History in MC & Wind by P. Erdicoborda

Jordan’s Michael Collins represents events in Irish history from 1916 to 1923 by exploring the birth of the Irish Free State and the struggle for Independence through the life of its most representative leader. For its part, Loach’s production The Wind that Shakes the Barley examines the War of Independence and the onset of the Civil War though the private life of two brothers. As Jordan and Loach belong to different historical traditions, they illustrate historical events differently: while Jordan stresses the role of individuals, Loach conceives history as an impersonal process that shapes the life of individuals.
In Michael Collins, the focus is on the character. At the beginning of this cinematographic production the audience is told that the period covered in the film was defined by Michael Collins. In this light, the changes in history are presented as the result of the Irish leader’s actions. Moreover, in Jordan’s work, Collins, Bolland, and De Valera are portrayed as the ones who struggle in order to make Ireland free from the British Empire. After the Anglo-Irish Treaty is signed, this political triangle is broken since Collins favors the Treaty and Bolland and De Valera disapprove of it. Even after this rupture, the main focus of the film is still on Michael Collins who is portrayed as the principal causal agent in the fighting for Irish Independence.
For its part, The Wind that Shakes the Barley exhibits a conception of history as a process in which the characters’ lives are shaped by their context. For instance, Damian – one of the main characters – sacrifices his professional career as a doctor in order to join his brother Teddy in the struggle for freedom. Then, after the Anglo-Irish Treaty is signed, the brothers find themselves confronted in a Civil War since Teddy favors the Treaty and Damian rejects it. Therefore, these two men who had fought side by side during the struggle for independence become enemies in the Civil War. In this light, The Wind that Shakes the Barley portrays how history changes the life of individuals and how their choices are shaped by the historical context they live in.
In brief, even though both cinematographic productions revisit Ireland`s past, the way in which history is conceived by the directors is different. Michael Collins highlights the role of the individual in the making of history while The Wind that Shakes the Barley shows how historical events transform community life.