Irish Literary Tradition

with Maxim Fomin

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Week 1:

Introduction:

Three periods of Irish medieval literary tradition.

Three periods of Irish medieval literary traditon are (1) from the coming of the Christian missionaries to the Vikings (c. 5th-9th centuries A.D.), (2) from the Vikings to the Anglo-Norman invasion (9th-12th centuries) and (3) from the Normans to the Tudor reconquest (12th-16th centuries).

Why early Ireland is a fascinating subject to study? In what way was Ireland different to the rest of Europe in early medieval ages? Did independent system of writing existed in Ireland before Latin-based script was introduced? Who were the druids? What do the megaliths, the dolmens and the monuments of New Grange and Knowth mean? How did the Book of Kells came about to be compiled and produced? Who were the Vikings, the Anglo-Normans, the Tudors and why did they come to Ireland?

We will try to answer these and other questions during the course of the lecture.

In order to be fully prepared, it is recommended that you make yourself familiar with some material from the following

reading list:

T. Charles-Edwards. Early Christian Ireland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000, Introduction.

D. Ó Cróinín, Early Medieval Ireland 400-1200. Longman History of Ireland. London, 1995, Chapters 6-8

M. Richter, Medieval Ireland: the Enduring Tradition, Dublin, 1988 (selections).

Select a Week:

Week 1 Introduction go
Week 2Encounters of saints with heroes go
Week 3The Ulster cycle of tales go
Week 4Early Irish native literary tradition go
Week 5Middle Irish satirical wiritngs go
Week 6Middle Irish romances & Fenian lays go
Week 7The penetration of saga material into the folklore tradition go
Week 8Irish historical and pseudo-historical writings go
Week 9The Irish lords on the continent go
Week 10The decline of the bardic tradition go
Week 11Late nineteenth century Irish literary revival go
Week 12Twentieth century Irish literature go