TOPIC 1

General Introduction. Historical perspective: Language, society, independentism.

Irish literature is related to the Celts (they belong linguistically with the Indo-

Europeans). Celtic language arrived Ireland a long time ago (6th century before Christ)

and they settled there and should become the dominance in Ireland. Celtic population

established the language.

They did not unify politically. They were a group of 150 kingdoms (which are called

“tuatha”). They were not unified. These kingdoms belonged to 5 provinces. The Celtic

Ireland was rural. Celtic society ruled by a corpus of law called Brehom Laws. These

were based on the concept of small kingdom and fine.

Religiously, Celtic Ireland had the druids and spiritual leaders. Elderly men were the

bridge between human world and spiritual world. They were healers, priest, wise, very

powerful in Celtic Ireland, and their culture was “animistic” because everything has a

soul.

An important phenomenon during the 5th century was the Christianization of Ireland.

Christianization was based on the figure of St. Patrick (due to this fact, 17th March is St.

Patrick’s Day). Saint Patrick was supposedly from England. He escaped and returned to Ireland.

He was very popular in his time. He explained the mystery of the miracle of St. Trinity with a clover

(trébol). He eradicated snakes of Ireland among others.

Christianization is linked with monastic culture. Monks carried out a lot of elements like works of art,

chalices, walking sticks, jewels, etc. They also wrote manuscripts with a wonderful orthography (bible

passages), there were called “illuminated manuscripts”, with a wonderful colours. The most important of

these was “The books of Kells”. Nowadays, this book is at Trinity College, which was the first university

of Ireland. Jonathan Swift was dean of this university.

Monasteries in Ireland had a mission. Their monks travelled to England and then they

go through Europe to Christianize.

From fifth to eighth century was developed the Golden Period (monastic period). From

9th century, this culture is going to be attacked by Vikings and they sacked the island.

These are the main target of Viking’s assaults. Many of the manuscripts and works have

survived all this time.

Vikings were very distractive and they founded the cities (for this reason, cities have

Viking origin): Dublin (Danish’s origin), Cork, etc. Vikings were great merchants. The

lack of political unity contributed to victories of Vikings to conquer many parts. Vikings

were defeated by the Celtic Prince Brian Boru (941-1014) and the Vikings gradually

were left.

In 11th and 12th century, it was produced a more religion dynastic and monarchy was

centralised. A king of Ireland asked English for help (the Normans ruled in this time). In

11th century, Normans went from England to France, they won an important battle

(William the Conquer was an important king and he was Norman). After the local king,

Alfred II was king of England and Ireland (first time something like this happened). In

12th century he found opposition. Normans should become more Irish than Irish. This

relationship even though because it was not free. Sometime later, with Tudor’s era,

Henry VIII was not happy with situation, because Normans could cut the relationship

with England. The king wanted to be also king of Ireland and he decided sent to Ireland

a well army to take knowledge about the situation.

There were battles between Irish and English in Ireland. In 1602 took place the battle of

Kinsale F0

E 0

This is a village in Southern Ireland belonging to Cork. This battle which was

decisive between Irish and English and Irish were defeated and Spain helped Ireland.

The fact is Irish with Spanish help lost the battle. Irish nobility abandoned Ireland and

they went different countries in the continent (mainly Catholic countries). In Ireland

was a Diaspora (migration by many causes). People from a very high status (aristocrats,

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TOPIC 1

General Introduction. Historical perspective: Language, society, independentism.

Irish literature is related to the Celts (they belong linguistically with the Indo- Europeans). Celtic language arrived Ireland a long time ago (6 th^ century before Christ) and they settled there and should become the dominance in Ireland. Celtic population established the language. They did not unify politically. They were a group of 150 kingdoms (which are called “tuatha”). They were not unified. These kingdoms belonged to 5 provinces. The Celtic Ireland was rural. Celtic society ruled by a corpus of law called Brehom Laws. These were based on the concept of small kingdom and fine. Religiously, Celtic Ireland had the druids and spiritual leaders. Elderly men were the bridge between human world and spiritual world. They were healers, priest, wise, very powerful in Celtic Ireland, and their culture was “animistic” because everything has a soul. An important phenomenon during the 5th^ century was the Christianization of Ireland. Christianization was based on the figure of St. Patrick (due to this fact, 17 th^ March is St. Patrick’s Day). Saint Patrick was supposedly from England. He escaped and returned to Ireland. He was very popular in his time. He explained the mystery of the miracle of St. Trinity with a clover (trébol). He eradicated snakes of Ireland among others. Christianization is linked with monastic culture. Monks carried out a lot of elements like works of art, chalices, walking sticks, jewels, etc. They also wrote manuscripts with a wonderful orthography (bible passages), there were called “illuminated manuscripts”, with a wonderful colours. The most important of these was “The books of Kells”. Nowadays, this book is at Trinity College, which was the first university of Ireland. Jonathan Swift was dean of this university. Monasteries in Ireland had a mission. Their monks travelled to England and then they go through Europe to Christianize. From fifth to eighth century was developed the Golden Period (monastic period). From 9th^ century, this culture is going to be attacked by Vikings and they sacked the island. These are the main target of Viking’s assaults. Many of the manuscripts and works have survived all this time. Vikings were very distractive and they founded the cities (for this reason, cities have Viking origin): Dublin (Danish’s origin), Cork, etc. Vikings were great merchants. The lack of political unity contributed to victories of Vikings to conquer many parts. Vikings were defeated by the Celtic Prince Brian Boru (941-1014) and the Vikings gradually were left. In 11th^ and 12th^ century, it was produced a more religion dynastic and monarchy was centralised. A king of Ireland asked English for help (the Normans ruled in this time). In 11 th^ century, Normans went from England to France, they won an important battle (William the Conquer was an important king and he was Norman). After the local king, Alfred II was king of England and Ireland (first time something like this happened). In 12 th^ century he found opposition. Normans should become more Irish than Irish. This relationship even though because it was not free. Sometime later, with Tudor’s era, Henry VIII was not happy with situation, because Normans could cut the relationship with England. The king wanted to be also king of Ireland and he decided sent to Ireland a well army to take knowledge about the situation. There were battles between Irish and English in Ireland. In 1602 took place the battle of Kinsale F 0E 0 This is a village in Southern Ireland belonging to Cork. This battle which was decisive between Irish and English and Irish were defeated and Spain helped Ireland. The fact is Irish with Spanish help lost the battle. Irish nobility abandoned Ireland and they went different countries in the continent (mainly Catholic countries). In Ireland was a Diaspora (migration by many causes). People from a very high status (aristocrats,

noblemen, clergymen…) they move on to Spain, France, Italy… and by this reason, there are many buildings which were built with Irish migration in these countries. “The Wild Geese” F 0E 0 It appears in literature. The Flight of the Wild Geese refers to the departure of an Irish Jacobite army under the command of Patrick Sarsfield from Ireland to France, as agreed in the Treaty of Limerick on October 3, 1691, following the end of the Williamite War in Ireland. More broadly, the term " Wild Geese " is used in Irish history to refer to Irish soldiers who left to serve in continental European armies in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The autochthonous people in Ireland were political power but it was suppressed. People with a Nobility title had English descendants. Gaelic language was been lost gradually (only 13% population nowadays talks Irish). Gaeltach is a zone where Irish language is Gaelic. Religious question: together to the language, there is a problem. Catholicism is a kind of national symbol of Ireland. Ulster F 0E 0 6 counties F 0E 0 UK/Unionists. Eire F 0E 0 26 counties F 0E 0Irish republic. Kinsale’s battle (16 th^ century). The Anglo-Irish (protestant minority which are the Protestant Ascendances) people against the Majority catholic (Irish-Irish). After Elizabeth I (Stuart Monarchy) governed, there was a Republic in Ireland with a protector (Cromwell). He went to Ireland with his army, and he besieged different places with his armies and settled up military buildings (e.g. castles): Churches, and so on were demolished. There are many ruins in Ireland because of this period. Drogheda is a city of Ireland which resisted the attacks but Cromwell was especially cruel there. He also ordered that no one in Ireland who was Catholic possessed belonging greater than 5 pounds. If a Catholic had for example a horse, they should sell them to Protestants. 18 th^ century F 0E 0 1 st^ half F 0E 0The Cromwellians laws were “The Penal legislation” were

coercive against Irish Catholics to become into Protestants. Things are going to change through this century. It is going to work by political changes. The last quarter (was granted) the Irish had “independence” in politics. There was Anglo-Irish but they considered themselves real Irish because they were born there. Many of these Anglo- Irish want Ireland and they want a independent Ireland. One of these intellectuals was Jonathan Swift. *Foundation of the United Irishmen (1791). F 0 E 0 Leaders: Wolfe Tone, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, Robert Emmett. For them, an Irishmen is a man or woman who was born in Ireland, without the importance of being Anglo-Irish or Irish-Irish. They want to unit everybody in Ireland. F 0 E 0Organise the rebellion against English troops in 1798. This rebellion was crashed and Robert Emmett was persecuted and executed. A political consequence was in 1801 the British Parliament was passed the Act of Union, in which it is established that Irish parliament disappeared. 19th century F 0E 0 During the first years, a very important figure appears. His name was Daniel O’Connell. He was a lawyer, catholic (Irish-Irish), a Member of Parliament and he founded the Catholic Association. This was a movement of 1823 in which everybody in Ireland to campaign for Catholic emancipation within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was one of the first mass-membership political movements in Europe.). Daniel O’Connell became a most popular / charismatic figure in Ireland. British parliament accepted the Catholic Emancipation created by O’Connell. He wanted to British Parliament suppressed the Act of Union but it was not possible. Throughout 19th^ century, English troops will be important because there were also battles against them.

1919 the Dáil allows in political terms with this Party that there was a representation in the Parliament. Edmon de Valera became the first Irish Republic’s President. He was born in the United States. He was sent back to Ireland and grew up in a Gaeltack area with a strong and independent personality. He was in prison but he escaped with a key made by himself with a cake of soap.

Anglo-Irish War. F 0E 0 England did not accept the independence of Ireland. Michael Collins saw that Irish army could not follow with the previous battle. He, for the first time in history, negotiated with England. At the first time, de Valera would negotiate with them but he did not accept so Collins was the person who negotiated with them. Ulster – 6 counties EIRE – 26 counties Ulster belongs to the United Kingdom and EIRE becomes independent but EIRE was not independent at all and it was called The Irish Free State. (FALTA) The Anglo-Irish treaty. F 0E 0 The Dáil voted and Michael Collins’s followers won but de Valera did not accept the result and started a serious conflict.
The Civil War. F 0E 0 It took place in 1921 and ended in 1923. Michael Collins was murdered by the Irish, in the county of Cork. Michael Collins received a message to go to Cork, he went there by a kind of agreement but when he was travelling, he suffered an ambush. People who supported Michael Collins were first governors in Ireland, as, for example, W.T. Cosgrave. It appears also two main political parties: Fianna Fáil (Soldiers of destiny in England); and Fine Gael (the Gael people), and nowadays these parties have developed in the present parties. One of them is more conservative and the other one is more “European” and liberal. In 1948 Ireland becomes the Republic of Ireland officially. In the 90s Ireland became a very prosperous nation. Ireland had not an Industrial Revolution but they are good creating informatics programs (as computer engineers), the great development in new technologies of which Ireland is one of the best and also they have one of the best educational systems.

“The lament of Art O’Leary”, written by Eileen Duv O’Connell in original Irish. Her family belongs to Irish Noblemen. The poem expresses the relationship between the text and the context in this era.

Jonathan Swith He was born in Dublin in 1667. Most of his countrymen were Irish-Protestant ascendancy. He studied in Trinity College (there was a College in which only Protestants could go). The next step to this ascendancy was to go to England to begin a career (as bankers or something like this). He studied with another important writher called W. Congreve. Congreve was also an Anglo-Irish writer. Most of Anglo-Irish writer follow the same pattern F 0E 0 Trinity, then they go England (studied in Oxford/Cambridge), the career (politician, banker). Swift was an exception because he became an important member of the Church of England (he occupied the highest charge). The exception appears when the Church told him he sent back to Ireland as Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral but he does not want to go there. He was forced to go, but it was a previous polemic. He said that “he went back to Ireland to die like a rat in a hole”. Shortly afterwards, Swift appears as a writer of the independent Ireland, writing pamphlets (polemical literature). This pamphleteer was extraordinary. He wrote the first time “Proposal for the Universal use of Irish Manufacture”. He wants to finish with the absenteeism land and he want to promote Irish manufacture. He proposes that Irish burnt everything of English but their coal (it was essential). It is very

exceptional because the rest because Anglo-Irish writers stay in England, but in Swift is since his arrival when he writes. “The Drapier’s Letters” F 0E 0 He also proposes that Ireland should or be independent. “Drapier’s Letter” (Drapier was the name he called himself) is the collective name for a series of seven pamphlets written between 1724 and 1725 to arouse public opinion in Ireland against the imposition of a privately minted copper coinage which Swift believed to be of inferior quality. Swift represented Ireland as constitutionally and financially independent in the Drapier's Letters. Although the letters were condemned by the Irish government, with prompting from the British government, they were still able to inspire popular sentiment against Wood and his patent. He told in the pamphlets that British are free and Irish are slaves of British. “Am I a Free-Man in England, and do I become a Slave in six Hours by crossing the Channel?” “A Modest Proposal” F 0E 0 In Ireland people was very poor. Swift wrote an ironical and polemical work titled “A Modest Proposal” dealing and joking with the questions of the Catholic majority of Ireland. He proposed very ironically to eat children of the poor people. Swift suggests in his essay that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling children as food for rich gentlemen and ladies. This satirical hyperbole mocks heartless attitudes towards the poor, as well as British policy in Ireland in general. It was a very famous work.

His best known work is “Gulliver’s Travels”. He narrates the different journeys of Lemuel Gulliver, who is a surgeon. He goes to see and visits different places. He finds in the different places which he visited. There are four travels (four parts in the book). The first part tells us his experiences in Lilliput where there are very small people and Gulliver seems a giant). The second part is in Brobdignag where people there are giants and Gulliver is small and he travels in their pockets. The third part is in Laputa- Lindalino, a floating island; and the last part is in the Country of Houynhnms. There are clever horses and Gulliver is stupid in front of them. Yahoos appear in this country too. They have human form. Unlike Houynhnms, they are lacking and less smart. First of all, it is fantasy. “Gulliver’s Travels” can not be considered a novel in proper sense. Novel has to be “realistic” in some aspects (characters, time). It is nearly to prose fiction and fantastic travel narrative. Nevertheless, there is some realism, and it is an important aspect. The whole book is a satire (an indictment against human and their society). Satire is very old: Greeks used in their time. Ones of the most important writers were Menippus or Lucian of Samosata. Nothing appears out of the blue. Satire is rooted in Classical tradition. Jonathan Swift writes with fantasy a satire against something is totally real as human ways. In Lilliput, people are small and Gulliver is a giant. This describes their ambition of Lilliputian. They are quarrelsome. They argue about many different things. Gulliver sees Lilliputian as unable people and ridiculous as well. It is a reflection in a mean way against human society. Brobdignag is the opposite of Lilliput, because people are giants and Gulliver is small. They are very good-nature and naïve. These people are not complete are lacking. They are easily to mislead. Here, Gulliver shows the satire because he is a complete and dignity man but he is too small that he can be in a pocket’s jacket of a Giant. Laputa (represents to England) is a floating island and it is a place a great important to the arts, music, maths… It is a kind of paradise with scientific flourish. They are uncapable to use this knowledge in a good way. They can not see (the have admitted). Lindalino represents Dublin. Laputa has colonized Lindalino and they refuse to pay to Laputa. The first time English-Irish problems are dealt is here. In the Country of Houynhnms, horses are good and clever and Yahoos are not good and not clever. Gulliver is fascinated with this situation. They are not called human. Human has evolved and they become hardly. Humanity appears inferior to others. They said (horses) are the worst (yahoos). Gulliver has an evolution. In the different places is changing. At the beginning is presented as a cheerful optimist but all these experiences turn him in to a misanthrope. This narrative is entertaining. On the one

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