Explore the Literary Culture of the Emerald Isle
This two-semester program will examine the literature of Ireland from 1890 to the present. This is the period a great efflorescence of literature in many genres, occurring alongside some of the most important political, social, and military events in modern Irish history. One of the remarkable things about the period is the close relationship between prominent figures in the literary and artistic world and those in the realm of politics and social change. The result was a rich cross-fertilization of ideas and attitudes which produced four Nobel Prizes in Literature from an island the size of Maine, with a population between 6 and 7 million. Come explore this literary world with us, including a trip to Ireland in May 2020. Writers to be studied will include: Yeats, Gregory, Wilde, Synge, Shaw, Joyce, O'Casey, Bowen, Beckett, Friel, O'Brien, Heaney, Carson, Ní Chuilleanáin, McGahern, Trevor, Carr, Keegan, and Tóibín.
Like all Ampersand programs, Literary Culture of Modern Ireland seeks to give you a heightened small-group instructional experience during your first year of college. And because it's open only to first-year students, it serves both as an introduction to the kind of specialized studying one might do during their career at Washington University and as an initial welcoming community, easing the transition into college.
For each of the Ampersand Programs you wish to rank in your top four choices, you will need to complete a separate statement of interest (no more than 500 words) answering a program specific question. Look for the program specific questions on the program webpage.
