Tongue of Water, Teeth of Stones: Northern Irish Poetry and Social Violence

Abstract

For over 30 years, Northern Ireland has witnessed a profound civil conflict, often very violent, known as The Troubles. It is perhaps paradoxical that the province is also the home of some of the finest poets writing in English today. In this study, Jonathan Hufstader examines how a number of Northern Irish poets, including Seamus Heaney and Paul Muldoon, have explored fully the resources of language and poetic form in their various responses to cultural conflict and political violence. Focusing on both the stylistic features of the poetry and its social and political contexts, Hufstader explores these poets' often conflicting claims to solidarity and artistic integrity, providing an analysis of the vexed relationship between lyric poetry, violence and society.