The rising of the moon
Subtitle: the language of power
By: Ella O'Dwyer.
Publisher: Pluto Press
Published: 2003
Place of publication: London; Sterling, Va
Language: eng
Number of pages: 161
Subjects: English literature -- Irish authors -- History and criticism; Nationalism and literature -- Ireland -- History -- 20th century; Politics and literature -- Ireland -- History -- 20th century; Language and languages -- Political aspects -- Ireland; Nationalism -- Ireland -- Historiography; Power (Social sciences) in literature; Power (Social sciences) -- Ireland; Political violence in literature; Ireland -- History -- 20th century -- Historiography; Ireland -- Intellectual life -- 20th century; Ireland -- In literature
Description: "The Rising of the Moon puts the radical changes in current political dialogue in Ireland into the context of the whole of the 20th century. Exploring the dynamics of power and language, Ella O'Dwyer compares the literature of Beckett, Conrad and Chinua Achebe, amongst others, to accounts of real events in Ireland's political history. She also examines accounts of particular events in Irish history that include Rex Taylor's biography of Michael Collins, Gerry Adams's biography and even messages from hunger-striker Bobby Sands that were smuggled out of prison.

In a country where people have been subjected to incarceration and victimisation, and where the political discourse is characterised by slogans, repetition, agreement and treaty, the implications for the national language and identity are immense. Ella O'Dwyer shows how oppression has obstructed and fractured the nature of Irish national discourse - and that this fragmented voice is a feature of all postcolonial narrative."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-154) and index.