A variation of voices : Frank O'Connor, 1922-1939

Abstract

Frank O'Connor - short-story writer, poet, playwright, novelist and literary critic - filled an important role in the cultural debates of mid-twentieth-century Ireland. My thesis concentrates on his more critically neglected writings in the early decades of his career (1922-1939). I argue that his concerns and interests in these decades provided the foundational themes and stylistic focus of his mature work. O'Connor's reputation, and critical examinations of his writings, has fallen into decline in recent decades. This decline is one of the aspects considered in this thesis. 'A Variation of Voices': Frank O'Connor. 1922-1939 is divided into four chapters, with each chapter containing six to seven sections. After a general introduction to O'Connor’s significance in twentieth-century Irish literary and cultural debates, the following chapters analyse O'Connor’s literary production between his first venture into publishing during the turbulent year of 1922 and his departure from the Abbey Theatre in 1939. Censorship; the Irish language; the discourse of re- Gaelicisation; the role of the Catholic Church; Free State government policy; Ireland’s national literature; republican politics; the importance of the reader; various social issues including poverty, illegitimacy and loveless marriage; and the development of Ireland’s national theatre: O’Connor fearlessly attempted to play an active part in public discussion of these areas over the course of his career.