Gallivanting Round the Globe: Translating National Identities in Henry V

2012

In this article we shall be looking at the character of MacMorris in Henry V, and at his small but important role in the four captains’ scene. We shall explore some of the historical, cultural, political, dramaturgical and linguistic complexities of his portrayal of Irishness as a necessary preliminary study to its translation into other languages, both for the printed page and for the stage. Spanish and Catalan translations of the scene will be briefly analysed in what we hope will be the framework of a wider, multilingual preoccupation: how does national identity translate in a global context? How does —or can— MacMorris speak in other languages?