Summary Of Brian Friel's 'Translations'

The British have reigned over the Irish so long and so cruelly that they have left Ireland in “state of dependence” psychologically, politically, and economically. In other words, the “ideology of Protestant consumption” has “actually eroded” the self-confidence and sense of worth of the Irish so badly that it has left Ireland a nation unable to sustain itself (Mahoney). England is eating up Ireland. But this tribulation cannot be blamed solely on the British. Swift cleverly condemns the British aristocracy for their mistreatment of the Irish people while also criticizing the Irish people for allowing this exploitation.

When many think of the times of immigration, they tend to recall the Irish Immigration and with it comes the potato famine of the 1840s' however, they forget that immigrants from the Emerald Isle also poured into America during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The assimilation and immigration of the Irish has been difficult for each group that has passed through the gates of Ellis Island or South Boston. Like every group that came to America, the Irish were looked down upon; yet, in the face of discrimination,

The rising Irish presence and governmental power in the country’s cities troubled leading Americans for example the Boston Brahmins, who recognized the British aristocracy’s understanding of the Irish as a credulous, oblivious and volatile people who needed to be watched and controlled, if not banded from the country. Surely the crowds of poor, uneducated Irish packed into ethnic ghettoes, with traditions and on occasion a language that seemed unknown, colored the country native’s reaction. Chronic New York writer George Templeton Strong demonstrated the outlook of countless rich old-stock Americans. Coming up on a crowd of Irish ladies shouting ‘the keen’ which is the customary form of Gaelic expression of sorrow after a few of their men had

They must mix in after years, and be associated with each other in all duties of everyday life… Whether we are Englishmen, Scotsmen, or Irishmen, or whether we are the sons of some foreign land, over and above every other consideration we ought to be

Genocide has undoubtedly shown itself, in one way or another, throughout world history, but there is some controversy as to what is actually considered a genocide versus, perhaps a civil war or Democide. I propose that while Ben Kiernan describes a good model to define an act as or as not a genocide, his model does not take into account all factors that must be considered. Ben Kiernan describes his model being based off of 4 main themes: cults of antiquity, ethnic enmity, expansionism, and fetish for agriculture2. While this is a good start, the argument can be made that not every genocide fits perfectly into this model, while it also can ignore certain important characteristics like religion. We see this being the case with ISIS, being as

The presence of alcohol fosters an environment that augments the schism between Leopold Bloom and the national identity of Ireland by highlighting the disconnect in the cultural identities and the political values between Bloom and the nation’s people.

The speaker for this pre-performance talk was made by foreign language professor Dr. Katie Angus. Being a French professor, she offered her comments on Molière’s play Tartuffe. She began the talk by describing why some of her students decided to study French out of the other language choices available. The answers ranged from “my grandmother speaks French,” to “it is a beautiful language,” to Angus’s own reason of “Spanish was full.” She then spoke about the translation of play from French to English and how difficult it is to create. The translator must have good knowledge of both languages and must choose which elements the play has in its original language to try to keep and which ones to sacrifice. She explained that in the original French

Throughout my research into the subject of the Irish in England's industrial north during the early nineteenth century, one fact became quite clear; contemporary writers' treatment of the Irish was both minimal and negative. I consulted many sources, Friedrich Engels, Leon Faucher, James Kay-Shuttleworth to name but a few and the reoccurring theme as pertaining to the Irish in all these works was mainly consistent; the Irish were a lazy, vulgar people prone to drinking and brawling.

What we find out through these facts however, is that by stating these facts, Maria Luddy argues for the existence of this culture. She is able to open up and convey “another frontier in Irish history” and examine it

Extending this idea, to “Going into Exile” it shows the potential for the children who emigrant to be able to associate themselves with Irish culture if they fail to assimilate in

During the time after the Jacobite Wars, Ireland began to grow a significant amount of enmity for the Westminster Parliament. The distaste for English presence grew rapidly among the Irish; Irish began to take part and support the colonies in the race for freedom among the British rule. Irish Protestants form militias of “Volunteers”, united Protestants and Catholics form the United Irishmen. During this time the irish cause mayhem and upheavals throughout the land in a yearn for separateness from British Rule.

This subject is one that is mirrored in both social and political tensions. It is not a simple as whether or not Ireland was a willing participant in the colonizing, but also a reflection on the methods and motivation of

In “Translations”, Brian Friel highlights the powerful way language can impact people’s identity and culture, as demonstrated in the small rural town of Baile Beag, Ireland. Friel connects language to social and political issues regarding the invasion of Ireland by the British, exposing the unbridgeable gap between two different cultures; also he uses symbolism to demonstrate the challenge of having two distinctly different dialects. The narration of the play uses both English and Gaelic which provides the reader with an understanding of the language barrier and the challenges it can impose in our daily lives. Language being our prime way of communication, this story closely examines the loss of value and the meanings words hold, when lost in

movement was the only logical step. But first, we must discuss what lead up to

Walter Benjamin’s essay, The Task of the Translator, is illuminating in the way in which it shatters any preconceived ideas that may view the act of translation as diminishing the value of the original. Benjamin has high regard for translation, placing it in the realm of art as a distinct form. He argues that art is not about the audience or the receiver that is, it is not primarily about communication. The purpose of art is not to instil a specific belief, impart information or to entertain certain sentiments in the reader thus, appreciation does not reside in generating a moral by interpreting its content. As an art form, translation for Benjamin is not about propagating ideas or beliefs but is about embarking on the task of attaining pure