Political and Historical Topics in Selected Plays by Brian Friel: A Teaching Perspective

Examination Thesis , 2002 , 84 Pages , Grade: 2.3

English Language and Literature Studies - Literature

Brian Friel is considered one of the most successful contemporary Irish dramatists. His works have achieved international reputation and are staged throughout the world. Even in schools, especially in Ireland, his plays are dealt with. For language and literature teachers, who work with Friel’s plays in school, this paper shall serve as a kind of handbook. It is divided into two parts. The first is a theoretical analysis of Friel’s plays Philadelphia, here I come, Translations and Making History. It provides the basic theoretical knowledge about the plays that teachers need for professional teaching. The analysis examines Friel’s plays on political and historical topics. The plays mentioned all show many similarities concerning these topics and therefore seem very suitable for a detailed literary analysis.
The second part of this paper is more practically orientated. It provides classroom teaching ideas for Friel’s plays, including many exercises and teaching material. Although a lot has been written on Friel, only a few have looked at his work from a didactical point of view. A journal article by Philip Brady The Scholar in the Hayfield: Brian Friel and the Post-Colonial Classroom (1998) reports about the staging experiences of Translations by a university teacher for Irish literature. Brady mentions the international validity of the political topics in Translations that can be applied to many countries and cultures. Unfortunately the article does not provide teaching ideas and materials. A few teaching materials can be taken from the internet (see II.5., p. 52), but not much has been done here either. This seems to be surprising because the German syllabus as well the Irish syllabus both state that in order to live in this world one needs knowledge about historical, political social and economical coherences. (cf. Richtlinien, 1999, p. XIV) “Language […] is embedded in history, culture, society, and ultimately personal subjectivity.” (English Syllabus Higher Level, 1999, p. 2). The selected plays match the demand of both syllabi because they mainly deal with historical and political topics and illustrate how they affect a whole culture and its individuals. These circumstances show the necessity of a work such as this and it may prove to be something that fills an important gap in Friel studies.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• I. Introduction
• II. Literary Analysis: Political and Historical Topics in Selected Plays by Brian Friel
  • 1. Politics and language
    • 1.1. Language as a matter of identity
      • 1.1.1. Colonisation by naming: Cultural and national identity
      • 1.1.2. The relevance of the characters' identities
      • 1.1.3. Friel's innovative use of dramatic devices: Philadelphia, here I come and Translations
    • 1.2. Language as a basis for communication
      • 1.2.1. Inter-cultural communication: Irish-British
      • 1.2.2. Intra-cultural communication: Irish-Irish
      • 1.2.3. Inter-personal communication: Father-son
      • 1.2.4. Communication between the author and the reader
  • 2. Friel's presentation of history
    • 2.1. Historical events in Friel's plays
      • 2.1.1. The Ordnance Survey
      • 2.1.2. Penal laws: national schools and hedge schools
      • 2.1.3. Emigration and the Great Famine
      • 2.1.4. Historical texts and their influence on Friel: Intertextuality
    • 2.2. Making History as a metahistoric play
      • 2.2.1. Hugh O'Neill and the Battle of Kinsale
      • 2.2.2. Historical inaccuracies in Friel's presentation of Hugh O'Neill and the Battle of Kinsale
      • 2.2.3. History and fiction: objective or subjective historiography?
  • 3. Summary
• III. Didactical Analysis of Brian Friel's Plays: a Teaching Perspective
  • 1. Literature in the classroom: Why read literature?
    • 1.1. The cultural model
    • 1.2. The language model
    • 1.3. The personal growth model
    • 1.4. Why read drama in the classroom?
  • 2. Approaching the play
    • 2.1. Planning the course of the lessons
    • 2.2. Coming to grips with the content
      • 2.2.1. Clusters
      • 2.2.2. Index cards
      • 2.2.3. Tabular synopsis
      • 2.2.4. Writing a blurb / review
  • 3. Working with the play
    • 3.1. Formal analysis: Stage directions
      • 3.1.1. Stage
      • 3.1.2. Setting
      • 3.1.3. Characters / Costumes
    • 3.2. Analysing the characters with the help of parallel-, inter- and contrary texts
      • 3.2.1. Warrants of apprehension
      • 3.2.2. Obituaries
      • 3.2.3. Writing a character's diary
      • 3.2.4. Rewriting the text from different perspectives
  • 4. Performing the play: scenic interpretation
    • 4.1. Freeze-images
    • 4.2. Role-playing an interview
    • 4.3. Creating a radio play
    • 4.4. Performing the play itself
  • 5. Using the internet
    • 5.1. Internet research
      • 5.1.1. Enquiring about Brian Friel and his plays
      • 5.1.2. Enquiring about Ireland
    • 5.2. Creating a website
  • 6. Summary
• IV. Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the political and historical topics in selected plays by Irish playwright Brian Friel, specifically *Philadelphia, here I come*, *Translations*, and *Making History*. The paper serves as a resource for language and literature teachers who work with Friel's plays in school, providing a comprehensive overview of the key themes and concepts. Key themes include:

• The impact of colonization and language on Irish identity
• The role of history in shaping Irish culture and politics
• The relationship between language and power
• The influence of historical events on individual lives
• The importance of cultural and historical understanding for education

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

I. Introduction

This chapter introduces Brian Friel as a prominent Irish playwright whose works are internationally recognized and popular in educational settings. The paper is structured in two parts: a theoretical analysis of Friel's plays followed by practical teaching ideas and materials.

II. Literary Analysis: Political and Historical Topics in Selected Plays by Brian Friel

This section delves into the ways in which Friel's plays, *Philadelphia, here I come*, *Translations*, and *Making History*, explore the connections between politics, history, language, and individual lives in Ireland. The chapter explores Friel's use of language as a tool for identity, communication, and political expression. It also examines how Friel utilizes historical events and their effects on individuals and society.

III. Didactical Analysis of Brian Friel's Plays: a Teaching Perspective

This chapter provides practical teaching ideas for using Friel's plays in the classroom. It examines the rationale for incorporating literature, particularly drama, into educational settings, focusing on cultural understanding, language development, and personal growth. This chapter then offers a range of practical teaching activities and materials, including group work, character analysis, performance, and Internet research.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This paper explores the themes of political and historical topics in selected plays by Brian Friel, focusing on Irish identity, language, colonization, historical events, cultural influence, and the application of these themes in an educational context. Key concepts include nationalism, intertextuality, and the use of dramatic devices.

• College: University of Wuppertal
• Grade: 2.3
• Author: David Cichowicz (Author)
• Publication Year: 2002
• Pages: 84
• Catalog Number: V185793
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656982357
• ISBN (Book): 9783867466769
• Language: English
• Tags: political, historical, topics, selected, plays, brian, friel, teaching, perspective