Bloody and Biting Comedy: Examining Humor and Horror in Modern Irish Literature
Date
2023-05
Authors
Pulido, Brooke Avery
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Abstract
Ireland is known for a rich comic tradition within its culture and literature. Vivian Mercier's The Irish Comic Tradition offers a breakdown of the history and techniques of this tradition, while Theresa O'Conner traces this tradition among Irish women in her book, The Comic Tradition in Irish Women Writers. By studying Mercier and O'Conner's work, as well as that of Irish writers widely recognized for these comic techniques, this research develops a model that can then be applied to Bram Stoker's horror novel, Dracula, and Marina Carr's play, By the Bog of Cats. These works both incorporate elements of humor with dark themes and were written 100 years apart, demonstrating the continuation of this tradition. More broadly, these texts are used to explore the relationship between horror and comedy and how the mixing of these genres can be used to effectively address important social issues in the modern era.
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Keywords
Irish literature, comedy, horror, tragicomedy, Ireland
Citation
Pulido, B. A. (2023). Bloody and biting comedy: Examining humor and horror in modern Irish literature. Honors College, Texas State University.