Paper Knowledge. Books, Maps, Letters: the Written Word in Brian Friel’s Plays

Abstract

Brian Friel’s plays often exploit the techniques of the short story writer, so that the presence of a character narrator, the use of extended monologues and direct address to the audience shed light on powerful acts of narration. The “narrative” strategy is recurring and often dominating, as in the case of Faith Healer, whose intergeneric or intermodal character is a challenge to dramatic action. However, the aural/oral dimension is counterbalanced by the presence of the written word on stage in the form of books, maps, letters, banners, newspapers, which remind the spectator/reader of the accomplishment of Friel’s plays as both literary and theatrical texts. The article investigates the use and the significance of the written word in Brian Friel’s oeuvre as a constant and obsessive presence. Books, maps, newspapers, letters, items that may seem negligible in isolation provide a recurring motif and turn out to be structurally relevant when pursued from play to play.