Shakespeare's Restless World 7. Ireland: Failures in the Present
Apr 24, 2012
Contributors including Andrew Hadfield and Ciarán Brady, historians of Elizabethan Ireland, unpack a rare woodcut and the image of Rory Oge O'Moore. Short, vivid scenes explore kerns as off-stage threats, the Nine Years War’s cost, and fears of Spanish intervention. Fast-moving historical snapshots reveal how images and plays shaped English views of Ireland.
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Irish Presence Offstage, Not Onstage
- Shakespeare included national stereotyping as a familiar comedic device but rarely gave the Irish stage presence beyond caricature.
- Neil MacGregor argues Irish absence from plays contrasts with their heavy presence in public consciousness due to Elizabethan wars.
Rory Oge In Derricke's Woodcut
- Neil MacGregor describes John Derricke's 1581 woodcut of Rory Oge O'Moore as a theatrical forest scene with a bearded figure centre stage.
- Derricke's portrayal cast Rory Oge as a fearsome Irish leader and a bogeyman to the English audience.
Ireland As Elizabethan Crisis
- The Nine Years' War was arguably the central military crisis of Elizabethan England and cost vastly in lives and money.
- Neil MacGregor notes the war's scale rivalled or exceeded spending on the Armada and other major defenses.
