Poets & Dreamers

Author: Lady Gregory

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Edition: 1974

Binding: Hardcover

Pages: 284

Size: 5.5 × 1.1 × 8.5 inches

Language: English

Poets & Dreamers is an important work associated with Lady Gregory, one of the central figures of the Irish Literary Revival and a major influence on the development of modern Irish theatre and literature.

The work reflects Lady Gregory’s deep interest in the oral traditions, folklore, legends, beliefs, and storytelling culture of Ireland. Through her writings, she preserved aspects of traditional Irish life at a time when many forms of oral culture were increasingly vulnerable to disappearance.

A significant feature of the book is its attention to ordinary people and their imaginative relationship with the world around them. Traditional stories, local beliefs, supernatural themes, and folk traditions reveal how communities understood their surroundings and preserved cultural memory through storytelling.

The title Poets & Dreamers reflects the importance of imagination in Lady Gregory’s understanding of Irish culture. Poetry and storytelling were not merely forms of entertainment; they were ways through which communities expressed their history, identity, beliefs, emotions, and connection with the land.

The book is particularly relevant to the study of the Irish Literary Revival, a cultural movement that sought to rediscover and strengthen Irish literary and cultural traditions. Lady Gregory played a major role in this movement alongside other prominent Irish writers and cultural figures.

Her work also has an important connection with Irish theatre. Lady Gregory was one of the founders of the Abbey Theatre and was instrumental in establishing a distinctive tradition of Irish drama. Her interest in folklore and traditional storytelling influenced the themes and styles of Irish literary and theatrical works.

For readers interested in folklore, the book provides insight into traditional Irish beliefs and narratives. For literary historians, it demonstrates how folklore could be transformed into a source of inspiration for modern literature and theatre.

The book is also valuable as a cultural document. It preserves perspectives on Irish rural life and traditional belief systems that provide modern readers with a window into an earlier period of Irish social and cultural history.

This edition was published by Oxford University Press in 1974. With 284 pages and a hardcover format measuring approximately 5.5 × 1.1 × 8.5 inches, it is a substantial yet manageable volume for both reading and collection.

For collectors, the book is particularly appealing because it represents the work of an important figure in Irish literary and theatrical history. It is suitable for collections focusing on Irish literature, folklore, theatre, and cultural history.

• Written by Lady Gregory
• Published by Oxford University Press
• 1974 Edition
• Hardcover binding
• 284 pages
• Size: 5.5 × 1.1 × 8.5 inches
• Language: English
• Explores Irish folklore and traditional storytelling
• Reflects the Irish Literary Revival
• Connected with Irish poetry and literature
• Relevant to Irish theatre and cultural history
• Preserves traditional Irish beliefs and stories
• Valuable for folklore and literary studies
• Suitable for collectors of Irish literature and cultural history

🔹 Collector’s Note

This 1974 Oxford University Press hardcover of Poets & Dreamers is an attractive literary and cultural volume by Lady Gregory, an important figure in the Irish Literary Revival and the development of modern Irish theatre. Its combination of folklore, storytelling, literature, and cultural history makes it a strong addition to collections of Literature, Film & Theatre, and History & Culture.