Obituary of Edna O’Brien

Before Edna O’Brien, Irish female writers often came from privileged backgrounds and typically confined their work to genteel themes and familiar narrative forms. O’Brien, however, broke new ground with her first novel, “The Country Girls,” published in 1960. Written in London, the novel’s frank portrayal of female sexuality sparked controversy in Ireland and was banned, as were many of her subsequent books. Despite the backlash, O’Brien’s work gained international attention and established her as a transgressive and subversive figure, particularly for women.

O’Brien authored more than two dozen novels and short story collections, along with plays, memoirs, children’s books, and a collection of poems. Her narrative style evolved from straightforward first-person accounts to more experimental forms in the 1970s and 80s. Notable works from this period include “A Pagan Place” (1970), written in the second person singular, and “Night” (1972), a single sustained monologue.

While O’Brien was significantly influenced by James Joyce, whom she admired and could quote from memory, her themes were uniquely her own. Joyce’s influence is evident in her use of English as it is spoken in Ireland to liberate narrative and give voice to female subjectivity. Nuala O’Faolain once noted, “Edna O’Brien is not a writer within a conscious literature. She owes nothing to any predecessor or to any tradition. She is a writer with one theme—women who love and suffer.”

From the 1990s onward, O’Brien widened her scope, addressing sweeping social, political, and economic changes in Ireland in a series of novels. The first of these, “House of Splendid Isolation” (1994), tackled the Troubles through the relationship between a fugitive Republican and an elderly woman. Her political engagement often led to criticism, but her views were ahead of their time in advocating for dialogue in conflict resolution.

O’Brien’s later works continued to address divisive events. “Down By the River” (1996) fictionalized the true story of a 14-year-old rape victim who was barred from leaving Ireland for an abortion. “In the Forest” (2002), based on a notorious triple murder in County Clare, received harsh critiques, yet highlighted societal issues Ireland preferred to ignore.

Her late novels, characterized by their urgent and heightened quality, frequently ventured into dark and complex social issues. For example, “The Little Red Chairs” (2016) received praise for its inventive narrative style that mixed inherited forms and shifted perspectives. O’Brien’s biography of James Joyce (1999) is another testament to her literary prowess, seamlessly blending her words with those of Joyce, earning the rare approval of the Joyce estate.

Born in the village of Tuamgraney, County Clare, to parents Lena and Michael O’Brien, Edna grew up in a time when church and state tightly controlled women’s lives in newly independent Ireland. Despite her father’s alcoholism and the resulting family tensions, Edna’s mother obsessively cherished her youngest daughter. Having few books at home, O’Brien’s childhood was nonetheless a well of inspiration for her fiction.

Educated at the Convent of Mercy in Loughrea, O’Brien excelled in science before enrolling in a pharmaceutical college in Dublin. In 1954, she eloped with the Irish-Czech writer Ernest Gébler, against her parents’ wishes. They moved to London in 1960, where she wrote “The Country Girls” in just three weeks. Her burgeoning success strained her marriage, leading to its breakdown in 1966.

O’Brien’s life in London was as flamboyant as her writing was controversial. She moved in celebrity circles, befriending notable figures like Samuel Beckett, Jane Fonda, and even Mick Jagger. Despite personal and professional challenges, O’Brien remained a prolific writer throughout her life, her work often clashing with feminist movements due to her focus on love and her portrayal of women as victims.

While often labeled as “the Irish Colette,” O’Brien’s work offered deep insights into human desire and suffering. Her short story “The Love Object” (1968) exemplifies her emotional depth, depicting a woman’s obsessive love affair and its devastating aftermath.

Throughout her career, O’Brien faced casual sexism, with critics often focusing more on her looks and personal life than on her writing. She remarked wryly that serious writers are assumed to be unattractive, a notion her glamorous image defied. However, the autobiographical nature of much of her work added another layer of complexity, challenging the perception of women’s experiences in literature.

In her final decade, O’Brien’s work received renewed critical appreciation, partly due to the success of younger Irish writers like Eimear McBride and Anne Enright, who acknowledged her influence. In 2015, she received the title Saoi, the highest honor of Aosdána, and in 2018, she was made an honorary dame. Her late novels continued to explore themes of control, exile, and love with added urgency.

Reviewing “Girl” (2019), O’Brien’s depiction of the 276 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram, Alex Clark noted the blend of economy and lyricism in her writing, highlighting her focus on the emotional lives of women under extreme duress.

O’Brien believed that true art arises from pain and displacement. In her semi-autobiographical work “Mother Ireland” (1976), she expressed a deep connection to her heritage and a desire to explore the pain and trauma of her past to create meaningful art.

Edna O’Brien is survived by her sons. She leaves behind a legacy of groundbreaking literature that challenged societal norms and celebrated the complexities of women’s lives.

• Josephine Edna O’Brien, writer, born 15 December 1930; died 27 July 2024

Source: The Guardian