Choose ONE of the following questions and answer it in an essay of 1100 words. Pay attention to spelling, punctuation, grammar and form, as well as to content.
1. Discuss the major writers of the period from 1890 to 1916. What were their attitudes towards the native Irish language vis-a-vis English, and how did they view English colonialism in Ireland? How did their writings affect Irish political developments. Give specific examples in your answer.
2. Discuss the response to late British colonialism (including views of metropolitan London or the colonial outpost, Dublin) in The picture of Dorian Gray and The Dead. How do the two works display a sense of death and decay, and does either one offer a positive view of the future? Give specific examples in your answer.