Brian Friel's play Translations focuses on the importance of language, language to an existing culture, and the recreation of an already existing culture. Friel uses language as a basis to delve into questions of history, change and political awareness. Language influences three other major themes in this work, including the historical and social significance of the Irish compared to the English, how language represents power, and linguistic inequality. Historical and Social Significance The translations take place in 1833. This is important because it marks the invasion of the English into Ireland. In the first decades of the 19th century there was a widespread revolt against the Irish language. Friel refers to the potato plague and mass emigration, the combination of the two leading to the reduction of Irish speakers. The decline of the Irish and their culture began to ease further with the colonization of the English. Throughout the show, the modernization of political, social and educational systems is mentioned. The Irish's acceptance of English colonization is explained by the character Maire in the opening act. “I don't want Greek. I don't want Latin. I want English… I want to be able to speak English because I will go to America as soon as the harvest is safe” (25). The desire for economic progress and success becomes a strong motivation for increased immigration. The show still ends with the Irish people's dilemma of whether they need to learn the language or attempt to preserve their own. The language is considered vital because it is the pillar of the Irish community. Historically and currently, Friel accentuates the importance that history must be written and documented in order to limit the dam...... middle of paper......and the Irish and creates a hierarchy of language and gender. The primary hierarchy developed by the struggle between languages ​​exists between Irish Gaelic and English: English is powerful and dominant, while Irish is powerless and submissive. English is masculine and practical, while Irish is feminine and spiritual; in the traditional Western paradigm of gender relations, this places the English by default in the dominant, active role – as conqueror – and places the Irish in the submissive, passive role of conquered. English becomes the language because the language provides a kind of power, the inability to use the language is othering; this division between the articulate and the inarticulate creates another hierarchy in which language is placed above silence, or the ability to use a culturally preferred language is placed above the ability to use other forms of communication.