Translations (Faber Paperbacks)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Translations (Faber Paperbacks) for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
""Translations" is a modern classic. It engages the intellect as well as the heart, and achieves a profound political and philosophical resonance through the detailed examination of individual lives, of particular people in particular place and time."--"Daily Telegraph"
"This is Brian Friel's finest play, his most deeply thought and felt, the most deeply involved with Ireland but also the most universal: haunting and hard, lyrical and erudite, bitter and forgiving, both praise and lament."--"Sunday Times"
"This is Brian Friel's finest play, his most deeply thought and felt, the most deeply involved with Ireland but also the most universal: haunting and hard, lyrical and erudite, bitter and forgiving, both praise and lament."--"Sunday Times"
Product Description
The action takes place in late August 1833 at a hedge-school in the townland of Baile Beag, an Irish-speaking community in County Donegal. In a nearby field camps a recently arrived detachment of the Royal Engineers, making the first Ordnance Survey. For the purposes of cartography, the local Gaelic place names have to be recorded and rendered into English. In examining the effects of this operation on the lives of a small group, Brian Friel skillfully reveals the far-reaching personal and cultural effects of an action which is at first sight purely administrative.
"Translations" is a modern classic. It engages the intellect as well as the heart, and achieves a profound political and philosophical resonance through the detailed examination of individual lives, of particular people in particular place and time." Daily Telegraph
"This is Brian Friel's finest play, his most deeply thought and felt, the most deeply involved with Ireland but also the most universal: haunting and hard, lyrical and erudite, bitter and forgiving, both praise and lament." Sunday Times
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Translations now firmly holds a place on A-level and University reading lists everywhere and rightly so. It's a beautiful play which focuses on the potential erosion of Irish Culture along with the eradication of the Gaelic Language and Irish place names, by British troops. However, you don't need to be clued-up on Irish politics to enjoy translations. The moving union between an Irish Speaking Country Girl and a British Solider proves that love only knows one language.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
From the outset, this might seem like a play chiefly mourning the decline of Irish culture due to the English. If it was as simple and, frankly, boring as this then I wouldn't like it, let alone rate it 5 stars. For me though, this play isn't really 'about' this or anything else. Friel is notorious for refusing to tell people what the 'point' of his plays are and that is probably because with Translations he is not attempting to 'make a point' or argue one view, but to explore various issues without trying to give a definite 'answer'.
The way I see it the purpose of Translations is to present to the mind of the audience members ideas or views which they then can digest and reflect on. This includes issues in the philosophy of language, identity, morality and politics. People have got to realize that Friel is not saying "what the English did was wrong" or "a culture's original language is part of its identity" or "meaning can never be properly translated from one language to another" but to put these and their opposing views out there and create a point of reference for discussion. This ambiguous 'post-modernist' approach ensures the play is not a one-trick pony, it makes it re-readable and perfect for study.
Mistaking views being raised for reflection as Friel expressing personal views leads to a simplistic appreciation of this play which would understandably lead to a poor review. For those reviewers who feel there's not enough action I say this play is not a play of action. And for those reviewers who say the characters are stereotypes I say they obviously skipped the parts with Yolland in them (as well as the fact that in drama arhetypal characters can be used to great effect).
This is, quite simply, a great play.
The way I see it the purpose of Translations is to present to the mind of the audience members ideas or views which they then can digest and reflect on. This includes issues in the philosophy of language, identity, morality and politics. People have got to realize that Friel is not saying "what the English did was wrong" or "a culture's original language is part of its identity" or "meaning can never be properly translated from one language to another" but to put these and their opposing views out there and create a point of reference for discussion. This ambiguous 'post-modernist' approach ensures the play is not a one-trick pony, it makes it re-readable and perfect for study.
Mistaking views being raised for reflection as Friel expressing personal views leads to a simplistic appreciation of this play which would understandably lead to a poor review. For those reviewers who feel there's not enough action I say this play is not a play of action. And for those reviewers who say the characters are stereotypes I say they obviously skipped the parts with Yolland in them (as well as the fact that in drama arhetypal characters can be used to great effect).
This is, quite simply, a great play.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Friel's "Translations" is a brilliant book which I had the fortune to study on my A Level syllabus. It works on many levels, and whilst its layers of symbolism can seem complex to begin with, by the end of the play Friel skilfully connects the loose ends together. This is a beautiful story of language and love, as well as the power of language to deceive. I would recommend this to any fan of Anglo-Irish Literature but also as a very good read.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Translations
Great quality and great play. Perfect for studying and using in A level English literature. Recommended to other customers looking for their own copy of this play.
Published 7 months ago by artemiss
The Battle for Irish Independence
Brian Friel's play 'Translations' is surely one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. I caught wind of a major production of the play at the Abbey theatre in Dublin. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mr. J. N. Plant
My favourite play of all time
I remember picking this play up, and wondering if it would be able to capture my interest, because I am a reluctant reader. Read more
Published 12 months ago by The Loser ladies & gentlemen
Apologies
BOOK-O-RAMA is a good company to buy a book from. I had bought a book from them and I got what I was told, a book that was in a good condition. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Nabir
nice and cheap for college
Needed the book for college, was a lot cheaper than in the shops and recieved it quickly for my next lesson
Published 18 months ago by sashmo
Translation
The book came the next day prior to my purchase, i was very please with the quality.
Published 19 months ago by missjl
Liked but was left uncertain
Moving, funny and multi-layered.
Amazing technique of creating an impression of two languages being spoken with the words of one language only. Read more
Amazing technique of creating an impression of two languages being spoken with the words of one language only. Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2010 by Z. Eglite
This play demands to be seen!
After reading this play for my degree i am now seized with a desire to see Translations on stage. This is an incredibly clever play that really explores cultural and personal... Read more
Published on 8 Mar 2010 by Amy Harding
Brilliant
The item was as described and was well packaged. The item was received quickly. 1st Class service!
Published on 5 Jan 2010 by M. Luffarelli
Translations, Brian Friel
A short, insightful, easy-to-read play. Friel skillfully creates the illusion that the characters on stage are speaking Irish when, in fact, they are speaking English. Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2009 by E. R. LOCK
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
