Research paper on Eavan BolandBorn in Dublin in 1944, Eavan Boland is perhaps one of Ireland's greatest contemporary poets. She is an educated woman who knew at a very young age that she was destined to find her way in life through literature. Having left her native country at the age of five to live in London, she then found herself in New York at the age of fourteen because of her diplomat father. In his early teens, Boland met the Irish poet Padraic Colum at a party thrown by his parents. She asked him if he had known Patrick Pearse, an infamous Irish revolutionary figure. He said yes, giving her the answer she (Battersby) wanted. Boland's work and his life were shaped by the need to establish and challenge identities and relationships, a difficult struggle for Ireland and its people. The poet's role in Irish history is crucial to her, as is the definition of women's place in society. She fought for recognition in the poetry world and fought a hard battle for women to be recognized as poets rather than just subjects of poetry. The battle is very personal, given that she is one of only three female poets out of thirty-four Irish poets. She says: “There seems to be no difficulty in being seen as a woman poet. The problem seems to lie in being fully accepted as an Irish poet” (Battersby). Boland's career began very early; her first poem was published when she was seventeen, and her first collection, New Territory, came out when she was only twenty-two. At Trinity College, she perfected her style and became a very enthusiastic member of an emerging poetry movement. However, by her mid-20s, she had left her fiery poetic path. ...... middle of paper ...... onal and poetic world. Works Cited Battersby, Eileen. “The beauty of ordinary things.” The Irish Times September 22, 1998. Boland, Eavan. Outside of History, Selected Poems 1980-1990. New York: WW Norton & Company, 1990. Brooks, Cleanth. Critical theory since Plato. ed. Danger Adams. New York: Harcourt & Brace, 1976. Brooks, Cleanth. The critical tradition. ed. David Richter. Boston: St. Martins, 1989. Coleridge. Criticism: The major texts. ed. WJ Bate. New York: Harcourt & Brace, 1952. Levertov, Denise. Semiotics and interpretation. New York: New Directions, 1992.Logan, William. “Vanity Fair” New criterion. June 1999. Schmidt, Elizabeth. “Where Poetry Begins: An Interview with Eavan Boland” American poet. Spring 1997. Wordsworth, William. Selected prose. ed. John Hayden. New York: Penguin, 1988. www.poets.org