DOCSLIB.ORG

Irish Literature Between Nationalism and Modernism. (2017) Directed by Dr

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Irish Literature Between Nationalism and Modernism. (2017) Directed by Dr BALDWIN, KARA, Ph.D. Democratic Experiments: Irish Literature between Nationalism and Modernism. (2017) Directed by Dr. Ben Clarke. 201 pp. The purpose of this research is to examine how Irish literature acts democratically to represent individuals in relation to each other, the nation, and the British Empire. As Ireland’s political system shifted from colony to commonwealth to independent republic, literature helped shape national identity and individual agency. By analyzing literary contributions in Ireland throughout its political transformation, this dissertation reveals the progress and limitations of political and literary attempts to write agency. In its study of agency and concepts of representation, this analysis relies on theoretical concepts developed in postcolonial and cultural studies, specifically those developed by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak and Jacque Rancière. Their explanations of representation and the demos are placed into conversation with texts that take part in developing identity and agency in Irish literature, including works of the Celtic Revival, James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Flann O’Brien’s At Swim- Two-Birds. Each of these literary texts is examined to identity how they take part in creating – and limiting – democratic agency. While great strides are made in furthering democratic agency by each of these literary texts, this research reveals that individual agency in relation to the nation is complicated. Even so, Flann O’Brien’s novel provides an alternative concept of how democratic agency for individuals can happen in relation to each other and how politics can learn from the dissonance of democratic voices. DEMOCRATIC EXPERIMENTS: IRISH LITERATURE BETWEEN NATIONALISM AND MODERNISM by Kara Baldwin A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Greensboro 2017 Approved by _______________________ Committee Chair To my mom, whose Irish eyes are always smiling. ii APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation written by Kara Baldwin has been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of The Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Committee Chair ___________________________ Ben Clarke Committee Members ___________________________ Christian Moraru ___________________________ Scott Romine ____________________________ Date of Acceptance by Committee __________________________ Date of Final Oral Examination iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Ben Clarke for his guidance throughout the development and completion of this work. I also want to thank Dr. Christian Moraru, Dr. Scott Romine, and Dr. Alexandra Schultheis-Moore, my comprehensive exam and dissertation committee members, for their insights on my project and for their great ability to share their knowledge through courses and conversations throughout my studies at UNCG. My interests in the literature discussed in this dissertation developed over a long time and were greatly influenced by the people I encountered throughout my studies, but they really began because of the love and enjoyment that my family holds for literature. Finally, I would have never completed this project without the support and motivational speeches of John Aderholdt. I am forever grateful. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................1 II. LITERARY AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATIONS AND AN EMERGING POSTCOLONIAL IDENTITY ..................................................33 III. NATION AND SELF: LOCATING THE SINGULAR VOICE IN THE BATTLE FOR DEMOCRATIC AGENCY..........................................84 IV. “ALL THINGS STAND APART FROM EACH OTHER:” BUILDING A DEMOCRATIC NATION OF AUTHORITATIVE SELVES ...............130 V. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................175 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................192 v CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION As a student at University College, Dublin in 1929, Brian O’Nolan1 vigorously participated in meetings of the Literature and History Society (L&H). In No Laughing Matter, Anthony Cronin describes the L&H as the only society with real tradition at the college and as the place where James Joyce first introduced Stephen Hero and his doctrine of aesthetics (Cronin 46). O’Nolan’s role in these meetings was one of a satirical observer who would not take sides in political discussions, but preferred to interject from his place standing in the doorway (45). As part of the mob looking in on the gathering of the elite group, he would blurt out unsavory nicknames for political leaders or point out the absurdity of politics and how little changes under the control of new regimes. After gaining popularity for his witty interjections, O’Nolan decided to run for office of the L&H against Vivion de Valera, son of Irish President Éamonn de Valera. Prior to university, young de Valera and O’Nolan had attended Blackrock College together and had been educated by John Charles McQuaid, a teacher who perpetuated a style of writing meant “to interest, to amuse, to elevate” (34-7). Even though O’Nolan lost the election to de Valera - and lost handily - he remained a constant critic and participant in 1 Brian O’Nolan is one of many identities used by the writer, along with Brother Barnabas, Myles na gCopaleen, and Flann O’Brien. For the sake of clarity, I use O’Nolan in regards to biographical information and the name used for each published work as he chose, respectively. 1 L&H debates. Losing did not deter him from attending meetings or from finding a way to insert his voice. He returned to his place in the doorway, yelling across the crowded room, interrupting proceedings, and interrogating speakers to everyone’s amusement. From the margins is where O’Nolan felt most comfortable and from where he would continue to speak his mind throughout his career. O’Nolan’s generation at University College, Dublin was “the 1st generation to be educated and to become possible critics of the society they confronted in an independent Ireland” (Cronin 47). O’Nolan disrupted L&H meetings with questions and critiques about how language crafted politics and a new Irish national identity. He questioned concepts of traditionalism and grand narratives of a romantic, unified Ireland. He continued this practice outside of L&H and beyond the student magazines of university. Using various pseudonyms and identities, O’Nolan analyzed the emerging Irish nation through newspaper columns, novels, and other literary pursuits. He donned the persona of Brother Barnabas in editorials and short stories in the student magazine Comhthrom Féinne (57), Myles na gCopaleen for most of his articles in the Protestant-leaning newspaper, The Irish Times (111), and of course, Flann O’Brien as author of novels like At Swim-Two-Birds, The Third Policeman, and The Poor Mouth (89). Each of his personae provides him another viewpoint, another voice to add to the dominant voices that made up the burgeoning nation. Brian O’Nolan is just one of many artists and public voices that talked about how Ireland could be represented (and, perhaps, misrepresented) through literary means. He follows a long line of Irish writers whose works engage and interrogate the political 2 rhetoric shaping the nation. Alongside many momentous political tracts written in the midst of Ireland’s long struggles for independence came poignant pieces of literature that focus on a human struggle: the pursuit of individual agency and autonomy. For instance, orators like Robert Emmet confronted the British Empire’s control over Irish land and people during the 1798 Irish Rebellion through his “Speech from the Dock” on the eve of his execution (Emmet). At the point of partial independence, when Michael Collins, Éamonn de Valera, and members of Sinn Féin composed pamphlets, manifestos, and ultimately the 1922 Irish Free State Constitution, authors of the Celtic Revival, including W.B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, and J.M. Synge joined the cause by creating an Irish identity to progress a unified image of Ireland’s past, present, and future. In contrast, James Joyce confronted the limited world created through their rhetoric and pushed back against the political version of national identity taking shape. In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (A Portrait), Joyce returns focus to the individual and the question of how a democratic nation might elevate an “other” to a person with agency. This novel places Stephen and his experiences at the center of the Irish experience, allowing Stephen’s voice to develop within and in contrast to the dominant voices in Ireland at the time. Stephen learns to speak for himself and his agency reveals how a colonized other can become a voice from the demos. Brian O’Nolan follows a long line of writers whose works correspond (intentionally and unintentionally) with the politics of the time. He identifies a prevailing national identity in the political texts shaping the independent Republic of Ireland, and he rejects this identity that does not enact a democratic perspective. A singular concept of 3 national identity took shape with the help of the literature and culture surrounding the independence movement. Just as political leaders grappled with a desperate need for changes in political
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Chivalry in Western Literature Richard N
    Rollins College Rollins Scholarship Online Master of Liberal Studies Theses 2012 The nbU ought Grace of Life: Chivalry in Western Literature Richard N. Boggs Rollins College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.rollins.edu/mls Part of the English Language and Literature Commons, European History Commons, Medieval History Commons, and the Medieval Studies Commons Recommended Citation Boggs, Richard N., "The nbouU ght Grace of Life: Chivalry in Western Literature" (2012). Master of Liberal Studies Theses. 21. http://scholarship.rollins.edu/mls/21 This Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Rollins Scholarship Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master of Liberal Studies Theses by an authorized administrator of Rollins Scholarship Online. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Unbought Grace of Life: Chivalry in Western Literature A Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Liberal Studies by Richard N. Boggs May, 2012 Mentor: Dr. Thomas Cook Reader: Dr. Gail Sinclair Rollins College Hamilton Holt School Master of Liberal Studies Program Winter Park, Florida The Unbought Grace of Life: Chivalry in Western Literature By Richard N. Boggs May, 2012 Project Approved: ________________________________________ Mentor ________________________________________ Reader ________________________________________ Director, Master of Liberal Studies Program ________________________________________ Dean, Hamilton Holt School Rollins College Dedicated to my wife Elizabeth for her love, her patience and her unceasing support. CONTENTS I. Introduction 1 II. Greek Pre-Chivalry 5 III. Roman Pre-Chivalry 11 IV. The Rise of Christian Chivalry 18 V. The Age of Chivalry 26 VI.
    [Show full text]
  • İED 142 (02) Classical Literature Instructor: Assist
    Hacettepe University Faculty of Letters Department of English Language and Literature Course: İED 142 (02) Classical Literature Instructor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Pınar Taşdelen Year/Term: 2019-2020 Spring Class Hours: Monday 09:00-11:50 B2/203 Office Hours: Wednesday 10:00-12:00 Aim of the Course: This course intends to enable students to acquire a knowledge and appreciation of classical literature, through the study of the social and political life of Greece and Rome; and create awareness of a common European heritage deriving from the civilisations of Greece and Rome. It undertakes a brief survey of classical Greek and Roman literature with special emphasis on the epic and dramatic genres through the study of exemplary texts, which is essential for a better understanding and appreciation of not only British literature but also all Western literature and art. Course Content: In this course, ancient Greek and Roman civilisations are introduced to students within a social, cultural, historical, and literary context. Oral literary tradition, the epic tradition, Homeric epics, the birth and development of Classical Greek and Roman tragedy as well as comedy are dealt with in the light of representative literary texts. Course Outline: Week I: General introduction Brief history of ancient Greece General characteristics of Classical Greek literature The heroic ideal and heroic age Week II-VI: The epic tradition and the Homeric epics Homer The Iliad Week VII: Midterm I (06.04.2020) Week VIII: The birth, development, and features of Classical Greek tragedy Week IX: Greek tragedy Sophocles Oedipus the King Week X: The birth, development, and features of Roman tragedy Seneca Thyestes Week XI: Midterm II (04.05.2020) Week XII: The birth, development, and features of Classical Greek comedy Aristophanes Lysistrata Week XIII: The birth, development, and characteristics of Roman comedy Plautus Pot of Gold Week XIV: Bank Holiday *There may be changes to the course outline.
    [Show full text]
  • Genre and Identity in British and Irish National Histories, 1541-1691
    “NO ROOM IN HISTORY”: GENRE AND IDENTIY IN BRITISH AND IRISH NATIONAL HISTORIES, 1541-1691 A dissertation presented by Sarah Elizabeth Connell to The Department of English In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the field of English Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts April 2014 1 “NO ROOM IN HISTORY”: GENRE AND IDENTIY IN BRITISH AND IRISH NATIONAL HISTORIES, 1541-1691 by Sarah Elizabeth Connell ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities of Northeastern University April 2014 2 ABSTRACT In this project, I build on the scholarship that has challenged the historiographic revolution model to question the valorization of the early modern humanist narrative history’s sophistication and historiographic advancement in direct relation to its concerted efforts to shed the purportedly pious, credulous, and naïve materials and methods of medieval history. As I demonstrate, the methodologies available to early modern historians, many of which were developed by medieval chroniclers, were extraordinary flexible, able to meet a large number of scholarly and political needs. I argue that many early modern historians worked with medieval texts and genres not because they had yet to learn more sophisticated models for representing the past, but rather because one of the most effective ways that these writers dealt with the political and religious exigencies of their times was by adapting the practices, genres, and materials of medieval history. I demonstrate that the early modern national history was capable of supporting multiple genres and reading modes; in fact, many of these histories reflect their authors’ conviction that authentic past narratives required genres with varying levels of facticity.
    [Show full text]
  • Honour and Early Irish Society: a Study of the Táin Bó Cúalnge
    Honour and Early Irish Society: a Study of the Táin Bó Cúalnge David Noel Wilson, B.A. Hon., Grad. Dip. Data Processing, Grad. Dip. History. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Masters of Arts (with Advanced Seminars component) in the Department of History, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne. July, 2004 © David N. Wilson 1 Abstract David Noel Wilson, Honour and Early Irish Society: a Study of the Táin Bó Cúalnge. This is a study of an early Irish heroic tale, the Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of the Cooley). It examines the role and function of honour, both within the tale and within the society that produced the text. Its demonstrates how the pursuit of honour has influenced both the theme and structure of the Táin . Questions about honour and about the resolution of conflicting obligations form the subject matter of many of the heroic tales. The rewards and punishments of honour and shame are the primary mechanism of social control in societies without organised instruments of social coercion, such as a police force: these societies can be defined as being ‘honour-based’. Early Ireland was an honour- based society. This study proposes that, in honour-based societies, to act honourably was to act with ‘appropriate and balanced reciprocity’. Applying this understanding to the analysis of the Táin suggests a new approach to the reading the tale. This approach explains how the seemingly repetitive accounts of Cú Chulainn in single combat, which some scholars have found wearisome, serve to maximise his honour as a warrior in the eyes of the audience of the tale.
    [Show full text]
  • Irish Landscape Names
    Irish Landscape Names Preface to 2010 edition Stradbally on its own denotes a parish and village); there is usually no equivalent word in the Irish form, such as sliabh or cnoc; and the Ordnance The following document is extracted from the database used to prepare the list Survey forms have not gained currency locally or amongst hill-walkers. The of peaks included on the „Summits‟ section and other sections at second group of exceptions concerns hills for which there was substantial www.mountainviews.ie The document comprises the name data and key evidence from alternative authoritative sources for a name other than the one geographical data for each peak listed on the website as of May 2010, with shown on OS maps, e.g. Croaghonagh / Cruach Eoghanach in Co. Donegal, some minor changes and omissions. The geographical data on the website is marked on the Discovery map as Barnesmore, or Slievetrue in Co. Antrim, more comprehensive. marked on the Discoverer map as Carn Hill. In some of these cases, the evidence for overriding the map forms comes from other Ordnance Survey The data was collated over a number of years by a team of volunteer sources, such as the Ordnance Survey Memoirs. It should be emphasised that contributors to the website. The list in use started with the 2000ft list of Rev. these exceptions represent only a very small percentage of the names listed Vandeleur (1950s), the 600m list based on this by Joss Lynam (1970s) and the and that the forms used by the Placenames Branch and/or OSI/OSNI are 400 and 500m lists of Michael Dewey and Myrddyn Phillips.
    [Show full text]
  • "The Given Note": Traditional Music and Modern Irish Poetry
    Provided by the author(s) and NUI Galway in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite the published version when available. Title "The Given Note": traditional music and modern Irish poetry Author(s) Crosson, Seán Publication Date 2008 Publication Crosson, Seán. (2008). "The Given Note": Traditional Music Information and Modern Irish Poetry, by Seán Crosson. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Publisher Cambridge Scholars Publishing Link to publisher's http://www.cambridgescholars.com/the-given-note-25 version Item record http://hdl.handle.net/10379/6060 Downloaded 2021-09-26T13:34:31Z Some rights reserved. For more information, please see the item record link above. "The Given Note" "The Given Note": Traditional Music and Modern Irish Poetry By Seán Crosson Cambridge Scholars Publishing "The Given Note": Traditional Music and Modern Irish Poetry, by Seán Crosson This book first published 2008 by Cambridge Scholars Publishing 15 Angerton Gardens, Newcastle, NE5 2JA, UK British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Copyright © 2008 by Seán Crosson All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN (10): 1-84718-569-X, ISBN (13): 9781847185693 Do m’Athair agus mo Mháthair TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements .................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • A History of English Literature MICHAEL ALEXANDER
    A History of English Literature MICHAEL ALEXANDER [p. iv] © Michael Alexander 2000 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W 1 P 0LP. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2000 by MACMILLAN PRESS LTD Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London Companies and representatives throughout the world ISBN 0-333-91397-3 hardcover ISBN 0-333-67226-7 paperback A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 O1 00 Typeset by Footnote Graphics, Warminster, Wilts Printed in Great Britain by Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham, Wilts [p. v] Contents Acknowledgements The harvest of literacy Preface Further reading Abbreviations 2 Middle English Literature: 1066-1500 Introduction The new writing Literary history Handwriting
    [Show full text]
  • Why Should Anyone Be Familiar with Persian Literature?
    Annals of Language and Literature Volume 4, Issue 1, 2020, PP 11-18 ISSN 2637-5869 Why should anyone be Familiar with Persian Literature? Shabnam Khoshnood1, Dr. Ali reza Salehi2*, Dr. Ali reza Ghooche zadeh2 1M.A student, Persian language and literature department, Electronic branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 2Persian language and literature department, Electronic branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran *Corresponding Author: Dr. Ali reza Salehi, Persian language and literature department, Electronic branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT Literature is a tool for conveying concepts, thoughts, emotions and feelings to others that has always played an important and undeniable role in human life. Literature encompasses all aspects of human life as in love and affection, friendship and loyalty, self-sacrifice, justice and cruelty, manhood and humanity, are concepts that have been emphasized in various forms in the literature of different nations of the world. Poets and writers have endeavored to be heretics in the form of words and sentences and to promote these concepts and ideas to their community. Literature is still one of the most important identifiers of nations and ethnicities that no other factor has been able to capture. As a rich treasure trove of informative and educational material, Persian literature has played an important role in the development and reinforcement of social ideas and values in society, which this mission continues to do best. In this article, we attempt to explain the status of Persian literature and its importance. Keywords: language, literature, human, life, religion, culture. INTRODUCTION possible to educate without using the humanities elite.
    [Show full text]
  • Modern and Contemporary Irish Literature
    Reading List: Modern and Contemporary Irish Literature Students preparing for a doctoral examination in this field are asked to compose a reading list, in conjunction with their exam committee, drawn from the core of writers and scholars whose work appears below. We expect students to add to, subtract from, and modify this list as suits their purposes and interests. Students are not responsible for reading everything on this section list; instead, they should create a personalized list of approximately 40-50 texts, using this list as a guide. However, at least 50% of a student’s examination reading should come from this list. Poetry: W. B. Yeats Patrick Kavanagh Louis MacNeice Thomas Kinsella John Montague Seamus Heaney Rita Ann Higgins Michael Longley Derek Mahon Ciaran Carson Medbh McGuckian Paul Muldoon Eavan Boland Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin Paula Meehan Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill Dennis O’Driscoll Cathal Ó Searcaigh Chris Agee (ed.)—The New North: Contemporary Poetry from Northern Ireland Short Fiction: Sean O’Faolain—The Short Story Ben Forkner (ed.)—Modern Irish Short Stories W. B. Yeats—Irish Fairy and Folk Tales George Moore—The Untilled Field James Joyce—Dubliners Elizabeth Bowen—Collected Stories Frank O’Connor—Collected Stories Mary Lavin—In a Café: Selected Stories Edna O’Brien—A Fanatic Heart: Selected Stories (especially the stories from Returning) William Trevor—Collected Stories Bernard MacLaverty—Collected Stories Éilís Ní Dhuibhne—Midwife to the Fairies: New and Selected Stories Emma Donoghue—The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits
    [Show full text]
  • Cursed to the Trees, Enchanted by the Woods: Sweeney Astray
    Citation: Herron, T and Pilz, A (2019) Cursed to the Trees, Enchanted by the Woods: Sweeney Astray. Études irlandaises, 44 (1). pp. 87-99. ISSN 0183-973X DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/etudesirlandaises.7136 Link to Leeds Beckett Repository record: https://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/id/eprint/6892/ Document Version: Article (Published Version) Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 The aim of the Leeds Beckett Repository is to provide open access to our research, as required by funder policies and permitted by publishers and copyright law. The Leeds Beckett repository holds a wide range of publications, each of which has been checked for copyright and the relevant embargo period has been applied by the Research Services team. We operate on a standard take-down policy. If you are the author or publisher of an output and you would like it removed from the repository, please contact us and we will investigate on a case-by-case basis. Each thesis in the repository has been cleared where necessary by the author for third party copyright. If you would like a thesis to be removed from the repository or believe there is an issue with copyright, please contact us on [email protected] and we will investigate on a case-by-case basis. Études irlandaises 44-1 | 2019 Nature, environnement et écologie politique en Irlande Cursed to the Trees, Enchanted by the Woods: Sweeney Astray Tom Herron and Anna Pilz Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/etudesirlandaises/7136 DOI: 10.4000/etudesirlandaises.7136 ISSN: 2259-8863 Publisher Presses universitaires de Caen Printed version Date of publication: 14 November 2019 Number of pages: 87-99 ISBN: 978-2-84133-945-7 ISSN: 0183-973X Electronic reference Tom Herron and Anna Pilz, « Cursed to the Trees, Enchanted by the Woods: Sweeney Astray », Études irlandaises [Online], 44-1 | 2019, Online since 14 November 2019, connection on 27 November 2019.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Modern Irish Literature Syllabus Lecturer Information Credits
    Modern Irish Literature Syllabus Fall Semester, 2020, Course Listing : CAS EN 392 Lecturer Information Lecturer: Dr Eibhlín Evans ([email protected]) Office: Boston University - DCU Office By Request Credits: 4BU Credits + 3 Hub Units Class Times Tuesday: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM 17th September – 15th October Friday 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM 1st November – 29th November Venues TBC General Information Course Overview For such a small island Ireland punches well above its weight on the global literary stage and Irish writers are feted the world over. The twentieth century saw four Irish Nobel Laureates awarded. (Yeats, Shaw, Beckett, Heaney). Dublin holds a UNESCO City of Literature permanent designation. Our literary culture is diverse, inclusive and admired internationally. This course introduces students to the key writers in modern Irish literature. Beginning with the work of W.B. Yeats and Lady Augusta Gregory at the end of the nineteenth century it will trace the developments in Ireland’s literary culture through the often turbulent twentieth century, right up to recent times. Literature was at the heart of Irish culture throughout these times and remains at the centre of Irish cultural life and identity today. We will chart the 1 initially positive influence of cultural nationalist movements, through to more resistant moments as the changes and challenges of the twentieth century were registered in Irish society. Throughout this period Literature itself was changing as new movements emerged and as new forms of expression developed. The literature we will explore will include exemplary models of the innovative forms and original voices that emerged in Ireland.
    [Show full text]
  • Volume 2, Issue 1, Bealtaine 2003
    TRISKELE A newsletter of UWM’s Center for Celtic Studies Volume 2, Issue 1 Bealtaine, 2003 Fáilte! Croeso! Mannbet! Kroesan! Welcome! Tá an teanga beo i Milwaukee! The language lives in Milwaukee! UWM has the distinction of being one of a small handful of colleges in North America offering a full program on the Irish language (Gaelic). The tradition began some thirty years ago with the innovative work of the late Professor Janet Dunleavy and her husband Gareth. Today we offer four semesters in conversational Gaelic along with complementary courses in literature and culture and a very popular Study Abroad program in the Donegal Gaeltacht. The study and appreciation of this richest and oldest of European vernacular languages has become one of the strengths and cornerstones of our Celtic Studies program. The Milwaukee community also has a long history of activism in support of Irish language preservation. Jeremiah Curtin, noted linguist and diplomat and the first Milwaukeean to attend Harvard, made it his business to learn Irish among the Irish Gaelic community of Boston. As an ethnographer working for the Smithsonian Institute, he was one of the first collectors of Irish folklore to use the spoken tongue of the people rather than the Hiberno-English used by the likes of William Butler Yeats and Lady Gregory. Jeremiah Quinn, who left Ireland as a young man, capped a lifelong local commitment to Irish language and culture when in 1906, at the Pabst Theatre, he introduced Dr. Douglas Hyde to a capacity crowd, including the Governor, Archbishop, and other dignitaries. Hyde, one of the founders of the Gaelic League that was organized to halt the decline of the language, went on to become the first president of Ireland in 1937.
    [Show full text]