# The Cards and the Irish Lesson explained — Lavengro

> Chapter companion for Lavengro by George Borrow.

## What happens

The narrator recounts his time at an Irish school, where he befriends a restless Papist student named Murtagh. Murtagh, who dreads going home due to boredom and lack of occupation, confesses his longing for a pack of cards stolen by his uncle. The narrator offers to sell him a new pack in exchange for lessons in the Irish language, leading to a mutually beneficial arrangement.

## Themes in this chapter

### Philology and Learning

The narrator trades a pack of cards for lessons in the Irish language, emphasizing the value placed on linguistic exchange and informal education.

### Freedom vs. Convention

Murtagh's restlessness and desire for card-playing over priestly studies illustrate the tension between personal freedom and societal expectations.

## Character check-ins

### Lavengro

The narrator attends school in Ireland, befriends Murtagh, and trades a pack of cards for Irish lessons.

### Murtagh

A tall, restless Papist student who dreads going home due to boredom and longs for a pack of cards to play with his brother Denis.

### The Priest

The nice old clergyman who teaches Latin and Greek at the school.

## Key lines

> I was e’en dealing with the cards.

I was just pretending to deal cards.

_Murtagh explains his hand movements as mimicking card dealing, despite having no actual cards._

> And is it a language-master you’d be making of me?

Are you asking me to be your language teacher?

_Murtagh reacts with surprise to the narrator's proposal to exchange a pack of cards for Irish lessons._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se/chapters/x
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lavengro_se/chapters