Irish novel at the end of the twentieth …

gender, bodies, and power

Jennifer M. Jeffers

207 pages  |  ~6 hrs

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Irish novel at the end of the twentieth century, The

gender, bodies, and power

By Jennifer M. Jeffers

In the final decade of the twentieth century, Irish literature underwent a profound transformation that speaks to anyone seeking to understand how identity, spirituality, and personal freedom intersect. Jennifer M. Jeffers examines this pivotal moment through an exploration of novels by celebrated authors including John Banville, Roddy Doyle, Emma Donoghue, and Patrick McCabe.

This scholarly work reveals how contemporary Irish writers challenged the traditional boundaries that have long defined individual identity. Rather than accepting prescribed roles dictated by religious institutions, political systems, or cultural expectations, these novelists created characters who transcended conventional limitations. Their protagonists embody a new kind of agency, moving beyond the regulatory frameworks that once constrained personal expression and authentic selfhood.

Jeffers demonstrates how these literary works reinterpret fundamental questions of desire, violence, and spiritual taboos through characters whose very existence challenges established norms. The analysis shows how bodies and identities in motion can create alternative meanings and possibilities for human experience.

For readers interested in the intersection of literature, spirituality, and personal liberation, this examination offers insights into how creative expression can reshape our understanding of what it means to be truly free. The book illuminates how Irish writers at century's end envisioned new pathways toward authentic existence, making it valuable for anyone exploring themes of identity, transformation, and breaking free from limiting beliefs.

What You'll Discover

  • Explore English fiction
  • Explore Power (Social sciences) in literature
  • Explore History and criticism
  • Explore Ireland, in literature
  • Explore English fiction, history and criticism, 20th century
  • Explore Irish authors
  • Explore Power (social sciences) in literature
  • Explore Human body in literature

Topics

English fiction Power (Social sciences) in literature History and criticism Ireland, in literature English fiction, history and criticism, 20th century Irish authors Power (social sciences) in literature Human body in literature In literature Sex role in literature Intellectual life Body, Human, in literature

Details

Published
2002
Publisher
Palgrave, Palgrave Macmillan
ISBN-10
0312238398
Pages
207
Language
EN