The 1930s have never really been considered an epoch within Irish literature, even though this period forms one of the most dominant and fascinating contexts in modern British literature. This book shows that during this time Irish poets confronted political pressures and aesthetic dilemmas which frequently overlapped with those associated with ‘The Auden Generation’. In doing so, it offers a provocative rereading of Irish literary history, but also offers powerful arguments about the way poetry in general is interpreted and understood. In this way, the book redefines our understanding of a fr ... More

The 1930s have never really been considered an epoch within Irish literature, even though this period forms one of the most dominant and fascinating contexts in modern British literature. This book shows that during this time Irish poets confronted political pressures and aesthetic dilemmas which frequently overlapped with those associated with ‘The Auden Generation’. In doing so, it offers a provocative rereading of Irish literary history, but also offers powerful arguments about the way poetry in general is interpreted and understood. In this way, the book redefines our understanding of a frequently neglected period and challenges received notions of both Irish literature and poetic modernism. Moreover, the book offers detailed and vital readings of the major Irish poets of the decade, including original and exciting analyses of Samuel Beckett, Patrick Kavanagh, and Louis MacNeice; with a major re-evaluation of W. B. Yeats.