Then and Now: Memories of a Patriarchal Ireland in the Work of Marian Keyes

This paper will observe how the work of Irish author Marian Keyes is influenced by,and representative of, the place of women in Ireland in terms of historical issues, social values,and legal issues. It will discuss two primary areas that have affected women in Irish society: the family and the female body. In addressing how such issues were traditionally viewed in Irish society, this paper will demonstrate how Keyes’ novels present an awareness –a memory– of how Irish women’s lives were once repressed by patriarchal values, and how contemporary women still, to some extent, feel the effects –the restraints– of such attitudes.