Translations: characters

Understanding the Characters

Manus, as the illegitimate son of the schoolmaster and a teacher at the local hedge school, is a figure of humility and dedication, embodying traditional Irish values and culture.
His father, Hugh, is a contradictory figure. He’s a scholar and custodian of Irish culture but also an alcoholic, demonstrating the struggle of sustaining Irish culture amidst increasing anglicisation.
Owen, unlike his brother Manus, is more accommodating of the English. He works as a translator for the British and his name’s anglicisation signifies cultural compromise.
Lieutenant Yolland, a British soldier, expresses genuine interest in Ireland and its language, challenging stereotypes of English colonial figures and presenting possible cross-cultural understanding.
Sarah, a speech-impaired student, embodies the silencing of the Irish language and culture.

Interactions and Conflicts

Manus’s refusal to work with the British and his romantic competition with his brother over Maire manifests the internal conflicts within Irish society.
The love triangle of Manus, Maire and Yolland highlights the personal and intimate repercussions of the cultural and linguistic conflicts.
Hugh’s passionate monologue about the Irish language and its history, contrasted with his drunken and disconnected behaviour, underscores his inability to stem the tide of anglicisation.

Characters as Symbolic Representations

The characters in Translations aren’t merely individuals, each character symbolises different attitudes toward the anglicisation process.
For example, Manus represents resistance, Owen stands for compromise and adaptation, while Yolland embodies respectful appreciation of foreign culture.
These characters, through their words and actions, embody the different responses towards cultural and linguistic imperialism.

Character Development and Function

Owen develops from an optimistic collaborator to a more skeptical and disillusioned figure, reflecting the consequences of his cultural compromise.
Sarah’s struggle with speech and her eventual speechlessness signifies the gradual disappearance of the Irish language and its cultural identity.
Characters serve both as individuals with personal motives and symbols of broader cultural responses, emphasising the intersection of personal and political spheres.