The focus of this research is a detailed analysis of Liam O'Flaherty's first published novel, Thy Neighbour's Wife, as an underlying autobiographical portrait depicted in the main character, Fr. Hugh McMahon. Although never touted as an autobiography, this study shows O'Flaherty drew upon his early cultural, historical, religious, and political influences in creating his main character. Primary and secondary sources, an ethnographic trip to Ireland, and a content analysis of the novel determined the findings.
The fictional McMahon faced difficult personal choices, subsequently coming to terms with past decisions. McMahon's foibles reflect O'Flaherty's early years. O'Flaherty wrote two acclaimed autobiographies, Shame the Devil and Two Years, during his later literary career. This analysis establishes that O'Flaherty used his main character in his first novel, Thy Neighbour's Wife, as a means of conveying in fictional form his own personal struggles, thus establishing this novel as a de facto autobiography.
","abstract_html":"<p>The focus of this research is a detailed analysis of Liam O'Flaherty's first published novel, <em>Thy Neighbour's Wife</em>, as an underlying autobiographical portrait depicted in the main character, Fr. Hugh McMahon. Although never touted as an autobiography, this study shows O'Flaherty drew upon his early cultural, historical, religious, and political influences in creating his main character. Primary and secondary sources, an ethnographic trip to Ireland, and a content analysis of the novel determined the findings.</p><p>The fictional McMahon faced difficult personal choices, subsequently coming to terms with past decisions. McMahon's foibles reflect O'Flaherty's early years. O'Flaherty wrote two acclaimed autobiographies, <em>Shame the Devil</em> and <em>Two Years</em>, during his later literary career. This analysis establishes that O'Flaherty used his main character in his first novel, <em>Thy Neighbour's Wife</em>, as a means of conveying in fictional form his own personal struggles, thus establishing this novel as a de facto autobiography.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Jackson, Robin Heavner"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies)","degree_level":"Thesis - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Liberal Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2002,"date_issued":"2002-08-16T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2002-08-16T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:19:21Z","subjects":["Aran Islands","Irish writers","Ireland","Liam O'Flaherty","Thy Neighbor's Wife","Catholicism","Irish literature","Education","Liberal Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/688","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Jackson, Robin Heavner"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2002-08-16T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Liberal Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MALS (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Aran Islands","Irish writers","Ireland","Liam O'Flaherty","Thy Neighbor's Wife","Catholicism","Irish literature","Education","Liberal Studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/1845/viewcontent/JacksonR071202.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/688"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The focus of this research is a detailed analysis of Liam O'Flaherty's first published novel, Thy Neighbour's Wife, as an underlying autobiographical portrait depicted in the main character, Fr. Hugh McMahon. Although never touted as an autobiography, this study shows O'Flaherty drew upon his early cultural, historical, religious, and political influences in creating his main character. Primary and secondary sources, an ethnographic trip to Ireland, and a content analysis of the novel determined the findings.
The fictional McMahon faced difficult personal choices, subsequently coming to terms with past decisions. McMahon's foibles reflect O'Flaherty's early years. O'Flaherty wrote two acclaimed autobiographies, Shame the Devil and Two Years, during his later literary career. This analysis establishes that O'Flaherty used his main character in his first novel, Thy Neighbour's Wife, as a means of conveying in fictional form his own personal struggles, thus establishing this novel as a de facto autobiography.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Troubled Trinity: Love, Religion and Patriotism in Liam O'Flaherty's First Novel, Thy neighbour's wife."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Jackson, Robin Heavner"],"dc:date.issued":["2002-08-16T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The focus of this research is a detailed analysis of Liam O'Flaherty's first published novel, Thy Neighbour's Wife, as an underlying autobiographical portrait depicted in the main character, Fr. Hugh McMahon. Although never touted as an autobiography, this study shows O'Flaherty drew upon his early cultural, historical, religious, and political influences in creating his main character. Primary and secondary sources, an ethnographic trip to Ireland, and a content analysis of the novel determined the findings.
The fictional McMahon faced difficult personal choices, subsequently coming to terms with past decisions. McMahon's foibles reflect O'Flaherty's early years. O'Flaherty wrote two acclaimed autobiographies, Shame the Devil and Two Years, during his later literary career. This analysis establishes that O'Flaherty used his main character in his first novel, Thy Neighbour's Wife, as a means of conveying in fictional form his own personal struggles, thus establishing this novel as a de facto autobiography.
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