What Do I Read Next?
- Waiting for Godot (1952), penned by the absurdist playwright Samuel Beckett, is often compared to Brian Friel's works.
- The Glass Menagerie (1944) by Tennessee Williams is a "memory play" frequently likened to Dancing at Lughnasa. In this play, a man recounts memories of his mother, sister, and absent father directly to the audience, similar to Friel's technique. The lines "I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion" and "In memory everything seems to happen to music" resonate with themes in Friel's play.
- Philadelphia, Here I Come! (1964) marked Friel's first major commercial and critical success. It explores the inner thoughts of a young Irishman preparing to emigrate to America.
- Friel's Aristocrats (1979) delves into the lives of an Irish Catholic aristocratic family facing decline. This play earned the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Play in 1989.
- Considered by some critics as Friel's finest stage play, Translations (1980) addresses Irish national identity in response to British governmental policies in Ireland.
- The Diviner: Brian Friel's Best Short Stories (1983) is a collection of Friel's short stories previously featured in the New Yorker and other publications.
- Molly Sweeney (1994) tells the story of a forty-one-year-old blind woman whose sudden restoration of sight transforms her relationship with her husband.
- Friel's most recent play, Give Me Your Answer, Do! (1997), is set in the fictional Donegal and revolves around author Tom Connolly and his alcoholic wife, Daisy. They receive a visit from a scholar, another author, and Daisy's parents in their rural home.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.