Rediscovering Irish Heritage and Culture in Sydney Owenson’s The Wild Irish Girl: A National Tale
Rediscovering Irish Heritage and Culture in Sydney Owenson’s The Wild Irish Girl: A National Tale

Summary/Abstract: The present article scrutinises Sydney Owenson’s best-known novel The Wild Irish Girl with a special focus on the politics of paratext. Recognising the novel’s contribution to the national tale genre, the paper deliberates on the comprehensive representation of ancient folk beliefs, customs, and oral traditions which are central to Owenson’s narrative style. The integration of paratextual elements, particularly footnotes, is analysed for their effectiveness in adding contextual depth and authenticity to the narrative, serving the primary objective to challenge the prevailing anti-Irish sentiments in the early 19th-century English imagination.

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