Celtic Studies
When I studied abroad in Ireland, I focused on Celtic literature because I wanted to explore the literary traditions of ancient Irish culture while on location. To appreciate the literature fully, I took every level of Celtic literature from beginner to final year: Introduction to Literary Studies, The Heroic Celtic Age, Myths: Women and Queens, and Humor in Medieval Irish literature. Although I studied a new genre of literature, I still connected my previous interests in the roles of women in Classical Studies, humor theory, and close reading in my analyses.
Humor in Medieval Irish Literature: Good Bishops Gone Bad
In Humor in Medieval Irish Literature, I analyzed A Bishop of the Gaels for its use of humor. In medieval Irish literature, the relationship between kings and clerics is crucial for the kings to be closer to God as well as to be victorious in battle and have a prosperous reign, yet in A Bishop of the Gaels this relationship is mocked through irony, subversion of expectation, and exaggeration. This essay, "Good Bishops Gone Bad: The Expectation of Clerics and Kings in A Bishop of the Gaels," points out how A Bishop of the Gaels creates humor not only by playing on the audience’s expectations of kings and bishops but also on the king’s own expectation of bishops in the text itself. The text uses humor to make a serious point about problematic expectations.
In Humor in Medieval Irish Literature, I analyzed A Bishop of the Gaels for its use of humor. In medieval Irish literature, the relationship between kings and clerics is crucial for the kings to be closer to God as well as to be victorious in battle and have a prosperous reign, yet in A Bishop of the Gaels this relationship is mocked through irony, subversion of expectation, and exaggeration. This essay, "Good Bishops Gone Bad: The Expectation of Clerics and Kings in A Bishop of the Gaels," points out how A Bishop of the Gaels creates humor not only by playing on the audience’s expectations of kings and bishops but also on the king’s own expectation of bishops in the text itself. The text uses humor to make a serious point about problematic expectations.
Who is the Hero in Medieval Irish Literature?
For Heroic Celtic Age, I consider this question through an analysis of the Aided Chonchobuir or The Death of Conchobar. In this essay, I perform a close reading analysis of the functions of a hero in King Conchobar's death tale based on my professor's criteria for a hero in Medieval Irish literature. In this text, I analyze both Conchobar and the story of Christ to determine who is the hero in this tale.
Myths: Women and Queens: "Finding a Place Among Women"
In this course, I continued my exploration of women's roles in Irish literature. Interactions between men and women in early Irish literature are usually hard to come by, yet in The Wooing of Emer, Cú Chulainn interacts with women constantly throughout the text. While many scholars use The Wooing of Emer to analyze the relationship between Cú Chulainn and Emer, few scholars have examined the negotiations between Cú Chulainn and the other women in the text. Yet, Cú Chulainn encounters many women in the tale who fulfill various roles for women in early Irish literature, and in all of these interactions, Cú Chulainn negotiates his relationship to each woman. Although this tale is entitled The Wooing of Emer, this text can be read as more than just Cú Chulainn trying to win Emer but also how Cú Chulainn negotiates his place among women.
Swan Transformations in Irish Literary Traditions
In the Introduction of Irish Literary Traditions, I also conducted a presentation on swan transformations in Irish literature. For this assignment, I discovered interesting differences between swan transformations in Irish literature versus other Western fairy tales and mythologies I was familiar with. These stories both in other cultures and Irish literature play on similar motifs such as love, mating, and the divine or supernatural. However, there are differences in Irish swan transformation tales that are particular to Irish literature. Therefore, for this presentation, I examine the swan transformations in The Dream of Oengus, The Wooing of Etain, and The Violent Death of Derbforgaill and briefly discuss how these tales are similar and different from the stories from other cultures.