PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME!
BRIAN FRIEL
BRIAN FRIEL
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Brian Friel was born on 9 January 1929 in
Omagh, County Tyrone in Northen Ireland.
In addition to his published plays, he has
written short stories; screenplays; film, TV and
Radio adaptations of his plays.
Friel’s father was a native of Derry and a
primary shool principal. His mother was from
Donegal and she was postmistress of Glenties,
County Donegal.
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In 1939, the family moved to Derry. His father had a
teaching position at the Long Tower school. Friel
attended the same school and then went on to
attend secondary school at Saint Columb’s College,
Derry. He attended the Republic of Ireland’s National
seminary, Saint Patrick’s College, he gave up studying
priesthood and he took a post-graduate teaching
course in Belfast.
He started teaching in Derry in 1950 and wrote in the
meantime.
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Many of his plays were set in Ballybeg, “ a remote
part of Donegal.” They reside in the borderland of
Derry, Donegal and Tyrone in which a largely Catholic
community leads a reduced existence under the
pressure of political and economic oppression.
In 1980, Friel helped to found The Field Day Theatre
Company which aims to help the Irish explore new
identities for themselves. His play Translations (was
its first production.
Brian Friel married Anne Morrison in 1954 and has
four daughters and a son.
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He was appointed to the Seaned Eiraan in 1987 and served until 1989.
He is often compared to Anton Chekhov and hailed as “Irish Chekhov”.
Richard Pine calls him “this Irish Chekhov” and among the contemporary
Irish playwrights, Brian Friel has learned the most from Chekhov’s themes
and techniques and applied his lessons most subtly. He is also lauded as
“the universally accented voice of Ireland”
Friel is best known for his plays such as Philadelphia, Here I Come (1964),
Dancing at Lughnasa (1990)and Translations (1980).
Dancing at Lughnasa brought him grat acclain internationally.
His plays explore social, cultural and political issues, exploring how these
impact upon individuals and families.
His plays deal with identity, the notion of truth and communication.
Language is associated with national identity.
Identity is formed through memory; both public and private.
PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME!
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The first performance of Philadelphia, Here I
Come! was given at the Gaiety Theatre,
Dublin, on 28 September 1964.
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SETTING
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All the action takes place within a period of a few
hours on the evening of Gar’s departure, but it also
includes flashbacks to Gar’s relationship with Kate,
her father and Aunt Lizzie.
The play is set in Ballybeg. It is a place of narrow
horizons and limited possibilities. The community
represented in the play is small, their movement is
limited and few possibilities of broadening their
horizons exist.
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The life style is set and predictable and
monotonous culture.
The play deals with such themes as love,
shattered dreams, authority and nature of
language.
The play is a tragicomedy, containing many
comical scenes and a tragic tone.
CHARACTERIZATION
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All the characters are stereotypes
and characterizations are weak. But
Gar must be excluded; although he
does not change, he has a
psychological depth. He can not
decide to leave or not. He has an
inner conflict between two psyches.
GAR O’DONNELL
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The two Gars, Public Gar and Private Gar, are two
views of the one man. Public Gar is the Gar that
people see, talk to and talk about. Private Gar is the
unseen man, the man within, the conscience, the alter
ego, the secret thoughts, the id. Private Gar is invisible
to everybody, always. Nobody except Public Gar hears
him talk. But even Public Gar, although he talks to
Private Gar occasionally, never sees him and never
looks at him. One can’t look at one’s alter ego.
SATIRICAL DIMENSION
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The family, the church, the educational
system and politics are all criticized and
stairized in the play.
Education- Master Boyle is an alcholic and
not a role-model.
Church- The church does not offer comfort
for people anymore. Canon is inefficient and
inept.
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Private: […] because you’re warm and kind and soft
and sympathetic- all things to all men- because you
could translate all this loneliness, this groping, this
dreadfulbloody buffoonery into Christian terms that
will make life bearable for us all. And yet you don’t say
a word. Why, Canon? Why, arid Canon? Isn’t this your
job? – to translate? Why don’t you speak, then?
Prudence, arid Canon? Prudence must be damned!
Christianity isn’t prudent- it’s insane!(82)
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Politics- Senator Doogan is a materialist and looks for
personal profit even in his daughter’s marriage.
Family-Gar is even isolated and alienated in his own
house from his father. Kathy is dependent on his
father’s choice of the man she is going to marry.
Social Structure- The boys are personal failures. They
are unable to deal with the limitations of their life in
Ballybeg. Women are subjected to limitations as they
are controlled by socail conventions.