English 125 - Winter, 2011

Topics in Irish Literature

Class Information

Instructor: Dobbins, Gregory
Time: MWF 10:00-10:50
Location: 6 Olson

Description

From roughly the 1890s up through the early 1920s, Irish writing came into its own as something unique and significant. In this period - generally known as the Irish Literary Revival - a wide range of writers can be said to have "invented Ireland" in that they sought to depict the cultural specificity of that nation as something separate from Great Britain. The Revival had important ramifications: not only did the cultural nationalism of the period help to provide justification for the political movements that established Ireland as a separate nation from Britain in this time, but some of the writers identified with the Revival (such as Yeats and Joyce) became some of the more influential and widely praised literary artists of the 20th century. While the fortunes of an independent Ireland have varied over the year, Irish literary production remains an unqualified success up to the present day. This course serves as an introduction to twentieth century Irish literature from the Revival to the present day.

Grading

2 essays (5-7 pages)—25% each (50% in all)
3-part Question/Answer assignment —15%
Final exam—25%
Class Participation—10%

Texts

TBD