Marta Bueno Arcos explores different places that served as setting inspiration for some of the great works of literature.
Even with an idea in mind, and having it entirely mapped out, getting inspiration to write can be quite difficult. A great way to find inspiration when creating, especially when imagining an environment for a work, is to be in a place that inspires. Whether that is the nearest library or a clearing in the middle of nowhere, finding a place that can inspire creativity and writing makes all of the difference.
Many of the greats have been inspired by specific places that shaped not only their works but the authors themselves. For example, the primary inspiration for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series was Prince Edward Island in Canada. She was born and raised there, and its natural landscapes and the Green Gables farmhouse serve as inspiration and setting for the series. The farmhouse is now famous worldwide, but for Montgomery, it was simply her cousin’s farm that she often visited while exploring the surrounding woodlands, proving that inspiration can come from the most mundane of places.
Sometimes, a place of inspiration is not always where one initially thinks it may be. For example, The Hobbit Trilogy, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, was filmed entirely in New Zealand, and many assume its landscapes inspired the author. However, Tolkien was inspired by his childhood in the English countryside and the landscapes of Birmingham became Hobbiton, the home of the Hobbits. Similarly, the industrialized landscapes of England’s West Midlands inspired the dark, industrial landscapes of Mordor.
Sometimes, a place of inspiration is not always where one initially thinks it may be.
Despite many of the places that have inspired great works being international, there is no need to travel abroad to find inspiration. James Joyce, who we all have heard of at UCD, was inspired by the city of Dublin for his novel Ulysses and his work Dubliners. The short story collection is set in and around Dublin, and uses the city not only as inspiration or as its setting, but almost as a character itself.
Evidently, there are many local spots within our very own Dublin to use as inspiration to create. As it is such a diverse city, it can inspire writers across genres.
For history-loving writers, Dublin has many inspiring historical sites. Walking alongside the Old Dublin City walls, originally built by Vikings, or visiting Dublin castle, in use since 1204, are examples of historical places filled with potentially-inspirational corners. The castle portrays elements of many different time periods, and is a beautiful setting to write anything from a historically accurate short story to a fantasy novella.
Romance writers will appreciate the picturesque landmarks within the city, such as the gazebo overlooking St. Stephen’s Green’s pavilion, built c. 1898, to Dublin’s many charming bookshops can be the perfect setting for a novel’s meet-cute.
All types of book lovers are sure to draw inspiration from bookstores and libraries. For example, Marsh’s Library, which was first open to the public in 1707, is another inspiring place. One such visitor was Bram Stoker, who Marsh’s Library’s records show as having conducted research in 1866, while he was still a student in Trinity College and before he wrote Dracula. James Joyce followed his footsteps in 1902, and even mentioned the library in his novel Ulysses.
Outside of the city center, Dublin bay offers many beautiful coastal towns like Malahide, Howth and Dún Laoghaire. Their beaches, lighthouses, markets and cliffs can be the inspiration for horror novels and romance stories alike.
If all of these places fail to inspire, it is still useful to visit places that represent creativity and art to get inspiration for original works. Whether to write, draw, knit, or be creative in other ways there are places that are sure to have objects, information, and even an atmosphere that inspires.
The National Gallery is useful to explore different art mediums and see contemporary visual portrayals of different time periods. The National Museum of Ireland’s historical facts and archeological artefacts can become an inspiration to create original stories and draw real-life elements into one’s own creative projects.
Regardless of what landmarks may be more or less inspiring, these places were not the basis of a work, merely the inspiration. It is the author’s own creativity that is complemented by the presence of a real-life setting, but it does not depend on it.