Nationalism in Irish Revolutionary Literature
The literary movement of naturalism emerged as a response to the romantic nationalism that pervaded Irish literature, offering a departure from idealized visions of war and conflict. Michael Storey explains that “romantic nationalism meant the recovery of the explicit Gaelic culture and its elevation above that of the dominant Anglo-Irish tradition,” (19) Meaning, there was a belief that remembering Irish history and instilling a deep sense of Irish pride and nationhood in the reader would help fuel the hearts of the people to face death and tragedy in the name of freedom. Patrick Pearse “was responsible for making the myth [of hero-martyrs] central to revolutionary nationalism.” (23) There was an idea that “the Irish republic would ultimately be born out of the self-immolation of its hero-martyrs,” (23) and that, as an idea, creates a romanticization of death and bloodshed. In one of his final letters, Pearse continues to fuel the myth when he writes: “When I was a child of ten I went down on my bare knees by my bedside one night and promised God that I should devote my life to an effort to free my country. I have kept that promise. As a boy and as a man I have worked for Irish freedom, first among all earthly things.” (26) The shift in literary tradition is interesting because not only does it generate a realistic experience for the reader, it continues to inspire Irish nationalism in the reader. Liam O'Flaherty's short story "The Sniper" and the television show "Rebellion" exemplify this shift towards a truthful, reliable, and realistic portrayal of the Irish conflict and its profound impact on individuals. O'Flaherty, having experienced the devastating effects of war firsthand, deviates from romanticizing war and instead employs a form of brutal naturalism to comment on the Anglo-Irish War. In "The Sniper," O'Flaherty introduces an unnamed protagonist who undergoes a tense standoff, capturing the harsh realities of war, the dehumanizing effects of violence, and the complexities of political ideologies. Similarly, "Rebellion" is a television show that delves into the events of the Easter Uprising and the Irish War of Independence, adeptly incorporating naturalistic elements to portray the characters, events, and societal conditions of the time period. This essay will analyze how both "The Sniper" and "Rebellion" exemplify the literary movement of naturalism, providing a truthful and realistic representation of the Irish conflict and a departure from the romanticized narratives that previously dominated Irish literature. Through their gritty and unembellished portrayals, these works offer a stark and pragmatic perspective on Ireland's struggles and aspirations for freedom, reflecting a shift in literary focus and aesthetic approach. By examining the naturalistic elements present in these works, we can gain insight into the transformation of Irish literature and its representation of war, conflict, and the pursuit of independence.
In "The Sniper," Liam O'Flaherty employs naturalistic elements to provide a truthful and realistic portrayal of the Irish conflict and its profound impact on individuals. O’Flaherty was born in 1896 on the Aran island Inis Mor and spent the younger years of his life surrounded by war and served as a soldier in the Anglo-Irish war in 1921 (Costello, 1) Considering that O’Flaherty suffered the impact of war first hand, it is understandable that he would step away from Romanticising war, and instead use a form of brutal naturalism to commentate on the Anglo-Irish War. “The Sniper” follows an unnamed narrator, who will be referred to as The Sniper, as he undergoes a stand-off between himself and another soldier on a dark June night in the city of Dublin. The story captures the harsh realities of war, the dehumanizing effects of violence, and the complexities of political ideologies. O'Flaherty's depiction of the Irish conflict is marked by its gritty and unembellished portrayal. The setting, a war-torn Dublin during the Irish Civil War, serves as a backdrop that reflects the chaos and brutality of the conflict: “Around the beleaguered Four Courts the heavy guns roared. Here and there through the city, machine guns and rifles broke the silence of the night, spasmodically, like dogs barking on lone farms. Republicans and Free Staters were waging civil war.” (1) The author presents a city rife with destruction, sniper fire, and crumbling buildings, providing a vivid and accurate representation of the war-torn environment. Furthermore, "The Sniper" reflects naturalistic elements through its truthful and realistic portrayal of war by refusing to shy away from the brutal images of pain:
There was a small hole where the bullet had entered. On the other side there was no hole. The bullet had lodged in the bone. It must have fractured it. He bent the arm below the wound. The arm bent back easily. He ground his teeth to overcome the pain. Then, taking out his field dressing, he ripped open the packet with his knife. He broke the neck of the iodine bottle and let the bitter fluid drip into the wound. A paroxysm of pain swept through him. He placed the cotton wadding over the wound and wrapped the dressing over it. He tied the ends with his teeth. 2
The image O’Flaherty creates for his reader is realistic and painful. By capturing the gritty details, exploring the psychological impact on individuals, and presenting morally complex characters, O'Flaherty provides readers with an unvarnished view of the realities of war. The story's naturalistic approach underscores the shift away from romanticized notions of heroism and nationalism, instead offering a stark and pragmatic representation of Ireland's struggles and aspirations for freedom. The Sniper is a regular man who is only focused on surviving the next hour, the next minutes, and the next second of his life. There is no Irish pride present in his narration, nor Irish nationalism. Instead, The Sniper is only focused on figuring out how he can light a cigarette without the flame signalling his location to the enemy. The Sniper only refers to his target as “his enemy” (2) yet when he is successful in killing his target “he revolted from the sight of the shattered mass of his dead enemy. His teeth chattered, he began to gibber to himself, cursing the war, cursing himself, cursing everybody.” (2) There is no room to interpret The Sniper as a Romantic hero, nor is there evidence to show the reader that death in exchange for freedom is beautiful. O'Flaherty's characters are not idealized heroes or villains but flawed individuals navigating a chaotic and dangerous landscape. The story exposes the multifaceted nature of the Irish conflict, presenting characters who may fight for a cause they believe in but are not immune to the human cost and moral dilemmas that arise.
“Rebellion” (2016 RTE) is split into two seasons and covers the events of the Easter Rising and the Irish War of Independence. While the show adeptly incorporates naturalistic elements in its portrayal of characters, events, and societal conditions during these historical events, it also highlights the effect war and conflict had on the individuals who participated in the fight for freedom. The characters that the audience is introduced to start the story with Romantic ideas about war and death. The main characters, May, Frances, Elizabeth, and Jimmy, are fictional characters that all share a Romantic view of war and rebellion in regard to winning Irish independence at the start of the uprising. They do not fear death; they do not think of themselves as individuals, but rather as a collective being fighting for an ideal tomorrow. The Romantic association with death is best portrayed in the exchange between Patrick Pearse and Cormac. Pearse states that the coming days will have “maneuvers in which not all of us will return” Cormac, a young boy in the citizens army replies proudly “Like Cu Chulainn, we’ll welcome death in battle as a glorious thing.” (Episode 1 20:03) The interaction between Cormac and Pearse symbolizes, at first glance, that the story will pay a Romantic homage to the history of the Uprising. Showing the characters dying gladly for Irish freedom, running into battle like fearless heroes. However, unlike O’Flaherty’s short story, “The Sniper,” and the film “The Wind That Shakes The Barley,” which both have no notions of romanticism present in the stories, “Rebellion” shows how Romantic ideas of achieving nationalism through war are cast aside as the brutal reality of conflict is experienced by the characters. “Rebellion” takes the audience through the journey of disillusionment as each of the characters comes to terms with the reality of their situation. In Episode 1, the viewer is introduced to a multitude of characters of various levels of importance, including the main characters that take the audience through the emotional journey that disillusionment of ideals has on a person. Jimmy experiences this shift most strongly and is the only character we see both before and after the conflict. Jimmy is a character that represents the poor working class of Dublin's slums. Jimmy’s character is portrayed as an innocent young man, innocent of war crimes, and a socialist political mentality. Jimmy believes that the uprising will bring about true change and freedom for his people. When asked by Elizabeth if he believes that the rebellion will make things different, he says “everything is going to be different! The English are going to be driven out. High windows of the rich pulled down.” (Ep 1 22:05) In episode 2, when Jimmy and his military company march on The Castle, he is buzzing with anticipation and excitement. However, once the first shot is fired, Jimmy’s face turns grim, and his eyes hollow out as he witnesses death at the hands of a gun for the first time (21:00). After the rising, the audience is introduced to a changed man, hardened by war, traumatized by loss, and a soul tainted by killing. Jimmy does not flinch at the sound of gunfire, nor does he hesitate to pull the trigger in the name of freedom. Despite showing the realistic process of disillusionment, “Rebellion” still successfully accomplishes what Romantic Nationalistic writing set out to accomplish at the turn of the nineteenth-century. Watching the show, the audience cannot help but feel sympathy for Irish people, and pride in the actions these characters took to take back their freedom for future generations. Romantic nationalism was “fashioned to instill in a people a strong emotional, even spiritual, sense of their own cultural identity for the purpose of inspiring a movement towards nationhood.” (Storey 19) “Rebellion” successfully generates nationhood in the viewer by not shying away from the harsh realities of the conflict.
Both Liam O'Flaherty's short story "The Sniper" and the television show "Rebellion" exemplify the literary movement of naturalism by providing truthful and realistic representations of the Irish conflict and departing from the romanticized narratives that previously dominated Irish literature. O'Flaherty, drawing from his firsthand experience of war, employs brutal naturalism to comment on the Anglo-Irish War in "The Sniper." The story captures the harsh realities of war, the dehumanizing effects of violence, and the complexities of political ideologies. Through its gritty and unembellished portrayal, "The Sniper" offers a stark and pragmatic perspective on Ireland's struggles and aspirations for freedom, reflecting a shift in literary focus and aesthetic approach. Similarly, "Rebellion" tactfully incorporates naturalistic elements to portray the characters, events, and societal conditions of the Easter Uprising and the Irish War of Independence. The show initially presents the characters with Romantic ideas about war and death, but as the brutal reality of conflict unfolds, it explores their journey of disillusionment and the impact of war on their ideals. The characters in "Rebellion" undergo a transformative process, realizing the true cost and complexities of their fight for freedom. The show effectively portrays the shift away from romanticized notions of heroism and nationalism, while still evoking sympathy for the characters and generating a sense of nationhood in the viewer. Overall, both "The Sniper" and "Rebellion" reflect the transformation of Irish literature, providing a truthful and realistic depiction of war, conflict, and the pursuit of independence while simultaneously managing to continue to inspire Irish pride and nationhood in the audience.
Work Cited
4.0 the Seven Members of the Provisional Government Patrick Pearse.” National Library of
Ireland,www.nli.ie/1916/exhibition/en/content/sevensignatories/patrickpearse/index.pdf.
Accessed 23 June 2023.
Storey, Michael. Representing The Troubles in Irish Short Fiction: “Romantic Nationalism: The Quest for an Irish Nation.” The Catholic University of American Press. pp16-54.2004
O'Flaherty, Liam. “The Sniper.” Liam O'Flaherty: Collected Stories, vol. 1, St. Martin's Press,
New York, NY, 1999, pp. 96–99.
Louhimies, Aku, director. Rebellion. RTÉ One, www.netflix.com/Watch/80099764?TrackId=255824129, 2016, Accessed 17 Apr. 2023.
