'The myth of the end of myth-making': The use of mythology, folklore, and fairy tales in the work of contemporary Irish women writers

This dissertation offers a comprehensive look at how and why the realm of the fantastic has become an important territory for a large group of Ireland's most successful contemporary female writers. It examines how these authors are both using and breaking the boundaries of this symbolic universe in order to explore the perceptions and expectations of women, as well as reveal their emotional and imaginative lives. Chapters examine the multiple layers of mythology and folklore that allow their influence on the imagination and everyday life, the problems with translating myth into the present age, how writers are putting old characters from folk and fairy tales into new skins in order to renew and revitalize their discourse, and the ways contemporary Irish women writers use folklore to create a culturally embedded voice for groups who have remained outside the mainstream of Irish life and literature.