"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."
Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
By any other name would smell as sweet."
Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)
What connection does a name have to an identity? Does it alter it? But that couldn't be true, for if you describe a rose as "rojo" instead of "red" it does not change its color. So what's the significance behind a title? In Translations, Yoland and Owen are renaming the Irish landscape, and Yoland Believes that by renaming the landmarks/roads/towns they are stripping away its Irish identity. Throughout the play, the connection between identity and name go hand in hand, and it is arguable that changing the name will intern change identity. I didn't understand this concept at first. What's the big deal anyway? All they are doing is translating the words for the English, but then I came across a weird thought, how would I feel if someone wanted to change my name?
What if someone wanted to change your name?
How would you feel about it?
Would you like it depending on what they changed it to?
We've associated ourselves with our name for so long, we would feel as if we lost a part of ourselves along with our original name.
Think about how often we associate titles to identity. An example of this would be labels, for instance, we are more likely to be fond of someone who was described as sweet rather than sarcastic. We are more likely to tolerate someone if they are funny rather than obnoxious.
Or go a step further, and think about who you associate with their names.
When we hear a name, we associate that name with the person we knew. For example, when I hear the name John, I think of my brother, which leads me to think of his slapstick humor and love for sports. Everyone has a name that they associate with a person that is less than appealing to them, and we subconsciously give anyone with that name a bad connotation.
Changing a name does not change the identity, but the original name of that identity will always be a factor in defining it.
I found it really interesting that you find such a connection between a name and your personal feelings and connections to it. I think this, as you (and Shakespeare!) reflect on, is a very human thing. We become very attached to names and their meanings. Even hearing someone say the name of a person or place significant to us, can invoke feelings and memories.
ReplyDeleteI love how you brought up the Shakespeare quote because that was running through my head the whole time I was reading Translations! I also had not thought about the idea of someone changing my name. I would honestly feel completely lost if my name was no longer Sarah, and I think this is what the Irish feared. Without the titles that they had always known, there is nothing to connect them with their heritage, and from that comes the feeling of loss.
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