An Introduction to Nine Essential Irish Writers

Through satire, struggle, and self-exploration, the following writers have defined and promoted the importance of the Irish literary tradition. Each of these writers was influenced in his own way by the social and political climate of his times, producing works in name of their respective legacies.

W.B. Yeats: A poet and statesman, Yeats evolved considerably during his life, and this is reflected clearly in his writing. Though raised by Anglo-Irish parents, he typically promoted nationalist and republican ideals, stressing the importance of a national identity through exploration of Irish folklore and history. Along with his love interest Maud Gonne, Yeats was partially responsible for the Irish Literary Revival and the general promotion of Celtic culture that still exists today. In his earlier period, Yeats focused on idealistic love, myth, and pride. This developed into an astute and necessary political period during which Yeats wrote on the events of 1916. He was in solid support of the founding of the Irish Republic and wrote upon the contradictory necessity of war.

James Joyce: This author helped to define modernism. In terms of locality, Joyce's works are quintessentially Irish. The author evokes an overall sense of Irish culture by exploring how his characters relate to it and to each other. Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in particular explores the author's own perceived struggling relationship with the Catholic Church. Joyce's other primary works include Dubliners, an intensely evocative and readable collection of short, personal stories, and Ulysses, a Joyce-contemporary epic loosely based on The Odyssey. Joyce's writing is intense, bleak, and familiar.