The Use of Language and the Image of Irishness it Portrayed in "Translations" by Brian Friel and "Playboy of the Western World" by J.M. Synge.

Language is very much associated in what we think of as culture. There are very few places where this is more true than to Ireland. Language is very much part of our national identity, yet it has almost entirely died out despite numerous attempts to revive it. The questions that arises in this context from these two plays are; is it necessary to speak Irish to be truly Irish, and should language be sacrificed in …

…yet we still study and read the works of Aristotle and Plato. Language is an incredibly important tool to get our message across, but what we learn in the plays is that it is not the language used but the message conveyed that is the essential part in communication. Bibliography: Friel, Brian. Translations. Norton Critical Edition, 1991. Harrington, P. Modern Irish Drama. Norton Critical Edition, 1991. Synge, J.M. Playboy of the Western World. Norton Critical Edition, 1991.