The Impact of Literature on Ireland in the early 20th Century
The importance of literature on Ireland in the early years of the Twentieth Century can be measured in a number of ways. First, the literary revival, or at least its intentions was to allow Ireland the chance to establish its own literary identity entirely distinct from the predominant British literature at the time.
This had the effect of Ireland being, in a sense, the first post-colonial nation, insofar as Joyce, Yeats, Synge, O’ Casey, and others would all choose to write in the language that was imposed upon them rather than Gaelic - the traditional language of Ireland. Moreover, they would make it their own, using Irish vernacular and social realism to describe a world entirely distinct from how the Irish were usually portrayed - namely, as caricatures; either of the romanticised Celt, or else as the simian figure of ridicule and the butt of the joke. Secondly, the effects of literature were arguably more profound, especially concerning the fostering of a new nationalism in the theatre, which, in some ways, may have contributed to the republican uprising of 1916 and the eventual creation of the Irish Free State in 1922.
The effects of the Abbey Theatre
The effects of the Abbey Theatre in particular are profound. Set up by W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory and E. Martyn in 1899, the theatre was different from other theatres in Ireland, insofar as the agenda was primarily focused on Irish affairs, and provided an ideal nursery for developing playwrights, such as Sean O’ Casey, J. M. Synge, and many others. In particular, the initial effects of these plays on the Easter Rising of 1916 may have precipitated the whole affair, and the establishment of Irish identity remains inextricably linked to the nationalistic pride that was stoked in places such as the Abbey Theatre. In this essay, I will look firstly at the more controversial plays written for the Abbey Theatre, and of the effects in general of the Irish Literary Revival and how it was manifested and the rules to which it applied.
The Abbey theatre in many ways pioneered the notion that the theatre could instigate political change in Irish politics, insofar as the Abbey theatre had a political agenda, and sought to instill a sense of nationalist pride and represent the Irish use of language in populist terms. Yeats was important in setting up this treater, and claimed in his Nobel prize speech that: “The theatres of Dublin, [...] were empty buildings hired by the English travelling companies, and we wanted Irish plays and Irish players.
When we thought of these plays we thought of everything that was romantic and poetical, because the nationalism we had called up–the nationalism every generation had called up in moments of discouragement–was romantic and poetical.” Indeed, the effect of this was not only precipitated by the rise of republican pride in Ireland, but also helped to forge an identity and a confidence in Irish nationalism that perhaps in an indirect way led to the events of the Easter Rising, and the subsequent independence of Ireland.
Culturally, the Abbey Theatre cannot be underestimated. Formed on the 27 December 1903, and beginning with three one-act plays, On Baile’s Strand and Cathleen Ní Houlihan by Yeats, and Spreading the News by Lady Gregory, all of which use settings local to Ireland, and attempt to eschew the traditional stereotypes of Irish identity. The Abbey Theatre produced many plays of importance regarding political stances and viewpoints.
Often however, the nationalistic plays got most attention, and, under pressure from the Nationalists of Ireland to produce more political plays, John Millington Synge wrote The Playboy of the Western World, a play about the reception given to Christy Mahon, who says that he’s murdered his father. The play was controversial at the time because Christy was made into a hero by the other characters of the play, suggesting that violence was part of the culture of Ireland, and that “the fools of Mayo”, as described by Christy’s father, were attacked for their hypocrisies. Irish nationalists revolted against the play, suggesting that the play was “a vile and inhuman story told in the foulest language we have ever listened to from a public platform”. Synge’s later work couldn’t be shown at the Abbey in case it provoked further outrage.
Tags: Abbey, Dublin, Ireland, J.M. Synge, literature, romantic, theatre
