Contemporary Irish Writing

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

What distinguishes contemporary Irish writing? What are its chief thematic preoccupations and formal innovations? Who are its leading authors, what are their chosen subjects and who were their influences? How are contemporary Irish literary works received by their readers, nationally and internationally, and how can the ongoing diversity in literary texts, and in readers' reactions, be studied and interpreted? This module will introduce readers to a range of contemporary Irish writings, spanning short fiction, drama and poetry, closely examining the choice of theme, the significance of form, and the nature of the work's impact. The turn to the past in some contemporary Irish fiction- judged by some critics as literary opportunity and others as disabling obsession - will be a central subject of the course as will the related representations of emigration, migration and return. In analysing the depiction of contemporary Irish urban and rural society by selected dramatic writers, we will engage with ongoing debates concerning the function and importance of literary representation in the context of social crisis and change. The module will also include a series 'writers in conversation', featuring readings and interviews with some of the featured authors.