Literature ‘O The Irish
While the month of March gives us spring break, we also enjoy St. Patrick’s Day, a holiday paying homage to the Irish, usually manifested in tacky green clothing and beer. I prefer to honor the Emerald Isles for her immense literary contributions which is nothing short of prolific. Here’s why:
I have to begin with the man who put Dublin on the map. His epic work of fiction, Ulysses, set the literary world on fire and is considered one of the definitive pieces of 20th century literature. On the eve of my 40th birthday, my favorite college professor e-mailed me to say, “Now you are ready to read Ulysses,” as he knew I had unsuccessfully attempted the novel in years past. He was right. Joyce’s unusual use of narrative style, coupled with a stream of consciousness that would eventually inspire writers like William Faulkner, is not for the tentative reader. Yet, he’s worth the dedication as you close the book realizing a day in Dublin has complex parallels to a day anywhere, anytime. Also try Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and his short story collection, Dubliners. I’m saving Joyce’s even more complex Finnegans Wake for when I turn 50.
“But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.” No wonder Yeats won the 1923 Nobel Prize in Literature. His rich symbolism is vividly portrayed in poetic verse, earning him the respect of his literary peers. My first introduction to Yeats was in high school with his passionate discourse on youth and aging in the poem “Sailing to Byzantium.” Other poetic favorites of mine include “A Prayer for My Daughter” and “A Prayer for My Son.” Still on my to-read list: his only work of fiction, The Celtic Twilight.
This enigmatic author was portrayed on film in Iris and her life proved as intense and unpredictable as her prose. The Sea, the Sea was my first introduction to Murdoch and what an introduction! This tightly woven novel features a retired stage director who sets out to write a memoir with very unexpected and tragic results. Heavily influenced by Sartre, Plato, and Freud, Murdoch deals with the age-old conflict between good and evil throughout her works.
If you’re looking for one of the best contemporary poets, look no further than Paul Muldoon. Even better news — he lives in the U.S. as a professor at Princeton, gracing American readers and lucky college students with his brilliant and creative style. I believe, however, the best way to read Muldoon is to hear him. Check out paulmuldoon.net and listen to his selected readings. His thick Irish brogue tickles over his witty narrative. Muldoon is known for playful verse with descriptions like his wife’s sonogram of their embryonic daughter as “a satellite map of Ireland.” Literary critics agree Muldoon is terrific, having awarded him the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for his poetry collection, Moy Sand and Gravel
