Northern Ireland´s Conflict as Reflected in Jim Sheridan´s Film In the Name of the Father

Abstract

This thesis focuses on Northern Ireland's conflict and its reflection in Jim Sheridan's film In the Name of the Father. The aim of the thesis is to explain the historical and religious background of the Troubles and to apply these pieces of knowledge to the analysis of the film. A special emphasis is put on the significance of Great Britain's involvement in the conflict. The film is based on real-life stories of the Guildford Four, which was a group of four people wrongly convicted of terrorist bombings in the 1970s. The film manages to capture the mood of the times and besides recounting the main storyline, it serves as a study on how the Irish were perceived in England.