Manchester University Press American Literature and Irish Culture, 1910–55: The Politics of Enchantment

Product Description American literature and Irish culture, 1910-55: The politics of enchantment discusses how and why American modernist writers turned to Ireland at various stages during their careers. By placing events such as the Celtic Revival and the Easter Rising at the centre of the discussion, it shows how Irishness became a cultural determinant in the work of American modernists. It is the first study to extend the analysis of Irish influence on American literature beyond racial, ethnic or national frameworks. Through close readings and archival research, American literature and Irish culture, 1910-55 provides a balanced and structured approach to the study of the complexities of American modernist writers' responses to Ireland. Offering new readings of familiar literary figures - including Fitzgerald, Moore, O'Neill, Steinbeck and Stevens - it makes for essential reading for students and academics working on twentieth-century American and Irish literature and culture, and transatlantic studies. Review 'Stubbs helps us to see the lightning in her brilliant analyses of some truly remarkable works of poetry and fiction written by US authors in the first half of the twentieth century. At the same time, she allows us to understand its source in new ways and to hear inflections of voice that owe much to an enchantment with Ireland - that Celtic parcel of irresistible allure - that still needs unpacking.' Philip Coleman, the Dublin Review of Books, November 2014. 'The book is a valuable intervention not just into the fields of American and Irish literature, but also into the study of transnational cultural encounters and, more philosophically, the responsibilities (and legitimate irresponsibilities) of the imagination.' Alex Runchman, Comparative American Studies, December 2015 'The sharp writing, detailed analysis, and inclusion of archival research make this a strong resource for those interested in Irish-American studies and help foreground the usefulness of a transatlantic perspective when considering both Irish and American literary histories.' Christopher Dowd, Irish Studies Review, July 2014 'Consideringthe achievements of this book (first published in 2013, and reprinted here inaffordable paperback), it would be a shame if Stubbs did not produce a secondvolume.' Breac: A Digital Journal of Irish Studies 'In a book centrally concerned with taking the outward, expansive view, it seems only right that the conclusion,"Cultural credibility in America's Ireland--and Ireland's America," points to intriguing new directions for research.' Dan O'Brien, University College Dublin, December 2017, A Digital Journal of Irish Studies From the Back Cover American literature and Irish culture, 1910-55: The politics of enchantment discusses how and why American modernist writers turned to Ireland at various stages during their careers. By placing events such as the Celtic Revival and the Easter Rising at the centre of the discussion, it shows how Irishness became a cultural determinant in the work of American modernists. It is the first study to extend the analysis of Irish influence on American literature beyond racial, ethnic or national frameworks. Focusing on individual writers allows for a close scrutiny of the complexities of cultural influence. The first chapter discusses how writers exaggerated or played down their family connections to Ireland. The second chapter considers the impact of the Celtic Revival on American modernists, gauging the responses of writers to the 'Celtic' ideal. In the third chapter, the Revivalists' sentimentality towards the rural is tracked onto portrayals of the Irish landscape within American poetry and essays. The fourth chapter considers American responses to political events in Ireland to assess the dual problems of responsibility and national self-assertion. Finally, the fifth chapter assesses the legacy of W.B. Yeats within American literary culture, analysing individual responses to Yeat