This paper examines Harriet Martineua's Letters from Ireland, focusing on the 'Irish Question' which included from geographical and agricultural to social and economic themes. Such public works projects as railroads and bridges, reforestation, and bog ...
This paper examines Harriet Martineua's Letters from Ireland, focusing on the 'Irish Question' which included from geographical and agricultural to social and economic themes. Such public works projects as railroads and bridges, reforestation, and bog reclamation were crucial to the industrialization of Ireland, as was implementing modern methods of agriculture and flax production. It was post-famine in 1852 that 'The Great Famine', the wretched accident in Ireland's history, passed by. As a citizen of the British Empire, Harriet Martineau was apt to have a prejudice. However, she tried to see and report correctly 'Irish Question' based on an objective gaze. This demonstrated a mission and identity of journalist. Letters from Ireland was an important text which could understand post-famine Ireland.
She tried to sympathize the Irish's suffering and consider settlements. It was abundant natural resources, Irish people, and education to which Martineau consistently appealed as the permanent remedy for the 'Irish Question'. Above all, she told us of 'the Irishman's passion for land' as being explainable in terms of the symbolic meaning of land as a source of 'power, independence, and dignity'. She insisted a proper lent, fixity of tenure, the value of the improvements of land, and a change as a land owner. She explained the Irish workhouses which related to the condition of the famine of Ireland. Moreover, she gave a positive assessment of the industry of the women in Ireland on the one hand and a negative view of it on the other hand. Because the women had to work out of the house and home for making a living during the famine.
In fact, 'Irish Question' has been one of the most troublesome problems in the British Empire before the famine happened. The Union Repeal Movement had been developed in the 1830-40. After that, the relations between two countries were made worse than before through the great famine. She supported the union of two countries. She acknowledged, however, the British Empire's misgovernment toward Ireland and heavily criticized it. In Short, She emphasized the real remedy for the Ireland's difficulties and the duty of the British Empire leading the Irish to do better.