Patrick Pearse and the Politics of Redemption: The Mind of the Easter Rising, 1916
Moran delves into the psyche of Patrick Pearse, a bookish poet and sublimated homosexual, to outline a man seeking success if not in this life then in the next. Pearse was executed following the Easter Rising in Dublin, 1916, becoming the first modern Irish leader advocating physical force to die for his principles. Moran asks why Pearse, an unlikely hero, did so. Other histories have explained Pearse's hopeless stand through his devotion to ancient Irish heroes who died for Ireland. The motivation of the hundreds who joined the rising overwhelms the limits of psychohistory. Moran calls their actions "a revolt against reason," which seems oddly romantic for this author, given the 20th century's experience in guerrilla struggle. As a counter to nationalistic texts, Moran's study of Pearse fills a niche in academic collections of modern Irish history.- Robert C. Moore, DuPont Merck Information Svcs., Wilmington, Del .Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.