Irish Writers: Rage and Rapture

Center for Lifelong Learning       Irish Writers         Instructor: Mike Casey

 

         Tuesday Afternoons, 2:15-3:45 in October and November 2014

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

 

   Why Irish Writers?  Throughout most of the 20th century, prominent Irish authors produced work that has become canonical in modern literature.

   We will organize the course around poetry and story.  Our approach to the material will explore the ways in which Irish artists create powerful expressions of rage and rapture.  And we will focus on how the energies of Irish voices frequently serve to frame abiding human questions.  For example, Yeats in his early work gives form to what he called the “cry of the heart against necessity”; Joyce in Dubliners decided “to write a chapter of the moral history of my country and I chose Dublin because that city seemed to me the centre of paralysis.” Joseph O’Connor will have us board a ship fleeing the famine and wrestling with the mystery of a murder.

   Readings will be completed in advance of our meetings, and each weekly session will consist of brief background lecture when needed and group discussion on a regular basis.

   We’re glad you have joined us for this inquiry.  At the very least we will learn that there is more to this Irish crowd of saints and sinners than St. Paddy’s Day.

                                                                                      

FACILITATOR:  Michael Casey earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees in English at Loyola University of Los Angeles, CA. He completed doctoral work in literature in Illinois and Ireland.  He has taught literature courses at the secondary, college and adult education levels for over 40 years.

 

              

                                      Calendar of Readings

  

1^st and 2^nd Meetings

 

Introductory Lecture, “A Wake for St. Patrick” 

 

W.B. Yeats: The Hierophant

 

Distribute loan copies of Selected Poems and Four Plays of William Butler Yeats, Fourth Edition; and Star of the Sea, a novel by Joseph O’Connor

 

Reading and Class Discussion of Poems by Yeats . . .

 

     "The Lake Isle of Innisfree," pp. 12-13

     "Down By The Salley Gardens," p.5

     "When You Are Old," p. 14

     "The Song of Wandering Aengus," p. 22

     "The Wild Swans at Coole," pp. 51-52

     "An Irish Airman Forsees His Death," pp. 55-56

     "September 1913," pp. 38-39

     "Easter 1916," pp. 83-85

     "Leda and the Swan," p.121

     "A Prayer For My Daughter," pp.90-92

     "The Second Coming," pp.89-90

     "Sailing To Byzantium," pp. 102-103      

     "Among School Children," pp.121-23       

     "The Circus Animals' Desertion," pp.198-199

            

 

3^rd Meeting

 

 "The Lament For Art O'Leary" by Eibhin Dubh O'Connell (handout)

 “Lost Ground,” story by William Trevor (handout)                                    

   

 

 

 

 

  

 “The O’Touney Sisters and the Day of Reckoning” by Moy McCrory (handout)

 “First Confession” and “Guests of the Nation” by Frank O’Connor (handout)

 

 

 

4^th Meeting

 

 from James Joyce, Dubliners (obtain on your own)

 

 read at least these stories:

 

      "The Sisters"

      "Araby"                               

      "Eveline"                                

      "The Dead"                             

 

5^th Meeting

 

Star of the Sea by Joseph O’Connor