John Millington Synge's Romantic Vision of the Aran Islands Essay

The first couple of lines in this stanza state that the production of buildings are spreading over the great hills, but he uses personification to describe them taking over e.g. 'Brave military pylons that march o 'er scenic hills ' as if to say they were taking over them as an army would march bravely. The next few lines of the stanza propose that the country is changing into an image

Although, when explaining how the half man half ox came to be, the man having relations with the ox was not subject to dishonor, but instead it was said to just be “a particular vice of that people”(74). Here, Gerald suggests that although it was a man that acted dishonorably something beautiful came out of it, while the children of the bestial women are not spoken of most likely because they were so wretched. Gerald seems to be relating cultural hybridity to the act of interspecies crossbreeding, ultimately allowing the reader to relate it to filth. By showing different forms of miscegenation, Gerald makes each variation seem negative to his readers, which makes Ireland as a whole look like a place for hybrid “mongrels”.

The short stories of Ireland are distinct and many times distinctly Irish. “The Limerick Gloves” by Maria Edgeworth, “The Pedlar’s Revenge” by Liam O’Flaherty, “The Poteen Maker” by Michael McLaverty, and “Loser” Val Mulkerns are each distinct Irish short stories that deal with Irish topics in original ways. These stories are stylistically and thematically Irish. They are moralistic and offer clear themes that pertain to Irish values. This analysis will explore the Irish-ness of the works and explore their meaning when held against Irish literary tenants.

In "Two Gallants," the sixth short story in the Dubliners collection, James Joyce is especially careful and crafty in his opening paragraph. Even the most cursory of readings exposes repetition, alliteration, and a clear structure within just these nine lines. The question remains, though, as to what the beginning of "Two Gallants" contributes to the meaning and impact of Joyce's work, both for the isolated story itself and for Dubliners as a whole. The construction, style, and word choice of this opening, in the context of the story and the collection, all point to one of Joyce's most prevalent implicit judgments: that the people of Ireland refuse to make any effort toward positive change for themselves.

Eaton presents both settings as hostile and daunting. The desert is depicted as being a dangerous prison from which escape is impossible as described as “Dry, thorny bushes formed a natural, almost impenetrable wall of spinifex.” (Pg.145) and Port Barren as described as “A hot, dusty, dry hole with flies.” (Pg.17) by Jamie. The reader is positioned to sympathize with Jamie’s predicament of being stuck in this unfriendly environment. Jamie’s relationship with the setting by the end as he is accepted by the locals and earns a sense of belonging. As a short extract from the story represents: “I meant to ask you, what do you reckon I am? Neither mate. You’re local.” (Pg.

In 1974, Nancy Scheper-Hughes traveled to a village in rural Ireland which she later nicknamed “Ballybran” (Scheper-Hughes 2000-128)). Her findings there led her to publish Saints, Scholars and Schizophrenics: Mental Illness in Rural Ireland in 1979, in which she attempted to explain the social causes of Ireland’s surprisingly high rates of schizophrenia (Scheper-Hughes 2000:128). Saints was met with a backlash of criticism from both the anthropological community and the villagers who had served as her informants. The criticism eventually led to Scheper-Hughes being expelled indefinitely from the village in which she had worked (Scheper-Hughes 2000:118) and raised serious questions about the ethics of anthropological inquiry. In this

The writer makes us envision a scene of beauty and only something we can dream of. The scene is also revealed as precious to the island man. “small emerald island” portrays that the island is an emerald. An emerald is very hard to get and in many cases people could only dream of getting one. The writer uses a technique called a metaphor. The reason why the writer uses this technique is because it allows the reader to imagine the scene better. For example the writer compares an ‘emerald’ with the ‘island’. Emeralds can be green this then represents green tress and most islands usually have a lot of trees.

Connell uses imagery when Rainsford is on the island. The author wrote “He saw no sign of a trail through the closely knit web of weeds and trees; it was easier to go

Quotes: “deep and green”, “golden foothill slopes”, “rabbits sat as quietly as little grey stones (unafraid), “for a moment the place was lifeless”, “path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches.”

The sea is conveyed as the dominant setting in the short fiction for it is apparent that it surrounds the additional elements incorporated in this passage. With the aid of McDunn such atmosphere is assureds due to the cryptic depiction of the sea he provides when he describes the sea as unknown. McDunn frankly states that the sea is mysterious when he thoughtfully says “The mysteries of the sea”, he further metaphorically declares that it is a damned snowflake for “It rolls and swells a thousand shapes and colours, no two alike” this portrays the sea as undefined, not having a fixed appearance. Bradbury use of a simile aids in helping the audience visualize the sea without giving a forthright description, this additionally aids the mysterious mood he set out to create. It also describes its distinctiveness in the sense that it is multifarious in shape and colour and is constantly transforming into something else. Throughout the reading McDunn voices how peculiar the sea is, this furthermore supports the idea that the sea is “strange” and abnormal as well as the fact that it is the residence of the menacing monster. By means of the description of the sea Ray Bradbury was able to communicate the mysteries it beheld, whilst creating a suspenseful and enigmatic

Identity is pivotal to the story and holds its own innate power, but what is even more pivotal is that the Irish do not necessarily all share the same views. The Irish find their history very important because it is the foundation of the language. Hugh says, “It is not the literal past, the ‘facts’ of history, that shape us, but images of the past embodied in language” (88). It is evident then that Hugh finds the historical meanings of

Hyde’s speech argues that the Irish had by that point indiscriminately adopted all that was English with little thought as to its value, that the Irish had “[ceased] to be Irish without becoming English.”2 He criticizes those Irish who claim to hate British dominance, yet speak only English, anglicize their Irish names, and remain ignorant of Gaelic literature. His central view is that the Gaelic language is the most important aspect of an Irish identity distinct to that of the British, and that only a return to Ireland’s native language can halt the process of Anglicization. However, he is careful not to make the claim that nothing English is of value, but emphasizes the necessity of not neglecting that which is essentially Irish.

The Irish had suffered long before in the hands of the English when Cromwell had been in control and had taken away land held by the catholic majority of the country to members of the protestant minority. This created a large tension among the population with the oppressed majority and the rather entitled minority who by Trevelyan’s snooty tone did indeed see themselves as the superior people in the country. (Trevelyan’s tone is probably the most dismissive when in discussion of the Irish, mayhaps showing his own true dislike.) (Trevelyan, p. 116-

is the idea of the bone as stone, with the mind as a catapult. This

Ireland is a country that is rich in culture, traditions, and faith. This country has struggled with over time with famine, religious tension, and even freedom. Many individuals immigrated to America in search of a better life. The person I chose to interview family came over to the United States when Ireland was struggling with famine. They came over on a boat through New York and changed there name to make it more American. For this paper I will further discuss the Irish culture and the person I interviewed.