| Project/Area Number |
10610481
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
英語・英米文学
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| Research Institution | Beppu University Junior College |
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Principal Investigator |
YAHATA Masahiko Beppu University Junior College, Department of Childhood Education, Associate Professor, 短期大学部・初等教育科, 助教授 (50166568)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1998 – 2001
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2001)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000)
Fiscal Year 2001: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
Fiscal Year 2000: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
Fiscal Year 1999: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000)
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| Keywords | Protestants / Catholics / Unionists / Nationalists / Quest for Reconciliation / Regionality and Universality / Humorous Fiction / Metaphor and Symbol / 北アイルランド小説 / 対立と融和 / ボーダー・クロッシング / 北アイルランド紛争 / ベルファースト和平合意 / ナショナリズム / ユニオニズム / 融和と普遍性 / 南北統一問題 / 融和への模索 / 伝統と革新 / ユニオンスト / 対立 / 融和 / 模索 |
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| Research Abstract |
My research project was to reveal the value and the significance of the work of George A. Birmingham (1865 1950), who is totally neglected today. Although he was born in a Protestant family, he turned a Nationalist and wrote novels in which the protagonists fought for an independent Ireland. However, those novels show that the realization of an independent Ireland is difficult because the Nationalist cause and the Unionist cause are equally legitimate. Later he realized the fact that the conflict could never be solved if Nationalists and Unionists were to stick to their causes with bigotted allegiance. Birmingham came to believe that things should not be taken too seriously. Then he turned to writing humorous fiction, which showed his good wills and sincere wishes for reconciliation between both causes.
My approach to Birmingham was to read other Northern Irish novelists as well as Birmingham to make clear his particular significance. In Northern Ireland, fiction is regarded as less distinguished than poetry and drama. But the reading of Northern Irish fiction made me realize that there are many significant novels and their authors try to explore in their own ways how to "cross borders". Novels by Glenn Patterson, Robert McLiam Wilson and Deirdre Madden especially show that Northern Ireland holds rich diversities and possibilities that transcend Nationalism and Unionism.
Through the research of Birmingham and other Northern Irish novelists, I discovered that, even if they only describe Northern Irish problems, their works hold a lot that appeal to universal minds. I am going to publish my research results in a book which will be called Possibilities That Lie in Northern Irish Fiction : Quests for "Reconciliation" and "Universality".
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