus's help she learns to pronounce her name, and he tells her “. . . Nothing will stop us now! Nothing in the wide world!” (3). Yet at the end of the play when Captain Lancey orders Sarah to tell him her name, though her mouth opens she is unable to mutter a sound. Instead Sarah closes her mouth and lowers her head, illustrating Irish people’s difficulty in adopting their culture and identity. Ultimately the soldiers presence makes the people forget about their identity and the difficulty in attained

it.
The theme of social and political issues, giving power to an growing culture. The power and importance on the English language began to increase, dominating the lands, politics and law. The English are invading Ireland in the means of converting their culture to their own in the means of political advancement and power throughout the rest of the country. We witness this when Lancey’s is introduced to the people and explains why the English soldiers are in Ireland “the disposition of this government to advance the interests of Ireland” (34). While it is Owen’s job to translate Lancey’s speech to his people, he knowingly mistranslates the true meaning of the Captains speech “the government’s interest in Ireland” (34). The only connecting word within both phrases is “interest” however Owen’s translations lacks the real reason why the English are here, they are interested in taking over Ireland, setting appropriate taxation on land and setting laws to benefit the English, not the necessarily the Irish and have them convert to their political out looks.
The play presents an unbridgeable gap between two cultures, this is evident when Yolland alludes to this idea when he tells Owen that he feels even if he learns Irish, he will still never truly be accepted by the Irish people “. . . I may learn the password but the language of the tribe will always elude me, won’t it?” (48). Yet, we see Yolland has fallen in love with Ireland and everything is offers “. . . perhaps I could live here. . .” (48). It is also the love he has for Marie that holds him to this place, yet the gap between the two cultures holds a barrier between them. It is evident in their second meeting, where they try to communicate with one another not realizing that each other is saying the exact same words but in their language. Yolland begins speaking in Gaelic and listing the places around Baile Beag that he has learned from Owen. Bringing them closer, ultimately connecting on the word “always” when not fully understanding the meaning and context it is used they are able to communicate with that one word they want to be together.
The central theme of the play, which is translation itself, is embodied in the figure of Owen, Hugh’s youngest son. Owen is probably the most complex character in the play and undeniably controversial, since he defines himself as “the go-between” (37). Owen is very naive in his perception of language. For him languages are merely words to him and identify the meaning of language. We see this when Manus questions him regarding Lancey and Yolland calling him Rolland “. . . Owen - Roland - what the hell. It’s only a name. It’s the same me, isn’t it?” (37). Ultimately he rejects his language for English, having him reject his culture at the same time. By the end he becomes the victim of this process of assimilation, as he realizes that he will never be able to be considered a real English folk, this is evident when Lancey makes him aware of his place “Do your job. Translate” (80). He is only see as translator and the bridge between two cultures.
In this play, Friel illustrates the importance of language. Language and communication, creates a reality of how meanings, identifies can be lost in translation.