Nietzsche and Irish Modernism

Nietzsche and Irish Modernism explores how the ideas of the German philosopher influenced the development of Irish modernist culture, revealing tensions between cultural production and religious and nationalist orthodoxies during a period of political turmoil.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 27 October 2022
Publisher: Manchester University Press

Nietzsche and Irish Modernism explores the profound influence of the controversial German philosopher on the emergence and evolution of a distinctively Irish brand of modernist culture. This groundbreaking work makes a significant contribution to the history of modernism by tracing the dissemination of Nietzsche's ideas through the writings of George Bernard Shaw, W.B. Yeats, and James Joyce, as well as through various minor works of literature, magazine articles, newspaper debates, public lectures, and private correspondence. Through these diverse sources, the book reveals a complex and multifaceted response to Nietzsche that sparked tensions between Irish cultural production and prevailing religious and nationalist orthodoxies. This period of historical turmoil, encompassing Home Rule agitation, world war, revolution, civil war, and state building, witnessed a dynamic interplay between Nietzsche's ideas and the socio-political context of Ireland. By delving into the rich detail of these materials, Nietzsche and Irish Modernism offers a profound understanding of modernist culture as a vibrant site of convergence between art and politics, indigenous concerns and foreign perspectives. This book enhances our knowledge of this pivotal period in Irish history and its enduring impact on the world of art and ideas.

Weight: 606g
Dimension: 241 x 164 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526163219