Haunted Heaney: Spectres and the Poetry

Haunted Heaney: Spectres and the Poetry explores the ghosts and specters in the poetry of Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney, examining their non-physical presence in past cultures, societies, texts, poets, and memories. It discusses the influence of Norse spectres, British colonialism, the bog poems, Virgil and Dante, and Route 110, incorporating Heaney's prose work and interviews for a deeper insight into his mind.

Format: Hardback
Length: 170 pages
Publication date: 30 July 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Haunted Heaney: Spectres and the Poetry delves into the haunting presence of ghosts and spectres within the profound artistry of Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney. Spanning from his debut collection, Death of a Naturalist, to his final collection, Human Chain, this volume explores Heaney's poetry through the lens of hauntology, as presented by Jacques Derrida in Specters of Marx. Rather than perceiving spectres and ghosts as mere supernatural, physical manifestations haunting a particular place, this book presents them as having a non-physical presence. In this context, past cultures, societies, texts, poets, and memories are examined as exerting a spectral influence on Heaney's writing. His work is deeply indebted to the haunting presence of the past, in all its forms, as it seamlessly weaves itself into the present of his thinking and writing, shaping our interpretation of his poetry. Key topics for discussion include the eerie spectres that emerge in Heaney's early poetry, the haunting impact of British colonialism on the poet's work, a fresh perspective on the bog poems as influenced by the spectral realm, the classical influence of Virgil and Dante, and a captivating reading of "Route 110," which weaves together the major instances of Heaney's career into a singular poem. Furthermore, the book incorporates Heaney's prose work and interviews, serving as a metacommentary to the poetry, providing a deeper insight into the mind of one of Ireland's greatest writers.

Weight: 386g
Dimension: 159 x 237 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367645281