In the following essay, Dantanus outlines the nature of Friel's literary landscape through an examination of his short stories.

In the following essay, O'Brien underscores the unifying aspects of Friel's stories and traces his transition from short fiction to drama.

In the following essay, Maxwell provides a sociopolitical and historical context to Friel's short fiction and delineates the major thematic concerns in his stories.

In the following essay, O'Connor argues that Friel's stories are radical in the way they provoke thought about the social, moral, and political problems that face his characters.

In the following essay, Pine elucidates the defining thematic concerns of Friel's short stories.

In the following essay, Leary examines the themes of "life and death, exile and home, being and loss, " which recur throughout Friel's work.

In the following essay, Cronin unfavorably compares Friel's short stories to his drama and accentuates the significance of the past in his work.

In the following essay, Lojek establishes the concept of "translation" as a central metaphor for Friel's concerns as a playwright.

In the following essay, Throne studies the features of the fathers in Friel's plays, drawing conclusions about the social and political implications of the characters.

In the following essay on Friel's drama and his association with Field Day Theatre Company, Pelletier examines Friel's treatment of Irish history.

In the following essay, Hawkins analyzes the "familial/ communal interactions" that produce a schizoid condition, which is found in both the characters and communities in Philadelphia, Here I Come!, The Freedom of the City, and Translations.

In the following essay, Miner considers the theme of disillusionment in “Among the Ruins” and “Foundry House.”

In the following essay, Miner addresses the theme of disillusionment in Friel's "Among the Ruins" and "Foundry House" by examining the details of the characters' reevaluation of childhood from an adult perspective.

In the following essay, Hawkins establishes some characteristics of Schizophrenia and applies these to an analysis of the characters and situations in Friel's work.

In the essay below, Tillinghast offers a survey of Friel's plays, focusing on his "deft touch with theatrical devices and dramatic structure. "

In the following essay, Tillinghast discusses the function of language in Friel's plays and its pertinence to issues of Irish society.

In the essay below, Deane explores the functions of the "secret stories" that lie at the center of many of Friel's plays.

In the following essay, Bonaccorso explores the dynamics between society and the individual in “The Flower of Kiltymore” and “The Saucer of Larks.”

In the following essay, Deane explores the essential and enduring qualities of Friel's short stories.

In the following study of "The Flower of Kiltymore," and "The Saucer of Larks," Bonaccorso considers Friel's more private story-telling voice.

In the following essay, Bonaccorso deems “Foundry House” Friel's best-known story, and asserts that is one of his most impressive achievements “given its cultural interest, quiet intensity, and subtle characterization of its protagonist.”

In the following essay, Binnie considers Friel's plays and his involvement with Field Day Theatre Company, drawing parallels to the work of Bertolt Brecht.

In the following review, Tracy considers the Dionysian motifs in Wonderful Tennessee and in some of Friel's other work.