"The scholarly feat of the book . . . lies in Harrington’s industrious inspection of the critical, historical, and literary phenomena that formed the cultural atmosphere around Beckett."—Choice
"Harrington’s arguments are carefully wrought and convincing."—Library Journal
"Harrington makes a contribution to Beckett studies by reminding critics that Ireland shaped the man and undergirds many of the works."—Modern Fiction Studies
Description
Breaking with a powerful tradition among scholars that insists that Beckett’s Irishness is no more than an accident of birth, Harrington provides compelling evidence to the ways in which many of Beckett’s best-known texts are deeply involved in Irish issues and situations. Providing new readings of such works as More Pricks Than Kicks, Murphy, Watt, Mercier and Camier, Waiting for Godot, and Endgame, Harrington provides an understanding of Beckett’s work in its representation of Ireland, of Irish history, and of Irish literary traditions.
About the Author
John P. Harrington is professor of English and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Fordham University. He has written extensively on Irish literature and culture, including The Irish Play on the New York Stage: 1874–1966 and Irish Theater in America: Essays on Irish Theatrical Diaspora.
May 1991