Irish Literature and Rebellion In the heart of every Irishman hides a poet, burning with nationalistic passion for his beloved Emerald Isle. It is this same passion, which for centuries, Great Britain has attempted to snuff out of the Catholics of Ireland with tyrannical policies and the hegemony of the Protestant religion. Catholics were treated like second-class citizens in their native home. Centuries of oppression churned in the hearts of the Irish and came to a boil in the writings and literature
Irish mythology is a slew of history and myth, blurring the lines of understandable and reliable Irish history (Dersin, 16; Kinniburgh). This unique literature, demonstrates the Celtic peoples sense of the connection between the natural and supernatural realms (Dersin, 15). In Irish myth, the Tuatha de Danaan are the human like gods that reside in the Otherworld after being fought off by the first Irish people when they came from Spain (Dersin, 16). They are immortal beings with shape-shifting abilities
The Irish Potato Famine and The Holocaust in Literature Writers often use literature as a means of communicating traumatic events that occur in history, and such events are recorded by first-hand accounts as well as remembered by people far removed from the situation. Two traumatic events in history that are readily found in literature are The Irish Potato Famine and The Holocaust. A literary medium that has been used quite poignantly to convey trauma is poetry and the poetry from these two
prominent Irish writers of the twentieth century; his writing characterizes a broad, multifaceted range of political, social and religious anxieties shaping Ireland for the duration of its most remarkable period of change, which transformed the place from a relatively peaceful country to a more political and aggressive location. The picture Synge creates shows us that the question of identity relating to Ireland is problematic; however it has produced and provoked some of the greatest literature of the
post-colonial nation. Undoubtedly, Ireland is a post-colonial nation (where ‘post-’colonial refers to any consequence of colonial contact) with a body of literary work that may be read productively as post-colonial. Although colonialism, as a subject for Irish criticism and theory, has been tentatively broached (for example, see Celtic Revivals (1985) by
language is a reminder that this book was written with the rich and cultured person in mind and becomes aggravating to this unenlightened one. In reading the excerpt from The Land of Spices by Kate O’Brien contained in “The Penguin Book of Irish Literature”, this reader is at once aware of the descriptive words with which Helen (the eventual Reverend Mother of the novel) depicts her father, Henry Archer. She presents him in the passage as a man who is “very beautiful…different from other men…with
366, I honestly never knew very much about the oppression of Ireland from England. I knew that there had always been trouble between the two countries, but I never knew of the strong feelings that have been expressed about England in many Irish works of literature. After reading works from this course I began to see Swift’s emphasis on politics, his use of gross humor and his ideas of fitting into society in both the excerpt found ... ... middle of paper ... ...ire has helped me to examine my own
traditions and also the broader Irish literary tradition in which it belongs. Seamus Deane refers to Ireland as a "Strange Country" and indeed O'Brien's own narrator recalls the words of his father: " . . . he would mention Parnell with the customers and say that Ireland was a queer country." (7) Such a concurrence indicates to a degree the peculiar nature of the Irish situation with regard to theoretical post-colonial models. There is a temptation to see all Irish work since the revival in
W.B. Yeats: Nationalistic Reflection in His Poetry William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet, dramatist, and prose writer who was one of most influential poets of the Twentieth century. His talents were celebrated by scholars and activists and, in 1923, Yeats received the Nobel Prize for literature. Through his poetry, Yeats confronted the reality that felt was Oppression and Heartship for himself and his Irish brethren. Armed only with a pen, parchment, and a dissident tongue, Yeats helped to
writers, William Butler Yeats served a long apprenticeship in the arts before his genius was fully developed. He did some of his greatest work after he was fifty. Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland, on June 13, 1865. His father was a lawyer-turned-Irish painter. In 1867 the family followed him to London and settled in Bedford Park. In 1881 they returned to Dublin, where Yeats studied the Metropolitan School of Art. Yeats spent much time with his grandparents in County Sligo in northwestern Ireland
Ireland and Irish Nationalism in the Poetry of William Butler Yeats William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet, a dramatist, and a prose writer - one of the greatest English-language poets of the twentieth century. (Yeats 1) His early poetry and drama acquired ideas from Irish fable and arcane study. (Eiermann 1) Yeats used the themes of nationalism, freedom from oppression, social division, and unity when writing about his country. Yeats, an Irish nationalist, used the three poems, “To Ireland in
“GULLIVER’S TRAVELS” a Satire Jonathan Swift, an Anglo-Irish writer, was born in Dublin on the 30th October 1667. he was one of the greatest satirists of the universal literature. His pamphlets have a stinging sarcasm through which he accused moral-political vices or religious ones (ex. “A Tale of a Tub”, ”A Meditation upon a Broomstick”) or pamphlets which defend the Irish cause (“The Drapiers Letters”). His fame was brought by “GULLIVER’S TRAVELS”. This is a realistic parody of social dynamic
evidence of early Irish narrative,” is primarily concerned with elucidating the approaches used by scholars in the study of the literature. The article begins with a discussion concerning the relationship between pre-existing traditions and Christianity’s entrance into Ireland. Ó Cathasaigh questions W.G. Wood-Martin’s assessment that the influence each entity had on the other is easily disentangled. However, he remarks that Ireland has the benefit of a large body of literature from an early medieval
Hypocrisy Exposed in Arms and the Man Satire is the "biting exposure of human folly which criticizes human conduct, and aims to correct it" (Di Yanni 839). Moliere was the French master of satiric comedy, and Shaw has been hailed likewise--as the "Irish Moliere." In Arms and the Man, Shaw demonstrates his genius for satire by exposing the incongruities of life and criticizing the contradictions in human character. Love and war are the main subjects of this play. Shaw addresses each, showing
In a satirical essay, Swift uses Rogerian strategy along with other rhetorical tactics such as specific diction, nuclear emphasis, and multiple double meanings to effectively surface the horrific treatment of the Irish by the English aristocracy. Rogerian strategy focuses on the “open exchange of ideas directed toward mutual understanding” with emphasis on conceding certain points to gain an understanding of the opposition and in doing so gain ground rather than losing it through a hostile exchange
The Double Life Exposed in The Scarlet Letter Irish novelist Brian Moore observed, "There comes a point in many people's lives when they can no longer play the role they have chosen for themselves". From Hollywood movie stars to professional athletes, people have and will continue to lead false lives, under the public spotlight, concealing their personal travails. In literature, the preceding statement has held true numerous times, in works such as Nathaniel Hawthorne's The
The Irish Troubles: Yeat's Poetry William Butler Yeats, born in Dublin, Ireland [June 13, 1865], is considered by many to be one of the greatest English-language poets of the 20th century. The following exposition, grounded on the hypothesis that Yeats’ poetry was resolutely influenced by the political occurrences of that time period, will give biographical information, a recounting of the political upheaval during that period, specific poetry excerpts/critical analysis and validation of hypothesis
indifferent English public to the circumstances of Irish misery. Unfortunately, many of the English were so predisposed to hatred of the Irish that they would disregard the point of Swift's essay and might go so far as to endorse Swift's proposal. For the people of Ireland, "A Modest Proposal" built upon Swift's earlier Drapier's Letters and made Swift a national hero (Bookshelf). "A Modest Proposal" begins with a description of the state of 18th century Irish life. Ireland was a place where children too
woman. Since the story is written in first-person perspective, all commentary and descriptions in the story are those from the narrator’s perceptions. Although the only name mentioned by the narrator for her is “Mangan’s sister” (perhaps after the Irish poet), the girl is obviously the object of the narrator’s affection. The reader is int... ... middle of paper ... ...me-when our emotionally distorted world is proven false. By the examination of the shift of emotions and thoughts of the narrator
Contradicting Character of The Sniper In this Irish war we have two sides, but this can also be reflected in the two sides within the Sniper himself. The Sniper seems experienced yet amateur, cold yet emotional, lusting for war yet hating it, self-assured yet vulnerable, and clear-minded yet mad; he is a living contradiction. The Sniper exhibits qualities that are both experienced and amateur. O’Flaherty describes the Sniper as “a man who is used to looking at death”, from which we can infer that