Write a detailed note on the Irish Literary Movement
Until the end of the 19th
century however there was no Irish drama. Sheridan, Oscar Wilde, Goldsmith, Yeats, Shaw etc. were not engaged
with Irish themes. But in the beginning of the 20th century these
Irish playwright turned their attention to the past of their country, its rich
myths and legends and they presented those Irish themes in their dramas. This
dramatic movement is known as the ‘Irish
Literary Movement. This movement is very different from other dramatic
movement. Allardyce Nicoll remarks,
“So far in carrying
the survey
of drama upto the
present
time nothing has been
said
of the remarkable renascence
of the theatre
in Ireland.”
Background
During the beginning of the 20th
century, there was a movement started by some famous Irish dramatists to revive
old Irish drama and popularized Irish themes and legends through the form of
drama. W.B. Yeats was the leader of this
movement. In 1891 he established
an Irish Literary society in
London in which he enrolled all the Irish authors. He himself had been inspired
by ‘Gaelic movement’. In 1892,
he founded “Irish National Theatre’.
Abbey Theatre
This society developed by 1903 and in
the same year Miss A.E. F. Horniman aided
to the company to reconstruct ‘The
Abbey Theatre’. ‘The
Abbey Theatre’ became the permanent home of the society. Yeats, Synge, and Lady Gregory
gathered a number of gifted authors. Imaginative Idealism, which always
characterized, the Celtic race that love of passionate and dreamy poetry that only half ashamed
beliefs in the fairy world; these all gave a particular tone the plays produced
at Abbey Theatre. Allardyce Nicoll remarks his book “A history of
English drama”.
“Here flamed torchlight
of
artistic excellence which
became the model and
the
despair of many a
written
across
the Irish Sea.”
The function of Irish Literary
movement
The
function of Irish Literary movement
was to revive old Irish drama and Irish themes with the object of putting
Ireland on the map of British Drama. The follower of movement didn’t wish to
present morbid Irish life but present past life, Irish myth, legend, belief. They
had two prominent objects. The former one was to revive old Irish ancient life
and the last object to provide to give new interpretation to the life of Irish
achievement of the Irish rustic people. A.
Nicoll respectively remarks function of the movement.
To make the Irish Drama
a thing of high culture
and of European repute”.
There
are many characteristics of the Irish dramas produced at the Abbey Theatre. e.g.
Revival of Ancient Irish Legends, Symbolic Technique, Common Character, Poetic
Charm.
Revival of Ancient Irish Legends
Revival
of Ancient Irish Legends is the foremost characteristics of the Irish drama
written by dramatists. The Irish dramatists had aimed to revive old Irish
legends and mythology as well as creating a new school of native comedy. Irish
folklore was depicted in Irish pleasant life and character. According to W.J.
Longs,
“The original purpose
of the
revival was to awaken
interest in what was
called
ancient bardic literature.”
Symbolic Technique:
The
Irish writers used the symbol in character in his plays. The symbol suggests
something, which is not shown in literature. W.B. Yeats is known as the father
of symbolism, so he used symbol in his works. Some his dramas like ‘The
Countless Cathleen’ and ‘The Shadowy Water’ were concerned with symbolic
Technique.
Symbolic Technique:
The
object of ‘Irish Literary Movement’ was not only to revive old Irish life but
to give new interpretation to life and achievement of Irish peasant. Most of
the writer tuned to depict rural life or common people and their problem. Hero
becomes anti-hero. We can find the description of rural life in Irish drama.
Poetic Charm:
The
popularity of these plays depended more upon poetic charm than upon dramatic
monologue. Many dramatists were poets too, and they showed their poetic effect
in Irish dramas. Yeats was not only poet but also a dramatist. We can find
poetic quality in his plays.
The prominent dramatists of
the Abbey Theatre were: W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, J. M. Synge. Now we discuss
about them at a detailed.
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was one of the leading
dramatists of the Irish literary movement, and also a well-known poet. His drama also evoked the mysticism and folk-lore of
the Irish imagination. His dramatic
works were influenced by his poetic charm and technique. Ifor Evans remarks in
“Short History of English Literature”.
“He brought his poetical
gift to
the service of Irish Literary
Movement and though he
remained as a lyrical
writer
rather than a dramatist.”
The
dramas of Yeats can be divided into two phases. In the first group, we can get plays dealing with Irish
life a straight forward manner without adding symbolism or mysticism.
1. The Countess Cathleen’, 2. “The Land of
Heart’s Desire 3. ‘The Shadowy Waters’,
In the second group, we finds Yeats’s mystical and philosophical plays like
1. ‘Purgatory’ 2. Calvary. .
Lady Gregory
Lady Gregory was known as a comedy writer dealing with Irish
life and folklore in a language than characteristically Irish. Though her
dialogues may be not as remarkable as Synge’s, yet there is a charm in her
presentation of Irish characters. His well-known plays
1. Cuchulain
of Muirthemne 2. Irish folk History plays
3. ‘Seven Short plays’, 4. ‘The wonder plays’.
John Millington Synge
John
Millington Synge was the greatest dramatist in the rebirth of Irish
Theatre. He played an important part in giving to Irish life both in its tragic
and its comedy aspect. Like Yeats he was also poetic and his plays have cadence
of poetry. He studied life objectively in its beauty its comedy and its tragedy
and gave expression to his feelings in a language that is poetry and natural. He
has the vitality of the great genius. His main works are:-
1. ‘The Shadow of Glen’ 2. ‘Riders to the sea’ 3. ‘The Playboy of the western World’
There are many minor
dramatists who contributed well.
They were: Lennox Robinson, Sean O’
Casey T.C. Murray, Edward
Marthyn, William Boyle and Padric Column.
Conclusion
To summing up, the theatrical and
dramatical ‘Irish Literary Movement’ exercised tremendous influence on
the modern English drama. It gave us new experience freshness of Irish Life.
Its dramas are love, life and vitality of Ireland. The Irish Literary movement
brought about the decentralization of the drama. In short it has unique place
in the history of British drama. Finally to conclude in the words of A. Nicoll
In
atmosphere on the other
Hand the
Irish theatre
frequently
veered away
from the English stage.”
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