Liam O’Flaherty: the Unromantic Seanchaí

簡介

Liam O’Flaherty is a writer of diverse styles. There is a noticeable shift from violence to compassion in his short stories. His short stories are best described as light of which the surface is cold and shimmering, or an ocean which is so vast, profound and peaceful on the surface and is also not predictable. O’Flaherty presents the relationship between human and nature which in its most elemental state should not be prevented or spoiled by the artificiality of civilization. Earthiness, a kind of primitive force, exists as a fundamental aspect of the life and people, and becomes a thematic motif of his stories. Human beings should not be too far away from animal instincts but retain their close-to-nature characteristics so as to live in harmony with nature according to the law of Mother Earth. In this respect O’Flaherty’s work sometimes resembles that of D. H. Lawrence. His style is generally plain and direct and can be bitter. His stories show his vivid descriptions of animal life as well as a “natural power of empathy”. His stories mainly deal with the struggles of men and women in nature, and the survival of wildlife. O’Flaherty writes best when he does not attempt to impose a moral lesson on his stories but instead creates a faithful account of life and of universal human feelings. Frank O’Connor quotes George Russell as best describing O’Flaherty: “When O’Flaherty thinks, he’s a goose, when he feels, he’s a genius”.

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目次

Acknowledgments

Abbreviation of Story Collections

Prologue: The Artist and His Art

Chapter One: Art of Storytelling

Chapter Two: Motifs and Issues

Chapter Three: Spectrum of Short Narratives

Epilogue: The Unromantic Seanchaí

Notes

Works Cited

Appendix: Liam O’Flaherty: A Select Bibliography