LALW409 20th & 21st Cent. Irish Literature 3cr

Engaging the literatures of Ireland means
confronting questions of Irish identity and
political autonomy.   At the same time, the
novels and poems and plays by her citizen-writers
take up questions of love, war, religious belief,
and family that transcend historical and
geographical boundaries.   Surveying the
landscape of Irish literature from the Celtic
Twilight of Yeats’ time to the current day, this
course will examine works by James Joyce, Seamus
Heaney, Colum McCann, Emma Donoghue and others as
responses to Ireland’s oft-changing political
climate. But even as these works pose the
question “What is it to be Irish?” they also
experiment with form and language, inviting the
reader into the beauties of Ireland’s literary
legacy.   Students will complete frequent short
writings, a formal presentation, and a
significant final writing project.

Prerequisites: LALW-200

Seminar
Spring

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