CATHLEEN NI HOULIHAN - ANALYSIS

The story in general is about the 1798 Rebellion when French troops landed at Killala in the west

of Ireland where joined by many unarmed peasants to attack the English. The play’s main theme

deals with the tragic bravery of those who fight for Irish independence 4 even when there is no

hope for victory and death is probable.

The growing of Irish nationalism was the result of British colonization. “Ireland is a country which

has been constantly invaded and resettled.” (Welch qtd in Galloway 1). Later the cycle of

invasion replaced by British colonization this had political, economic, social and especially

cultural impacts on Ireland and its people.

Ireland, unlike most European countries, did not have opportunity of fully experience the

experiments of individualism, enterprise, collectivity and modernization that are known as the

Renaissance and the Enlightenment” (Welch qtd in Galloway 3). Thus, one can see that every

aspect of Irish society was controlled by the English. The cultural effect of British colonization

was even more dramatic. Everything, including language, was imposed on the native Irish.

Michael has grown up in a society that has been colonized for years. He has seen and

experienced poverty in his family and also in the larger society in which he lives. He believes all

the miseries that people have suffered are rooted in British colonization.

INDEPENDENCE

Para responder essa pergunta, primeiro é importante deixar claro que a ilha
irlandesa está dividida em dois países: A República da Irlanda e a Irlanda do
Norte.

Enquanto a República da Irlanda, cuja capital é Dublin, é independente desde

1921, a Irlanda do Norte e sua capital Belfast, compõe o Reino Unido e
pertencem à Inglaterra. Na Irlanda do Norte, podem-se ver bandeiras tanto do
Reino Unido quanto da Irlanda do Norte e a moeda utilizada é a Libra Esterlina
(British Pound) e não o Euro, utilizado na República da Irlanda.

De 1919 a 1921, instalou-se uma guerra da independência. De um lado o

Exército Irlandês – da Irlanda, do outro as forças britânicas. Esta guerra
termina em 1921 onde foi assinado um tratado – Tratado anglo-irlandês
dando poderes de independência à Irlanda, no entanto a opinião pública
manteve-se dividida pois a Irlanda foi dividida em Estado Livre Irlandês
(26 condados maioritariamente a sul) e a Irlanda do Norte (6 condados).