本論文研究弗萊爾的三部劇作─ 《豐年祭之舞》、《貴族》與《我將赴費城》。作者藉由檢視三劇的歷史背景與弗萊爾在劇中採用的音樂，以政治角度詮釋這三部戲劇。 第一章討論《豐年祭之舞》。 該劇反映出愛爾蘭人在兩次世界大戰期間以天主教作為愛爾蘭國族象徵的問題。 戴維拉鼓吹建立全面天主教的愛爾蘭，藉以切斷英國與愛爾蘭的臍帶關係，此政治主張卻打壓了傳統塞爾特文化。第二章討論《貴族》一劇中反映的愛爾蘭天主教貴族神話。 長久以來，愛爾蘭天主教貴族一直被視為愛爾蘭國族運動的標竿。 弗萊爾在劇中呈現愛爾蘭天主教貴族利益取向，對國族運動漠不關心的負面形象。 第三章探討《我將赴費城》一劇中呈現的六零年代國族認同危機。 六零年代的愛爾蘭，飽受美國文化帝國主義的衝擊。 本劇所談的移民問題並非單純的遷徙問題。 除了行動上的移民外，愛爾蘭人受美國文化影響而產生的心靈移民往往更甚於行動上的移民。 在這三部劇中，弗萊爾採用的音樂種類繁多，從古典到現代，從本土到異國音樂。藉由分析劇中音樂的歌詞、樂曲形式、及相關背景，弗萊爾所選用的音樂是極具政治意涵的。 雖然弗萊爾質疑，恆久不變的愛爾蘭精神並不存在，並試圖解構愛爾蘭的國族運動迷思，他並未全盤否定國家的重要性。 弗萊爾的劇作傳達的是更寬容的態度，藉此我們得以重新檢視「愛爾蘭精神」。

My attempt is to study Friel’s three plays — Dancing at Lughnasa, Aristocrats, Philadelphia, Here I Come! — in a political way by investigating the historical background of the texts and the music inside the plays. In Chapter One I would examine Dancing at Lughnasa to discuss the appropriation of Catholicism as a symbol of “Irishness” in the interwar period. My argument is that in his effort to draw a distinction between Irishness and Britishness, de Velara’s advocacy for a Catholic Ireland, however, excluded the vital Celtic tradition in Ireland. In Chapter Two, I would study Aristocrats to question the mythology of the Irish Catholic aristocrats. The Catholic aristocrats, long regarded as the landmark of Irish nationalism, are possibly profit-driven and indifferent with Irish nationalism. In Chapter Three, I would study Philadelphia, Here I Come! to discuss the Irish identity crisis in the 1960s, during which the American cultural imperialism exerted a great influence on the Irish. My argument is that emigration is not merely a move from one place to another. There may be mental emigration without physical displacement. In these three plays, Friel’s use of music varies from classical to popular music, from local to foreign music. The music selected by Friel could be politically relevant if we make an investigation on the lyrics, the musical styles, and the backgrounds of these musical pieces. Although Friel questions the fixity of the Irish national identity and demystifies the national myths, he does not negate the importance of the nation. Suggested in his plays is to re-consider “Irishness” in a less totalizing attitude.

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