A literary and cultural analysis of the mistreatment of women portrayed in the works of female Irish writers and critical social events in Ireland 1984-2022

Abstract

This thesis examines the treatment of women in Irish society through a cultural and literary approach. The analysis includes a variety of literature dating from 1936 to 2015. The authors discussed are all female: Teresa Deevy, Rosaleen McDonagh, Kimberley Campanello, and Louise O’Neill. They are examined in chronological order while also exploring the cultural context of the time period in which the works were published. It also looks at the historical narratives of Ann Lovett, Joanne Hayes and the Belfast and Cork rape trials. Each cultural discussion focuses on women’s lives and the challenges present for them at this time. Feminist theory is a lens through which the literature is explored, including theorists such as Luce Irigaray, Simone de Beauvoir, Julia Kristeva and Hélène Cixous. These feminist theorists offer an ongoing explorative critique of traditional, and patriarchal, values present in Irish culture, regarding women in particular. The impact of the Catholic Church on Irish society at this time is woven into the discourse throughout the thesis, along with themes such as reproduction, racism, specifically of those in the Traveller community, and ableism that are present in some of the works, therefore depicting Irish society. The combination of theory, fictional representations and historical events within the context of a patriarchal Irish society allows for a rich examination of the mistreatment of women in Ireland. The thesis highlights the development of women’s position in Irish society over eighty years and while there has been slow progress, the examination shows that total equality has not yet been reached.