Friel Exam Question

Re-read Act 1 from page 38 (Father Jack enters.) to page 41 (Jack goes out to the garden. Kate gets her cardigan.) Explore the presentation of Jack's experience with African culture in this extract and elsewhere in the play.

Father Jack before going to Africa was a devout Catholic, like the majority of people in Ireland at the time. His job as a missionary, was to go and convert people to Catholicism, however Jack came back from Africa as a devout and associates himself with the paganism ways that they have, using the personal pronouns of "our" and "we". 

Within the extra we have our first insight to Jack's life in Africa, first being introduced to how he enters the room  the description of "(as if he were intent on some engagement elsewhere)". Friel would've included this intended subconscious action of Jack, to set the scene of his fragmented memory, but his mind set being so fixated of Africa that even back in Ireland, mentally he is in Africa. Jack first shocks Kate and the other sisters with the mentioning of "ancestral spirits" quite an abstract myth in society, but to Jack to mention it would suggest his belief in such things. One significant thing Jack mentions in his first description is "you have dancing" which to the girls we know is their secret desire, their use to escape from their suppressed lives in Ireland and the home they live (trapped) in. Jack's mentioning of dancing, I believe is significant because it evokes the thought and correlation of dance and paganism beliefs within the girls. So to be pagan or some ways apart (The lughnasa festival) is to have the freedom of dance. 

    The festival of Lughnasa is the closest form of a Paganism ritual to the girls, the description rose gives of the "ritual" of the sacrifice of the cow, is very similar to Jack's description of a typical night or celebration. "We kill a rooster or a young goat... It's very exciting" such care free actions expressed through Jack as he finds it "exciting" and we later learn the reason so they can "offer sacrifice to Obi, our great Goddess of the earth." This description of their actions, show the abstract beliefs the Pagan religion has, and the influence for such extreme measures to connect to a God which contrast completely with the simple 'mass' held within the Catholic religion. This also represents how little of any Catholic beliefs Jack doesn't even have left.

     Within the play we see some forms of hostility emerging between Kate and Jack through their differences in beliefs in religion. Kate representing the strong, devout Catholic and Jack representing the free spirited Pagan : this reflects on the conflicts of Catholicism and Paganism in Ireland since the 5th century when British missionaries came over to convert the original pagans to Catholicism, since then it has been the main religion in Ireland but the original pagan beliefs, rituals and festivals still remain among the minorities. When the conversation of Michael pops up, in Jacks terminology Michael is a "love child", on learning this, Jack questions "have you any other love children?". To find have Kate snap back "She certainly has not". As the different religions, to Kate and Catholics a "love child" is against the norms and written rules, as it means it's a baby out of wedlock, but to Jack and the others in Africa, it is the norm as apparently "in Ryanga women are eager to have love children" with the belief of the more you have the more "fortunate your household is thought to be". This example clearly states the conflict created because of religious views, of which Friel is showing the ignorance of people not tolerating others views. 

Within the extract, Jack describes how his commissioner refers to him as the "Irish outcast"  and always try to get him away so he isn't "going native", here Jack is believing he is apart of them, when to everyone his he is just the outcast.  The irony displayed in Jack's character is huge, Jack's job to be a missionary to change peoples religions, however he went to Africa intending to change theirs when it turned out he did go native, his religion and views were changed. When we are first introduced to Jack in the beginning of Act 1, after his introduction to the play we they are then shown insights to the outside world. Obviously Jack's character is one that was able to escape to the outside world, but he brings it back with him and this influence sets the sisters minds to their own knowledge or links to the outside world. The girls thoughts are taken to "Bernie Odonnel" her new husband from "Stockholm", "Curley Mcdaid", significantly Maggie's nostalgic reflection of her memory of dancing. Which all together, shows how Jack's presence back home has brought the outside world, and an aura of paganism- which reflects on freedom and escapism, so it encourages the sisters to think of the outside world, of people with lives they could themselves have. 

 As we know pre-dating the 5th century Irish Paganism was the main religion in the country, and even today when Catholicism is, minorities still practice the pagan ways. Jack said later on in the play, that "Mother and myself, every Lughnasa would go to the annual ritual", which shows previous on in his life he has a part in paganism, enough to be suppressed by the heavy Catholicism beliefs in his job as a priest, but enough to be brought back to the surface of his mind and believe in the Pagan ways, through his time in Africa. Which could show as a person, how weak Jack is, not to carry on being devout to his religion but to be easily turned to another one. So could the change in Jack's beliefs be the reason why he was sent home as well as his impending death?

Jack's time in Africa describes of everything against Catholic views/beliefs: rituals, sacrifices, love children, Obi Goddess of the Earth, ancestrial spirits, all of which Jack strongly believes in and even home until he dies believes in. We know this because in Michael's speech towards the end, as "he never said Mass again". 

How to Larkin and Abse present History in

Compare the ways in which Larkin and Abse write about history

History is all about time and change, the good, the bad; both poets explore events, that changed the world forever. In Larkin's MCMXIV we see how the first world war affected the home front, as well as the world as "such innocence" is forever gone. Also in Abse, A letter at Ogmore, shows the extreme events of the 20th century take a personal effect on him, but questions is it the end of it all "has a past always a future?". Thus, both poets are neither critical nor supportive of what happened, yet remembering. which is initially a definition of history.
MCMXIV reflects upon a time where war was perceived as an adventure, men "grinning" as they are about to embark upon their new adventure as if it was a day of "bank holiday lark". Larkin writing the poem years after the war, shows the dramatic irony/ironic sense to the men's excitement for war, by the knowledge of knowing what they are going to endure. Death, which juxtaposes the initial excitement. Larkin also notices the change that war brings, and how it was so subtle that it occurred "without a word", somewhat like the war did upon the people. Larkin personifies the country side as not caring about the war, at the time aristocracy ruled the land, with it's "servants" and ""limousines" contrasted to a different world that hadn't been affected by war. Larkin here is showing how at the beginning of the 20th century, the division of the social class system not yet affected by the revolutionary change of war. In the final stanza, Larkin juxtaposes the stanza in a split of the men before the war and the men after. The history of the two, where the split is a metaphor for the change that revolutionised a whole generation. How the "innocence" was never seen before, which is a reflection onto the completely new warfare used, shocking the majority of people due to the death rate. However, the last line "never such innocence again" reinforces the idea of a world that was easily lived for those in the aristocracy, the simple working lives, would no longer be known as the change showed a new independent life for all.
Adrundel Tomb is also a reflection of the passing of time, and the change that it brings. The centre piece of the poem is the tomb stone of the an old pre 17th century earl and his wife, this tomb reflect on their money, enabling them to set in stone, their history, their name and their love.The passing of time is visibly described through the "blurred" faces, which here shows that the things in history that aren't important "blur" away, which contrasts to MCMXIV as the first world war is forever remembered. Larkin shows mild cynicism in saying "they would not think to lie so long".. suggesting that the couple wouldn't have expected their legacy to last a hundred years, let alone five hundred. Larkin's tone changes midway, similarly in MCMXIV when looking at the significance of the gesture in the statues (observing the loss of innocence). Holding hands has been the spotlight of attraction on the tomb, for this detail has survived the erosion of time, which shows the strength in their undying love, alternatively in MCMXIV the love of the country (patriotism) kept people strong throughout the war. In Larkin's last line of the poem, "what will survive is love" is sometimes a sentimental misreading, but to anyone interpretation it can mean anything. In MCMXIV even though the innocence was gone, the love carried on, through the a bad course of time.
Abse too relfects on history, he however, unlike Larkin, shows a more nostalgic reflection on the 20th centry in A Letter From Ogmore. The poem is about his farewell to the 100 years, and being born in the 20's he has first hand experience of growing up in a quick revolutionised, modern world. Looking upon the good and the bad, the repetition of "good bye 20th century" suggesting that all that has occurred is now history. Abse starts off by looking at two significant events of the 20th century, "Hiroshima" and "Auschwitz", both of which occurred in world war two, but war here acting as a catalyst of awareness to make sure the holocaust doesn't ever happen again, but it's also the catalyst of modern weaponry, every country today now in possession of a nuclear weapon. Abse goes on to referring to the "genealogy of ghosts" how time passes, the amount of death within the century is kept alive through memory, in which links to his personification of Eros (the desire to live) supporting the idea of the dead alive in memory.  Abse questions whether or not "has the past always a future" simply stating will such events ever occur again? or with one of the main significances of history being the aspect that we learn from our mistakes and ensure they never repeat. On a personal note, the haunting remark of  "will there always be a Jack boot on the stair?" reference to the Nazi's war crimes of the answer to the Jewish question, which this boot for Abse is always a personal reminder of what the people of his religion, family member potentially went through and will always subconsciously go through. Within the final paragraph, a summery of the century, it's commercialisation and with the metaphor or the sea at Ogmore, represents humanity - with tide in, humanity covered up is "beautiful" "various" and "old", but with tide out, it is "Vexed",  "external" and "Murderous". In which this ties in with MCMXIV as reinforces Larkin's idea of "Never such innocence again".
Abse's Cousin Sidney highlights the effects of war on a personal level. It's a poem about his cousin, Sidney, who with his "size 12 shoes" and achievement of being "tallest boy in his class" is able to lie about his age and sign up to war (1940 so beginning of world war 2". Sidney's rebellious, carefree nature is shown in stanza 1 where he "break his garden swing, jumping on it", could also show his uncontrollable excitement for war in general. Lieing about his age, here too shows the initial excitement for war, the adventure he will partake in. Similarly, in MCMXIV where the first stanza shows the eager men heading for war.. The dramatic irony in both authors, as they both know the horrors of war, and even Abse at the time might not, but writing the poem would do. Sidney is referred to as a "silly ass" by his family as the know he has made the wrong decision, this shows that through time, the opinions of going to war have changed, less encouraged. We find out that he is killed in the battle of Dunkirk, and the emotional effects it has on Sidney's family, "raw in onion air" which is a metaphor used to show the constant uncontrollable crying. Abse here is showing how war singularly affected everyone, how it is a unforgettable moment- supporting his "genealogy of ghosts" in A Letter from Ogmore, how the dead live on in memories throughout history.
Both poets have shown how history changes through time, significant events change the way histories course is heading, and it enables us to learn from mistakes and come out strong so they don't happen again. Adrunel Tomb illuminates MCMXIV the passing of time, with the significance of a single event, on time, however strong it is stay for as  long as it will. And Abse's Cousin Sydney shows how war singles out men to fight, their enthusiasm hasn't changed from MCMXIV to Cousin Sydney, but also how in the long run, the horrible events live on and "never" forgotten.