An analysis of the play 'Translations' by Brian Friel

In his play, Translations, Brian Friel dramatizes the importance of language and the loss thereof to a conquered nation, specifically Ireland. Recognizing that language is a means of cultural communication, Friel shows that the English set out to eliminate the Irish language, thereby also destroying the nation's history and culture. The early nineteenth century setting avoids the devastating famine that changed everything.;This paper will examine and discuss the historical accuracy of the four realities Friel uses to illustrate his theme. First, Friel sets the play in a hedge-school where Catholic students could be taught in their native tongue. Next, he introduces English officers carrying out the Ordnance Survey System that remapped and renamed the entire country. Third, the characters discuss the National School System, where only English could be taught or spoken. Fourth, this paper will discuss the importance of these realities in the loss of the native language.