history as a painful ordeal, but one in which she
is a willing participant. There is nothing within
the poem that valorizes human existence. Yet the
idea of living outside of history appears abhor-
rent to the poet. By stating her decision to move
from the world of myth into the world of history,
Boland highlights the detestable nature of living
as an outsider. Even though she paints the whole
of human historical existence without a glimmer
of light or hope, the idea of being an outsider any
longer is unacceptable. By insisting on her place
within history, the poet suggests her desire to be
accounted for, to matter within the course of
human events. The choice between myth and
history that she presents and the clarity with
which she declares her own preference suggestTOPICS FOR
FURTHER
STUDY ‘‘Outside History’’ is the twelfth and final
poem in Boland’s poetic sequence of the
same name. Read all of the poems in the
sequence. How do the poems relate to one
another? Are there common themes? Does
each poem have the ability to stand on its
own, or do the poems make more sense in
their relation to one another and to the
sequence as a whole? In your opinion, why
would the poet link these poems together as
a sequence? Write an essay in which you
address these questions and give your opin-
ion regarding the value of linking the poems
in this manner.
In ‘‘Outside History,’’ Boland makes refer-
ence to the notion of myth, and in one of the
poems earlier in the sequence, ‘‘The Making
of an Irish Goddess,’’ she discusses myth in
greater detail. In particular, she mentions
Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.
Research Irish mythology. Do figures like
Ceres appear in Irish myths? What charac-
teristics are particular to the figures in Irish
mythology? Who are the heroes and her-
oines of Irish mythology? Do Irish myths
feature deities, or do they involve other
types of heroic characters instead? Write a
report on your findings.
Boland’s poetry is often focused reflexively
on her status as a female Irish poet. Her
emphasis on a sense of exclusion inherent
in poems such as ‘‘Outside History,’’ and
comments in her preface toObject Lessons:The Life of the Woman and the Poet in Our
Time, imply a dearth of women as authors of
Irish poetry. Research the role of women in
the history of Irish literature. What histor-
ical female Irish literary figures might
Boland and her contemporaries have turned
to in looking for role models? Compile an
overview of female Irish writers, and create a
time line on poster board referencing the
time frames in which they wrote and the
types of works they specialized in. Can you
find any female Irish writers who published
before the time of the Anglo-Irish novelist
Maria Edgeworth (1767–1849)? What female
Irish writers gained prominence in the twen-
tieth century alongside Boland? Do you find
Boland’s observations regarding the histori-
cal lack of female Irish poets to be accurate?
Make sure to incorporate visuals in your
time line. Present your findings and time
line to your class.
Much of Boland’s poetry is written in the
style of the free-verse lyric, and her poetry
often focuses on the components of identity.
For example, in ‘‘Outside History,’’ Boland
suggests that our relationship to history con-
tributes to our sense of personal identity.
After reviewing descriptions of free-verse
poetry and lyric poetry, compose your own
free-verse lyric in which you consider your
own ideas regarding personal identity, and
share the poem with your class.Outside History