Owen/Manus in Translations

These two characters change plays throughout the entire play of translations. Although I am not sure transformation occurs I believe this information represents a shift of opinions in Ireland during National Oridnance Survey. It could also represent the uneasiness of opinions of the Irish

Manus is a lame, intelligent, poor, and underpaid son of Hugh. He teaches at the hedgeschool, but seems quiet and submissive to his father when his own intelligence might even surpass Hugh's. Owen is quite the opposite. He is arrogant, wealthy, has left home to join the English military, but he does still speak Gaelic.

In Act one-

We are introduced to both characters and their descrbed personalities. Manus has a particular moment with Sarah (a student in the school) where his compassion for the Irish and their language shows.He discusses his father's whereabouts with her using hand signals and few words.

In Act two-

We being to see Owen defending his Irish heritage while making the new English map with an officer. However, Owen still moves along with the military's orders as planned. While discussing the places on the map that they are renaming he begins to see the absurdity and how the original names connect with his heritage.

Also during this Act Manus finds out that an officer is "stealing" his "girlfriend"

In Act three-

It opens on a conversation with Owen and Manus. Manus is in a hurry to leave because he afraid that he is the reason the officer who "stole" his girlfriend went missing. He leaves his future job, his students, and his home for a new life.

Owen on the other hand seems to stay. He seems to feel a new connection to his home. The rvidence of this comes from a conversation with the same student Manus had one with in Act one. Just like the first conversation, Owen discusses his father's whereabouts with Sarah using few words and hand signals.

A new kind of compassion has come to Owen of his home and at the same time has left Manus