Exploration of Identity, Belonging and Place in 'Translations' by Brian Friel
Question:
Explore the connections between identity, belonging and place in the play translations. You may extend your discussion to other works if you wish.
“As the present now will later be past
And the first one now will later be last for the times they are a-changin'.” -Bob Dylan
The dictionary definition of identity is as follows- “the state or fact of being the same as one described.” Identity is often an idea that is more or less defined by one’s own understanding, and for that reason, is open to interpretation. The play Translations helps to explain and make clear the idea of cultural identity, and in particular, the Irish cultural identity. The Irish culture itself has been shaped over many hundreds of years, and history has seen itself repeated in many senses, in particular in the form of the many troubles in Ireland during both the 16th and 20th century. The play Translations, written by Brian Friel, not only establishes the Irish culture as that of one equal to the Ancient Roman and Greek civilisations, but is also a running commentary on not so much the decline of one culture, but the blossoming of another. Although the play is set in the 1800’s, the mentalities and attitudes from both sides are coincidently relevant to the time of its publication, 1981. Friel denies the idea that the play was intended to be seen as a political statement, but in reality it is hard in the present times to not envisage the play as a statement, let alone when the play was first performed, during a time of high political tension between North and South Ireland. In helping us to understand more contextually the connections between identity, belonging and place in Translations, there are some ideas which can be considered which are addressed in the play, including: the significance of a name and how it relates to identity, the idea of language, and also the recurring theme of maps and mapping in the play.
The primary function of a name is that of
Explore the connections between identity, belonging and place in the play translations. You may extend your discussion to other works if you wish.
“As the present now will later be past
And the first one now will later be last for the times they are a-changin'.” -Bob Dylan
The dictionary definition of identity is as follows- “the state or fact of being the same as one described.” Identity is often an idea that is more or less defined by one’s own understanding, and for that reason, is open to interpretation. The play Translations helps to explain and make clear the idea of cultural identity, and in particular, the Irish cultural identity. The Irish culture itself has been shaped over many hundreds of years, and history has seen itself repeated in many senses, in particular in the form of the many troubles in Ireland during both the 16th and 20th century. The play Translations, written by Brian Friel, not only establishes the Irish culture as that of one equal to the Ancient Roman and Greek civilisations, but is also a running commentary on not so much the decline of one culture, but the blossoming of another. Although the play is set in the 1800’s, the mentalities and attitudes from both sides are coincidently relevant to the time of its publication, 1981. Friel denies the idea that the play was intended to be seen as a political statement, but in reality it is hard in the present times to not envisage the play as a statement, let alone when the play was first performed, during a time of high political tension between North and South Ireland. In helping us to understand more contextually the connections between identity, belonging and place in Translations, there are some ideas which can be considered which are addressed in the play, including: the significance of a name and how it relates to identity, the idea of language, and also the recurring theme of maps and mapping in the play.
The primary function of a name is that of