Translation Essay

7 Pages 1816 Words

school: Maire. She is “a strong-minded, strong-bodied woman”, as she works in the farms like most of the people from the village.

From the very beginning we realise that Owen does not care for the Irish language and is only at Baile Beag to do his job, which he tells the community is to:

“…translate the quaint, archaic tongue which [them] people persist in speaking into the King’s good English.”

From this quote you realise that Owen not only considers himself as an outsider in the Irish community, but also feels he is with the English. The audience feel that unbeknownst to himself Owen has taken sides: he has chosen the English. However, Owens character reflects something different, as he is well respected and loved by the community as upon first entering the play as he “crosses the room he touches and has a word for each person”.

Yolland is the lieutenant and as he is part of the English should want proper English names for the Irish places, however, he does not. Yolland wants to keep the Irish name as we realise early on that he likes the Irish language, when he first addresses the community of...