Howard Yin November 5, 2014 AP Comparative Gov’t Wind That Shakes the Barley Synopsis Following the end of World War I, the film The Wind That Shakes the Barley is set in 1920 and in rural Ireland. The countryside transforms into a savage battleground that pits the farmer-turned-soldier rebels against the vicious Black and Tan squads sent back from the frontlines in Europe amid Ireland’s calls for independence. The film starts out with a scene of Irish men casually playing a match of hurling. Among them is Dr. Damien O’Donovan, an aspiring medical practitioner who is about to leave for London. Shortly after the match, Damien bears witness to his friend’s brutal and unjust execution simply for not giving his name in English. Still, Damien …show more content…
The IRA brigade, led by his brother, Teddy, train in the mountains; they, then proceed to go on to shoot dead four British officers in a bar. However, following this event, an IRA member, Chris Reilly, is forced to pass information to the British by his boss, Sir John Hamilton. Thus, the entire brigade is detained, and Teddy is unsuccessfully tortured for information. Later on, a British sentry helps all, except three prisoners escape. However, after news arrives that the prisoners left behind have been executed, the brigade also receives orders to execute Chris and Sir John Hamilton. At this point, Damien has been put in command of the brigade for Teddy to recover. In a very uptight and transparent scene, Damien shoots them both. Later, the IRA goes on to ambush and completely annihilate a British convoy. However, another detachment of the same division destroys Sinead’s home, a companion of Damien. Moreover, Sinead is shamefully shaved at gunpoint. Later on, as …show more content…
For instance, there is the issue of human rights raised in the instances of police/paramilitary brutality, including the summary execution of Michael Suilleabhain. However, to address the themes directly linked to revolution and independence, it seems more obvious with Loach’s attempts at depicting the Irish revolution as more a social revolution, instead of a nationalist revolution. To begin with, Marxist ideas and implementation in government circulated around within the IRA, not to mention the changes in rights of the Irish people. Given that the Irish didn’t simply want to change the flag and the government in charge, there is more so an Irish identity at work; thus, this is constructivism at work. This is obviously demonstrated in the Irish game of hurling and the language. In essence, any performance or upholding of Irish identity is quickly squashed, signifying that this is more so a social revolution rather than a completely political one. Community is also an important theme stressed in the film. The reasons behind the Irish rebellion were also tied to the fact that the society at the time was completely involved, as shown in the little girl on the horse as a messenger or the few people that supported British