The Irish Stage

Catalog description

In theatres throughout Ireland, the Irish stage presents the collective voice of Irish Catholic playwrights. Steeped in myth, ritual, and history, these authors used their plays to examine the rich texture of life woven together by faith, politics, family, and community and, by whose intersection, results in conflicts and choices that reflect a deeper, transcendent meaning. Through the readings of Thomas Merton and examples of ritualistic theatre found in the Bible, the course builds on the lessons of CORE I and II to explore further Catholic principles and intellectual Catholic tradition expressed by themes found in Irish drama. As a CORE III course, students will read Irish plays, view their performance and discuss the common themes of belief, choices and the flaws of motivated reasoning that form biases in poor decisions versus transcendent ones that are the foundation of Irish drama.