Description
One of the foremost themes that has emerged in the writing and interpretation of Irish literature is the politicization of the public and private existence of Irish women. The Irish female and the portrayals of Irish mothers serve as embodiments of Ireland's construction of the ideal family structure and the country's identification with its maternal essence. Considering specifically Elizabeth Bowen's The Death of the Heart, Jennifer Johnston's The Invisible Worm, and Anne Enright's The Gathering, the embodiment of the home itself—its architecture, domestic relics, and untold stories—proves integral to the understanding of these narratives. Focusing on the complicated role of the mother figure (or the absence thereof), illuminates the protagonists' attempt to redefine themselves outside of traditional Irish social prescriptions. As each woman is initially rejected or traumatized within the confines of the home, considering them together reveals the Irish desire to return to a stabilized identity. These narratives, centralizing on the dislocation of women unattended by their mothers, open up the possibility for reclaiming not only the home, but the nation for a more fluid female identity.
