The Inspiration of Irish Writers - Essay Example

Irish Literature Whenever we talk of Irish literature, with special regards to ‘Inventing Ireland, Dubliners, Irish poetry, Carrickfrgus, A Cradle Song, The Lake Isle of Innisfree, The Pity Of Love, The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne, Playboys of the Western World and Translations’, we realize that the relationships between community and family and between males and females were the constant source of inspiration for most Irish writers. If we are to take the example of ‘Inventing Ireland’, which is a collection of the Anglo Irish culture and literature, we would realize that it throws light to on the post colonial structure and the tradition of the Irish literature. We would also note that it was indeed Declan Kiberd, the famous professor, author and literary theorist, who criticized the concept of ‘Inventing Ireland’, stating that the literary structure of Ireland was much more than a mere dumping ground of various colonial views. Considered Ireland’s foremost intellectual, Professor Kiebred, who also happened to be an expert in the old Celtic culture and a renowned speaker of the Irish language, argued that the colonial view was superimposed by the English literary class and that there was no truth in their implications. Inventing Ireland was often considered an antidote to the political oppression of a dominant imperial culture and was in reality a fractured theory of a post colonial era which had lesser facts and more farce. The text of ‘Inventing Ireland’ is a comprehensive study of almost all Irish writers and has a large section which is reserved exclusively to highlight the importance of Irish women writers. (Kiberd, 1997) James Joyce, the author of Dubliners, took cue from the rising Irish Nationalism and depicted his characters as those in search of a national identity. The book discloses the dilemma of the characters that are left standing at a crossroad which has ideas and influences converging through various streams. Out here, confusion reigns supreme and the character is forced to have a better self understanding. The narration, which has children as protagonists, progresses to elderly couples as the stories advance. It highlights the lives and the relationships between males and females and has a direct impact on the author’s intellect to help him provide a true picture of the lives of the Irish Middle Class in the 20 century. The books are incidentally centered on Dublin and provide an insight into the lives and the relationships of a family with the outer world. Considered one of the most influential 20’th century writers, James Joyce is often acknowledged for his masterpiece, ‘The Dead’. ‘Dubliners’ is a collection of fifteen short stories which are tightly woven on the basis of the author’s observations of the Irish poor class with special reference to the city of Dublin. (Joyce, 2004) The influence of Irish writing through the means of folk songs can be gathered by the folk song entitled, The Carrickfergus”. The song is an Irish folk song and its lyrics begin with the following line “I wish I was in Carrickfergus.” In reality, Carrickfergus is a large town in Northern Ireland and it lies in the Antrim County. It is named after the ‘Rock of Fergus’. The town is famous for the battle of Carrickfergus, which was a part of the nine year war and is known for its decaying castles and beautiful beaches. Jonathan Swift, a well known poet and an established satirist, drew inspiration from the town of Carrickfergus and wrote ‘A Tale Of Tub’. The novel is based on three brothers, with each mastering a particular branch of Christianity. (Bourke, 2002) The twelve lined poem, entitles, “Lake Isle Of Innisfree”, written by William Butler Yeats, describes an island in Lough Gill. The poem describes the lives and culture of two different sections, namely the rural and the urban set up. The poem states that a life of simplicity is bound to bring happiness. The poem is a description of the spiritual and emotional experiences of an individual who dwells in Innisfree and is symbolic to the speakers past. The speaker’s youth had been a simple one which was spent in a rural locale whereas his present is full of tension and revolves around an urban set up. Written in an Arab rhyme scheme, the Lake Isle Of Innisfree is divided into three quarters with each quarter signifying the lifestyle of the speaker. (Donoghue, 1988) The relationship between males and females has been brilliantly depicted in W. B. Yeat’s poem, “The Sorrow Of Love.” The poem is based on Yeat’s real life experience when, on his visit to Ireland in the year 1889, the poet met an actress by the name of Maud Gonne, who rejected his marriage proposal and got married to Jahn MacBride. The marriage dashed Yeats’ hopes of wooing the actress and this in turn inspired numerous written works with special reference to “The Sworrow Of Love.” This melancholic self expression has a moral lesson, which is clearly visible in the last stanza, “compose man’s image and cry.” (Donoghue, 1988) If we talk of the author Brian Moore, we would realize the author’s skill in writing from the viewpoint of a woman. The highly acclaimed author, who was born in Belfast, is known for his critically acclaimed book “The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearn”. The novel deals with an alcoholic Belfast woman who looses her faith to alcohol. According to Sam McAughtry, another Belfast based author, “Brian Moore was the gratest male writer who could write accurately from the woman’s point of view.” Born and brought up in Ireland and a three time finalist for the Booker prize, Brian Moore showcased the lives of women in Ireland with special regards to their relationships with men and the community. (ODonoghue, 1991) Irish play righter J. M. Synge wrote a three act play titled, ‘The Playboy Of The Western World’. The play drew inspiration from the real life incidences that showcased the relationship between a man and a woman and their combined influence to the society as a whole. The play was first staged in the Abbey Theater in the year 1907 in the town of Dublin. The plot revolves around an Irish individual who is on the run for having murdered his father and takes refuge in a neighboring village. He is provided shelter by Flaherty, who praises the lad for his courage and keeps him in his barn. The Flaharty’s daughter named Pegeen falls in love with the runway, much to the dismay of her fiancée. This in turn sparks a string of events. The runway also manages to attract the likes of various women, including a widow, who unsuccessfully tries to seduce the murderer into marrying her. The initial play resulted in a riot of sorts as the audience felt that the language used was derogatory and the depiction of Irish women was incorrect. It was only through the intervention of the press that the rioters withdrew into their shell and allowed the play to proceed as normal. (McCormack, 2001) Conclusion The small island of Ireland has made a significant contribution to the world of literature. It consists of both the Irish as well as the English language. James Joyce and Oscar Wild are the frontrunners in terms of Irish literature and have each won the Nobel Prize for Literature. William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and Seamus Heaney are also known for their work in English. The use of Celtic and Irish languages with added support from the English language has made Ireland a hub for world literature. The Irish poetry dates back to the sixth century and the Gaelic art have now turned into folk art. The eighteenth century witnessed bardic poetry through renowned Irish poets Jonathan Swift and Oliver Goldsmith, while the nineteenth century saw the bards being converted into reselling stories from the Celtic Mythology with the verses being written in the Victorian language. The trend which was pioneered by W.B.Yeast was provided an entire new dimension by James Joyce and Samuel Backett, who based their poetry in a modernistic set up. The Irish fiction began in the nineteenth century and was pioneered by Jonathan Swift and Oliver Goldsmith. ‘Novels of the big house’, ruled the roost in the nineteenth century and gave birth to numerous new authors such as Maria Edgeworth, John Banim and Bram Stoker. ‘Ulysses’ by James Joyce, was regarded as the father of the literary class and helped evolve the true meaning of satire in real life incidences. Cathal O’ Sandair was a revolutionary novelist who wrote over a hundred novels and had his books based on cowboys and gun fights. He is also stated to have written an Irish detective series titled Reics Carlo. Incidentally, this story came to be considered the most famous detective theme in the Irish language. ‘Novels of the big house’, progressed with Aidan Higgin’s first novel, ‘Langrishe Go Down’, which is a classic depiction of the genre. Authors such as Elizabeth Bowen and Molly Keane added their views in terms of well researched novels. The lives of the lower middle class and poor farmers were highlighted by authors John McGahern and Brinsley McNarma.. It showcased the true shape of the republic of Ireland with special regards to an Irish Free State. The Irish theater was also influenced by the works of various writers and showcased the family life, community and the relationship between sexes in a generalized fashion. Works Cited Bourke, A. (2002). The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing. New york: NYU Press. Donoghue, D. (1988). William Butler Yeats. Ecco Press. Joyce, J. (2004). Dubliners. 1st World Publishing. Kiberd, D. (1997). Inventing Ireland. Harvard University Press. McCormack, W. J. (2001). Fool of the Family: A Life of J. M. Synge. New York: New York University Press. ODonoghue, J. (1991). Brian Moore: A Critical Study. McGill-Queens Press - MQUP. Read More