James Clarence Mangan

James Clarence Mangan (1803 - 1849), poet, born at Dublin, son of a

Related Topics:
1803 - 1849 - Dublin

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small grocer, was brought up in poverty, and received most of his

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education from a priest who instructed him in several modern languages.

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He then became a lawyer's clerk, and was later an assistant in the

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library of Trinity College, Dublin.

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He contributed verses of very

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various merit to a number of Irish newspapers, and translations from the

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German to The Dublin University Magazine. By some critics his poetical

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powers were considered to be such as to have gained for him the first

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place among Irish poets; but his irregular and intemperate habits

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prevented him from attaining any sure excellence. His best work,

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generally written from an Irish nationalist perspective, often rises to a high

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level of tragic power.

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Had his strength of character been equal to

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his poetic gift it is difficult to say to what heights he might have

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attained. He died of cholera.

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James Joyce wrote a significant essay on Mangan, and also used his name in his works. The significance, it is said, lies in part in Joyce's reluctance to acknowledge influence from the Irish literary tradition: he was otherwise chary of adopting any artistic predecessors.

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