One of the most difficult aspects of EN6009: Contemporary Research was this blog. From early academia, the emphasis put on scholarly writing has been intense, and so to find a voice that was both informal and intelligent was tough. On top of this, finding a monthly topic for discussion proved challenging, and I decided that,…
Literature and IT Review
Still under the working title of ‘The New Motherly Father: Representations of Motherhood in James Joyce’s Ulysses’, I endeavour to explore in my MA thesis, Joyce’s subversive use of the theme of motherhood, his exploration of the role of motherhood, and his characterisation of mothers and motherly figures in general throughout the text. Joyce’s classic…
Conference Reflection
Our Textualities Conference on 10th March 2017 was definitely one of the highlights of the college year. It was stressful, anxiety inducing and hectic to say the least, but at the end of it all, we all left with a substantial achievement in our pocket. Not only was it a platform to express my own…
Textualities Conference 2017
Today, 10th March 2017, the UCC English MA students are taking part in a mini conference titled ‘Textualities Conference 2017.’ Nerves are high to say the least, but already the atmosphere is amazing! Beginning this morning, we have four fantastic speakers, three from the MA in Irish writing and film, and one from the MA…
#EditWikiLit: 2017 Editathon
On 8th February, the English MA year took part in a Wikipedia Editathon. Needless to say, it struck fear into the very hearts of all involved, but ultimately proved to be one of the most enjoyable assessments I have ever done! This assignment was an assessment for our research module, and really allowed us to explore…
‘Virgins for Sale’: The image of the Virgin in Mina Loy’s Virgins Plus Curtains Minus Dots
The virgin- whore opposition is one that has strong implications in English literature. Female characters set in contrast with one another, often in nineteenth and twentieth century writing, are described as either the pure, untainted and good ‘virgin’ character, or the lesser, corrupting and damaged ‘whore’ character. Each of their desires seem separate and simple….
‘You are my bane, my poison, my disgust!’: The similarities in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Matilda
Between 1816 and 1820, Mary Shelley wrote two long works of fiction, first Frankenstein and then Matilda. Both novels are concerned with very similar topics, that of isolation, nature and a contorted view of the character of the ‘father’. Each of these works contain strong similarities in characterisation. Victor Frankenstein shows very similar attributes to…
‘Reading Rebellion’: Women, History and Commemoration
On 16th November, Dr. Heather Laird presented her paper ‘Reading Rebellion’: Women, History and Commemoration, at University College Cork. This seminar paper was based around the miniseries, Rebellion, one of the many RTE commemoration pieces for the 1916 Rising. The programme can be categorised under the genre of historical fiction, enhancing the dramatic impact of…
I Wanna be Yours: Music in Poetry
Arctic Monkeys have long been one of the most popular, talented and critically acclaimed Indie bands of our time, and their evolution into the band they are today is, for me, one of the most significant and successful examples of artistic progress. Frontman Alex Turner has continuously proven his ability as a truly talented wordsmith…
Frank O’Connor, Cork and the World of Literature
On 12th October, UCC welcomed Dr. Nicholas Allen in a research seminar entitled Frank O’ Connor, Cork and the World of Literature. While Dr. Allen used Frank O’ Connor as a way of discussing a broader theme of Cork’s situation by the quays, his seminar gave a much more fruitful look at how bodies of…
Lauren McAuliffe 