Poem
The Mermaid
| Title | The Mermaid |
|---|---|
| Author | Míchéal Ó hAirtnéide |
Instances of Publication
A published appearance of this poem.
| Collection/Anthology | Year of Publication | Medium | View Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill: Selected Poems/Rogha Dánta | 1988 | Print Collection | View Details |
Publication Instance Details #657
Collection/Anthology Details
| Collection/Anthology | Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill: Selected Poems/Rogha Dánta |
|---|---|
| Date of Publication | 1988 |
| Publisher | Raven Arts Press (Ireland) |
| Page Number(s) | 53, 55 |
Publication Overview
| Translation | Is Multilingual | Explicit Irish Context? | Ekphrasis | Has Paratext? | Reference to News, Media or Technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Details
| Human Rights Issues | |
|---|---|
| Languages | |
| Original Language | |
| Original Poem | |
| Original Author | |
| Genre | Short Lyric |
| Medium | Print Collection |
| Notes | This poem is based on an Irish version of the international folktale of the mermaid/selkie whose coat/cloak/comb is stolen and who must live with a human man. Here, the mermaid speaks of her painful journey to become accustom to life on land, the threat of physical violence or torture from those who wish to make her speak and who remind her of the Gestapo. Themes of displacement and culture shock are central to this poem. See also Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill's later mermaid sequence titled 'Na Murúcha a Thriomaigh', translated by Paul Muldoon in the volume 'The Fifty Minute Mermaid' (Gallery Press, 2007). |
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