Brian Friel: Prevalent Public Problems

Prevalent Public Problems

Growing up in New England, the young elementary school student is taught of how awfully the Native Americans and African Americans were treated, the rising levels of poverty, and other social problems that occurred during America’s history. Not only were social problems prevalent in America throughout most of history, but they also were occurring in Ireland. In fact, they were happening in the 1800s, when the play Translations, by Brian Friel, was set in. They were happening when Brian Friel wrote Translations in the 1900s, and as we know they are still occurring today. Unfortunately, the same themes of social problems take place during all three time periods. Brian Friel is commenting on the social problems of both
Yolland so desperately wants to be able to connect with Maire despite their obvious differences in culture and language. The idea of a similar forbidden love can be seen in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Both sides know that being together would cause problems and potentially be very difficult to do so. Forbidden love also comments on the conflicts between two groups, in this case Britain versus Ireland, who have always had their problems. Poverty is a common problem in many societies, including both England and Ireland. According to history records, Ireland was “populated by eight million persons who were among the poorest people in the Western World,” (historyplace.com). It was so prevalent that it was common for most people to expect little to no pay for the work they did. For example, Manus “work[ed] as an unpaid assistant to his father,” (page 256). Hugh, the father of Manus and Owen, owned a hedge school that taught the bare minimum of education to the locals of Baile Beag. Interestingly enough, the author Brian Friel’s father was also a schoolmaster. Brian “he studied for a career in the priesthood . . . [but] eventually decide to follow his father into the teaching profession,” (culturenorthernireland.org). Friel mirrored what he knew well with his father being a schoolmaster, as was Hugh, and following in his father’s footsteps, as did Manus. Poverty was expected by the residents
Her disability would most likely be understood in today’s society however, back in the 1800s, no one really cared. Manus can sympathize with Sarah because he too has a disability. In the opening of the play, we find Manus described as lame: “. . . when he moves we can see he is lame,” (page 256). We later come to find that Manus is lame because his father, in his drunkenness, fell on him when he was an infant. Although no one directly call Manus out on his disability, it is clear that he is treated as the lesser of the two sons of Hugh. This attitude towards disabilities is what harms and ruins a society as a whole so it is very nice to see that although this is still a problem in today’s society, there is a lot more empathy and sympathy towards those with