How does Friel explore the concept of identity in Making History, looking at alternative viewpoints in your answer?
Identity is the individual characteristics by which a thing or a person is recognized or known with, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/identity These characteristics are exposed through factors such as a person’s image,personality,where they were brought up and their accent. All the characters in the play, making history are identified through where they came from and their accent. Here Friel is attempting to illustrate the difference between class and social status in Ireland during the time of play. Friel has also used the crucial times of Hugh O’Neill post and prior to the Battle of kinsale.One of the key ways in which Friel succeeds in doing this is by implementing the theme of identity and O’Neill’s struggles with this issue of identity throughout the play. Other characters are shown to have split identities, which reinforces Friel ideas of how history will portray them. Making history is a play by, playwright Brian Friel. The play is set in the Elizabethan era, during the renaissance period.
From the scenes of the play, Friel uses the events of O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone as his attempt to secure a deal with Spain that will drive the last of Elizabeth’s English forces out of Ireland. As this play is not exact history of Hugh O’Neill, Friel has used certain events and key characters, to explore the concept of identity in making history.
Act 1 scene 1 the play begins with the discussion of Christening, in which O’Neill has received an invitation, Friel has used to evidently represent the light heartedness of the rest of the act that follows, before events take a more sinister turn. This discussion is carried out between O’Neill and his personal secretary Harry Hoveden, the symbol of birth here present possibly indication of their relationship facing tough and strenuous times ahead, implying that Harry and O’Neill’s relationship goes further than just professional. Here Brian Friel informs the audience at the beginning of the scene (p1) where “O’Neill describes harry as a man ‘who has a comforting and soothing effect”. In this scene shows that O’Neill’s highly regards his friendship with Harry as mostly likely that of a close friend than a secretary to O’Neill. This is a key relationship in making history that allows the audience an insight into O’Neill’s personal identity.
In the play we find Friel using the metaphor of herbs to represent people in making history; discussion continues between O’Neill at his county Tyrone,with his personal secretary Harry Hoveden who is trying to discuss an invitation that he has received with O’Neill. O’Neill has acquired come flowers and is significantly distracted with the Spanish Broom he is handling at the beginning of Act 1 scene 1. The dramatic Irony of O’Neill being distracted by the Spanish Broom which Harry says are called, and O’Neill seems to be in a happy mood saying, how beautiful the flowers he is arranging are “ Magnificient colour, isn’t it? (p2) This is a rhetorical question to Harry and he does not expect Harry to answer. If only he paid as much attention to Spain as he did to the flowers. As the flowers are used to symbolise Spain and dramatic Irony to it is that of O’Neill being distracted to his Spanish coalition army then he perhaps, would have not met such tragic defeat at kinsale as we see further in the play.
We However, see another theme of identity which is mainly portrayed through Mabel and O’Neill. There are traditional religions and their opposing countries is a sign that their love will not last as long as they hoped and that something will end their relationship. Mary tries to show Mabel this when she visits. She hands her sister some seeds;
“Mary... I’ve brought you some seeds. Don’t plants the fennel near the dill or the two will cross-fertilize.” (p. 21) Mary uses the seeds as a reference to O’Neill and Mabel ,portraying her views on their relationship.The audience see here that mary is a very strong character with her own personal opinions,very much like mabel,and this is why she and O’Donnell oppose each other so much.
Mabel is one of the main characters in which identity is shown. She becomes a neutral character trying to settle disputes between the two opposing countries,Engalnd and Ireland. This is shown through pauses and awkward silences in the discussion with her sister. ‘ Mary:That’s a promise.(pause)... Mabel:Thank you.( pause).’ When mabel is discussing her new life in Ireland with Mary,she refers to herself as ‘ we’ whereas mary says ‘them’,Mary:They have no bees here,have they?(p.20) Mabel: No,we haven’t.’ This could suggest that mabel has chosen to side with Irish and in doing so betrayed her family,her ancestors and the queen. Also at the time the play is set,gender played a large part in identity, women were menat to be seen but not heard and it was seen as controversial, if they married a man who was neither chosen by there family or accepted by them.

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