Irish Literary Revival Research Paper

Liam O’Flaherty wrote short stories and was a leader in the Irish literary renaissance (Biography.com Editors, n/a). After two mental breakdowns, it became obvious that O’Flaherty was mentally ill. The mental illness was believed to have come from an injury received while enlisted in the Irish Guards. Once the war had ended, O’Flarherty moved to the U.S. and lived in Hollywood for a brief time. While his stories have common themes of Ireland and nature, some of his best works were written in Irish (Bloomsburry Publishing Plc, n/a).

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 the early twentieth century, Ireland, and more specifically Dublin, was a place defined by class distinctions. There were the wealthy, worldly upper-class who owned large, stately townhouses in the luxurious neighborhoods and the less fortunate, uneducated poor who lived in any shack they could afford in the middle of the city. For the most part, the affluent class was Protestant, while the struggling workers were overwhelmingly Catholic. These distinctions were the result of nearly a century of disparity in income, education, language, and occupation, and in turn were the fundamental bases for the internal struggle that many of Joyce's characters feel.

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.

Ireland was a British colony for more than seven centuries, for this time it was hidden their native identity, as well as their language. The British colonizers imposed not only their language but also their culture. In 1922, it was signed the Treaty in which Ireland was considered a free state.

Thomas Chalil the author of the book How The Irish Saved Civilizations tells about how the Irish saved a whole culture from being erased from earth. Much of the Greek and Latin culture wouldn’t be around today. The main people to thank are the Irish monks when these people were not meditating or helping other they were preserving history for the future. This allowed for the transition from classical age of Rome to the medieval era.

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

This, in my opinion, believe that it confused Ignatiev’s thesis and made the short book a laborious read. I also feel that the book comes to an almost abrupt ending. I would have prefered that the author look at how the Irish progressed throughout the 20th century, examining if their new found social status had improved the quality of their lives, and how their relationship with the black community may have

The history of Ireland is one of early scholasticism and rich culture in times when the rest of Europe had less of a literary and artistic tradition. By the time of Hyde’s speech, the nation had become “one of the least studious and most un-literary”3 countries of the area, and he claims that the fault lies in a divergence from “the right path.”4 Progressive Anglicization has led the Irish to forget their own culture and its traditions. The British claim that because the Irish have forgotten much of their language and customs, they should be content as an integral part of the United Kingdom, and

Religion in James Joyce's Dubliners Religion was an integral part of Ireland during the modernist period, tightly woven into the social fabric of its citizens. The Catholic Church was a longstanding tradition of Ireland. In the modernist spirit of breaking away from forces that inhibited growth, the church stood as one of the principal barriers. This is because the Catholic faith acted as the governing force of its people, as portrayed in

The Penguin Classic Early Irish Myths And Sagas exhibits a great cross-section of the many examples of the stories told by Iron Age Celts. These stories revolve around the customs, battles, gods, and heroes of the ancient Celts. It is said that a great deal can be learned from Irish tales about the clothing, weapons, houses, and other aspects of the material culture of the Iron Age Celts 1 and that the stories are more valuable for scholars of society than scholars of religion 2.

Flann O'Brien's At Swim-Two-Birds is a multifarious work of purpose, at once an experimental narrative that directly responds to James Joyce's modernist work (acting as a forerunner of post-modernist thought), and a study on the tortuous challenges facing the dichotomies of Irish culture. At Swim is at its most understated, a text of parodies. O'Brien expertly strings together the many layers of his novel's world to express a slew of critical observations about modernist ideology and realism, as well as exposing a necessary dialogue on the formation and perception of Irish culture.

Role of the Catholic Church in the Irish life in the middle years of the 20th century

The nativist social and cultural revival preached antagonism towards the social and cultural forms of Great Britain. In this way, the Irish language and literary movement can be seen to have not only encouraged Irish nationalism and separatism, but also fed the flames of Anglophobia which can thus be interpreted as a catalyst in inspiring the imaginations for those who later led the 1916 Easter Rising. The revival of Irish language and literature had a notable effect on the course of Irish politics leading up to partition. It ultimately brought forth a keener understanding of Ireland’s culture, traditions, history and grievances, and romanticised Irish traditions separate to those of a greater Britain. Moreover, it enabled Ireland’s demand for more freedom to gain increasing empathy throughout the world. It was public opinion that converted British politicians to the view that at least some measure of independence to Ireland should be given.

Between 1830 and 1930 there was a huge expansion in the publishing industry. Through a series of industrial leaps, the publishing industry became an ideal medium for both innovation and expression. The combination of the development of a train network as well as the mass production of paper products allowed for greater distribution of published products. Not only that, but the invention and use of the printing press greatly influenced the accessibility of the publishing industry. As a result, the markets for published products expanded and diversified. During this explosion, publishers began to recognize the marketability of illustrated books. Illustrations extended the meaning of the words written on the page and illuminated the messages