Irish Drama and Wars in the Twentieth Century
This book delves into how playwrights, whether canonical or less frequently discussed in the academic sphere, have critically and creatively engaged with the Anglo-Irish War, the Irish Civil War, the Easter Rising, the Northern Ireland Troubles and other conflicts. It not only approaches their plays—some of which have not been subject to much study—in relevant historical contexts, but also explores how Irish dramatists have observed humanity and resilience in war and given their insights into republican, unionist and denominational divides. It also reveals the dynamic mechanism connecting playwrights, performing venues, critics and audience members. As a whole, this book will be of interest to Irish studies scholars, theatre practitioners and historians, and people who would like to have a systematic understanding of twentieth-century Irish drama focusing on nation formation, war, revolution and humanity.
Wei H. Kao is Professor of Irish Literature at National Taiwan University. He is the author of Contemporary Irish Theatre: Transnational Practices (2015) and The Formation of an Irish Literary Canon in the mid-twentieth Century (2007). His articles on Irish writers and culture have appeared in Journal of Beckett Studies, Irish Studies Review, The Theatre of Deirdre Kinahan (2022), The Theatre of Marie Jones (2015), and Irish Women at War (2010), among others.
"Irish Drama and Wars in the Twentieth Century (2022) provides a systemic analysis of a large number of twentieth-century Irish dramatic works which focus on the turmoil and crises of the Anglo-Irish War, the Irish Civil War, the Easter Rising, and the Northern Ireland Troubles, among other wars. […] In contrast to previously published books, Irish Drama and Wars in the Twentieth Century examines the works of prominent Irish dramatists as well as that of emerging playwrights or ones who are less frequently studied within the academic sphere including John Arden, Brendan Behan, Margaretta D’Arcy, Anne Devlin, Terry Eagleton, Brian Friel, Denis Johnston, Larry Kirwan, Marie Jones, Martin Lynch, Tom MacIntyre, Iris Murdoch, Tom Murphy, Sean O’Casey, Joseph O’Conor, Donal O’Kelly, Christina Reid, Lennox Robinson, Colm Tóibín, and William Butler Yeats. This remarkable compilation and analysis of dramatic works on war mark it as a valuable resource for scholars interested in Irish studies, theatre, and history."
Rania M. Rafik Khalil Associate Professor of English and Irish Studies, The British University in Egypt (BUE), Irish Studies Review
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