Object Lessons (Revised)

I just finished teaching this work in conjunction with Boland's poetry. This collection is a rare combination of critical thought and poetic metaphor. The more you know about Boland's poetry, the more you will gain from reading _Object Lessons_, so try to read some of her poetry first before you read this volume. (There are also some very good You tube videos available of her reading if you would like to see her and hear her poetic voice.) Some of her best known poems, especially "Mise Eire," "Persephone," and her poems on Irish history ("That the History of Cartography is Limited," "Famine Road", are extended and explained in successive chapters of this collection but subtly. The chapter "Outside History" is especially important in understanding Boland's growing equation of her own marginality as a woman poet with the historic marginality of Ireland itself. She begins to realize that she can be a better Irish poet because of her experience as an emigrant, as a woman.

The author talks about how-- the history of her country (Ireland), her experiences growing up in London and New York, the culture of poets, and her process of self realization all influenced the development of her poetic voice. This isn't a book just for Irish poets or women, the issues she discusses go to the heart of why people write the poetry they do and what expectations they have in doing so as well as how it influences other poets. More than anything, her book shows the many ways in which we can find ourselves in different environments and roles throughout the course of our lives. She goes from daughter to exile to urbanite to rural to suburb to mother as well as exploring her own ancestry. She discusses the culture and politics of nations, poetry, and gender. A good read for people who aren't even interested in poetry.

I first read Eavan Boland in an Irish literature class in college. Her writing is magical, lyrical, ethereal and forces you realize the power of identity, language, culture.Not just for Irish literature fans, but anyone who enjoys beautiful prose.

Boland addresses the struggles of a poetess finding her voice in a society which seems to lack a place for her. Through seemingly circular reasoning, she approaches, considers, defines, and returns to consider the significance of the events of Ireland and the writing of others in her own unique and powerful voice. An enchanting read that reminds women of their own experiences while addressing the dichotomy that keeps them separate.