The Romantic National Tale and the Question of Ireland (Cambridge Studies in Romanticism, Series Number 51)

Ina Ferris examines the way in which the problem of 'incomplete union' generated by the formation of the United Kingdom in 1800 destabilised British public discourse in the early decades of the nineteenth century. Ferris offers the first full-length study of the chief genre to emerge out of the political problem of Union: the national tale, an intercultural and mostly female-authored fictional mode that articulated Irish grievances to English readers. Ferris draws on current theory and archival research to show how the national tale crucially intersected with other public genres such as travel narratives, critical reviews and political discourse. In this fascinating study, Ferris shows how the national tales of Morgan, Edgeworth, Maturin, and the Banim brothers dislodged key British assumptions and foundational narratives of history, family and gender in the period. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 11 INTRODUCTION The awkward space of Union......Page 13 CHAPTER 1 Civic travels: the Irish tour and the new United Kingdom......Page 30 BAFFLED REASON......Page 38 EQUIVOCAL FORM......Page 49 CHAPTER 2 Public address: the national tale and the pragmatics of sympathy......Page 58 DISLOCATIONS OF SYMPATHY......Page 68 PUBLIC PERFORMANCE......Page 79 CHAPTER 3 Female agents: rewriting the national heroine in Morgan’s later fiction......Page 86 MOVING ON THE DIAGONAL......Page 90 SEQUESTERED (CATHOLIC) SPACES......Page 104 CHAPTER 4 The shudder of history: Irish Gothic and ruin writing......Page 114 MEMORY IN THE RUINS......Page 118 THE SHUDDER OF THE RUIN......Page 130 CHAPTER 5 Agitated bodies: the Emancipation debate and novels of insurgency in the 1820s......Page 139 FORMS OF INSISTENCE......Page 146 UNDOING THE NATIONAL TALE......Page 161 INTRODUCTION: THE AWKWARD SPACE OF UNION......Page 167 1 CIVIC TRAVELS: THE IRISH TOUR AND THE NEW UNITED KINGDOM......Page 171 2 PUBLIC ADDRESS: THE NATIONAL TALE AND THE PRAGMATICS OF SYMPATHY......Page 177 3 FEMALE AGENTS: REWRITING THE NATIONAL HEROINE IN MORGAN’S LATER FICTION......Page 184 4 THE SHUDDER OF HISTORY: IRISH GOTHIC AND RUIN WRITING......Page 187 5 AGITATED BODIES: THE EMANCIPATION DEBATE AND NOVELS OF INSURGENCY IN THE 1820s......Page 191 PRIMARY SOURCES......Page 197 SECONDARY SOURCES......Page 203 Index......Page 213 In The Romantic National Tale And The Question Of Ireland, Ina Ferris Examines The Way In Which The Problem Of Incomplete Union Generated By The Formation Of The United Kingdom In 1800 Destabilized British Public Discourse In The Early Decades Of The Nineteenth Century. Ferris Offers The First Full-length Study Of The Chief Genre To Emerge Out Of The Political Problem Of Union: The National Tale, An Intercultural And Mostly Female-authored Fictional Mode That Articulated Irish Grievances To English Readers. Ferris Draws On Current Theory And Archival Research To Show How The National Tale Crucially Intersected With Other Public Genres Such As Travel Narratives, Critical Reviews, And Political Discourse. In This Study, Ferris Shows How The National Tales Of Morgan, Edgeworth, Maturin, And The Banim Brothers Dislodged Key British Assumptions And Foundational Narratives Of History, Family, And Gender In The Period.--book Jacket. Introduction: The Awkward Space Of Union -- 1. Civic Travels: The Irish Tour And The New United Kingdom -- 2. Public Address: The National Tale And The Pragmatics Of Sympathy -- 3. Female Agents: Rewriting The National Heroine In Morgan's Later Fiction -- 4. The Shudder Of History: Irish Gothic And Ruin Writing -- 5. Agitated Bodies: The Emancipation Debate And Novels Of Insurgency In The 1820s. Ina Ferris. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Acknowledgments 11 INTRODUCTION The awkward space of Union 13 CHAPTER 1 Civic travels: the Irish tour and the new United Kingdom 30 BAFFLED REASON 38 EQUIVOCAL FORM 49 CHAPTER 2 Public address: the national tale and the pragmatics of sympathy 58 DISLOCATIONS OF SYMPATHY 68 PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 79 CHAPTER 3 Female agents: rewriting the national heroine in Morgan鈥檚 later fiction 86 MOVING ON THE DIAGONAL 90 SEQUESTERED (CATHOLIC) SPACES 104 CHAPTER 4 The shudder of history: Irish Gothic and ruin writing 114 MEMORY IN THE RUINS 118 THE SHUDDER OF THE RUIN 130 CHAPTER 5 Agitated bodies: the Emancipation debate and novels of insurgency in the 1820s 139 FORMS OF INSISTENCE 146 UNDOING THE NATIONAL TALE 161 Notes 167 INTRODUCTION: THE AWKWARD SPACE OF UNION 167 1 CIVIC TRAVELS: THE IRISH TOUR AND THE NEW UNITED KINGDOM 171 2 PUBLIC ADDRESS: THE NATIONAL TALE AND THE PRAGMATICS OF SYMPATHY 177 3 FEMALE AGENTS: REWRITING THE NATIONAL HEROINE IN MORGAN鈥橲 LATER FICTION 184 4 THE SHUDDER OF HISTORY: IRISH GOTHIC AND RUIN WRITING 187 5 AGITATED BODIES: THE EMANCIPATION DEBATE AND NOVELS OF INSURGENCY IN THE 1820s 191 Bibliography 197 PRIMARY SOURCES 197 SECONDARY SOURCES 203 Index 213 Ina Ferris examines the way in which the problem of "incomplete union" (generated by the formation of the United Kingdom in 1800) destabilized British public discourse in the early decades of the nineteenth century. Ferris presents a full-length study of the chief genre to emerge out of the political problem of Union: the national tale, an intercultural and mostly female-authored fictional mode that articulated Irish grievances to English readers. Ferris draws on current theory and archival research to show how the national tale crucially intersected with other public genres such as travel narratives, critical reviews and political discourse. In this fascinating study, Ferris shows how the national tales of Morgan, Edgeworth, Maturin, and the Banim brothers dislodged key British assumptions and foundational narratives of history, family and gender in the period. Ferris examines the way in which the problem of 'incomplete union'generated by the formation of the United Kingdom in 1800 destabilised British public discourse in the early decades of the nineteenth century, and the emergence of the national tale as the main genre to address these issues Ina Ferris examines the way in which the problem of incomplete union generated by the formation of the United Kingdom in 1800 destabilised British public discourse in the early decades of the 19th century