Irish Literary Revival
The Irish Literary Revival was a significant cultural movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, aiming to reclaim and celebrate Ireland's rich literary and cultural heritage in the face of British colonial dominance. Initiated by notable figures such as William Butler Yeats in 1892, the movement sought to foster a national identity rooted in traditional Irish folklore and mythology, often romanticizing Ireland's past to inspire contemporary nationalism. As Ireland grappled with the effects of British rule, including the Great Famine and various uprisings, the Revival became a platform for expressing the desire for independence and cultural autonomy.
Key institutions, such as the Irish Literary Theatre and the Gaelic Society, were established during this period, promoting a renewed interest in Irish literature, drama, and language. Prominent works from this era often showcased themes of nostalgia and celebrated the peasant lifestyle, reflecting a longing for a pre-colonial identity. However, the movement also faced critiques for its reliance on the English language and the Anglo-Irish background of many of its leaders, raising questions about authenticity in the representation of Irish culture. The Revival significantly influenced modern Irish literature, with writers like George Bernard Shaw, J.M. Synge, and others drawing inspiration from its ideals, thus cementing Ireland's status as a center of literary innovation.
Irish Literary Revival
The Irish Literary Revival was a literary movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that sought to restore interest in Ireland's heritage and promote a national cultural identity free of British influence. While under the dominion of the British Empire, native Irish culture and language had been repressed. By the end of the nineteenth century, the Irish had grown tired of British rule and desired the greater cultural freedoms that came with independence. The Irish Literary Revival, begun in 1892 by Anglo-Irish poet William Butler Yeats (1865–1939), was an outgrowth of this interest and often receives credit for re-exciting the nationalist impulses that led to the 1916 Easter Rebellion and, ultimately, Irish independence in 1921.
History
The history of Ireland intertwines with that of its more powerful British neighbor. After the failure of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, the British-controlled Irish Parliament and the Parliament of Great Britain jointly agreed to establish the Act of Union in 1801, which effectively placed Ireland under full British authority. The Act of Union was highly unpopular among the Irish and led to further rebellions in 1803, 1847, and 1867.
The Great Irish Famine (1845–1849), which left more than a million people dead, was blamed on poor British administration and intensified the desire for independence. The goal of Irish home rule, however, remained out of reach for much of the nineteenth century. The death of Irish political leader Charles Stewart Parnell in 1891 further served to temporarily stall Irish nationalistic goals.
In the wake of these events, many prominent Anglo-Irish figures in Dublin transitioned from Irish political objectives to cultural ones. Prior to this period, Irish culture was viewed in a poor light, and only a small literary circle of any renown existed.
Born in Dublin but largely raised in England, W.B. Yeats was of Protestant Anglo-Irish ancestry. Although he supported Irish home rule, he split his time between Ireland and England as an adult and achieved his first literary fame in London. Raised on Irish folklore by his mother, Yeats was inspired by his lifelong fascination with classic Irish legend to form the Irish Literary Society in London in 1892—an event that is generally viewed as the start of the revival.
During the Irish Literary Revival, several important cultural institutions were established, including the Gaelic Society in 1893, the New Ireland Review in 1894, the Irish Literary Theatre in 1899, the Irish National Theatre Society in 1903, and the Irish Review in 1910. The movement helped foster a revitalization of cultural interest throughout Ireland that in turn stoked Irish nationalistic ambitions.
Themes, Characteristics, and Criticisms
The Irish Literary Revival focused largely on romanticized versions of traditional Irish folk culture rather than on contemporary Irish society and its heavy British influence. The term revival was intended to highlight the authentic Celtic basis of these works.
Many of the resulting works were celebrations of classic Irish myths and legends. This material reflected a search for contemporary Irish identity in the past—an era before British occupation. The most famous poems, books, and plays of the Irish Literary Revival presented a nostalgic and romanticized version of Ireland's past. The intent was to demonstrate the enduring and independent strength of the Irish state, even when political objectives had failed.
The group drew heavily upon Standish Hayes O’Grady’s Silva Gadelica (1892), a collection of Irish folklore and British Romanticism, for its inspirations. The works produced during this era were highly nationalistic and often romanticized the traditional lifestyles of the Irish—particularly those of the peasant class. Members of the revival also sought to promote the preservation of classic Irish culture, including its language, dance, art, music, and legends.
All the works associated with this movement, however, were written in English rather than in the Irish language upon which Celtic culture had been built. The decision to write in English was controversial, both in Yeats's time and in later critical appraisals. Critics such as John Eglinton and William Patrick Ryan viewed the works as a troubling celebration of Irish culture in what amounted to a foreign language. Equally problematic was the Protestant Anglo-Irish background of its primary advocates. Their stories, plays, and poems often celebrated the classic Irish figure of legend—that is, the rural, Catholic Irishman. The promotion of this ideal by aristocratic Anglo-Irish writers who lived in both Dublin and London lacked authenticity in some critics' eyes.
Major Figures and Works
The Irish Literary Revival is most associated with its folkloric canon of drama and poetry. Yeats is widely regarded as the most important writer to emerge from the Irish Literary Revival. Occasionally the title from his 1893 collection of Irish folk tales, The Celtic Twilight, is even provided as an alternate nickname for the artistic movement. In 1923, Yeats won the Nobel Prize in Literature—the first Irishman to do so following independence—an achievement many attribute to his investment in Irish arts.
The Irish Literary Revival was successful in presenting Dublin as a literary center for the first time. Of particular import were the plays that emerged from this new literary scene. Dramatists such as Lady Gregory (1852–1932), Edward Martyn (1859–1923), and J. M. Synge (1871–1909) gained heightened prominence as a result. Among the revival's most famous plays were Yeats's The Countess Cathleen (1892), Martyn's The Heather Field (1899), Yeats and Gregory's Cathleen ni Houlihan (1902), and Synge's Riders to the Sea (1904) and The Playboy of the Western World (1907).
In addition, famed Irish authors such as George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950), George Russell (1867–1935), Seán O'Casey (1880–1964), and James Joyce (1882–1941) were strongly influenced by the Irish Literary Revival and helped establish Ireland's contemporary literary reputation.
Bibliography
Felton, R. Todd. "The Irish Literary Revival." A Journey into Ireland's Literary Revival. Berkeley, CA: Roaring Twenties, 2007. 1–29. Print.
Gross, Rebecca. "Yeats & the Irish Literary Revival." The Big Read Blog. National Endowment for the Arts. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. https://www.arts.gov/big-read/2013/yeats-irish-literary-revival
Hill, Myrtle. "Ireland: Religion & Culture, 1870–1914: Anglo-Irish Literary Revival." Multitext Project in Irish History. University College, Cork. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. http://multitext.ucc.ie/d/Ireland‗religion‗‗culture‗1870-1914#10AnglondashIrishLiteraryRevival
"The Literary Revival: Space & Representation." Ask About Ireland. Ask About Ireland and the Cultural Heritage Project. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. http://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/arts-literature/irish-writers/Irish-authors/the-literary-revival-spac/
Stewart, Bruce. "W.B. Yeats and the Literary Revival." Ricorso. Bruce Stewart. Web. 24 Feb. 2016. http://www.ricorso.net/tx/3‗Authors/Resources/WBYeats/Lectures/Lecture01.htm
Vance, Norman. "The Literary Revival and Other Stories, 1890–1920." Irish Literature since 1800. New York: Pearson Education Limited, 2002. 99–146. Print.