Dunsany, Lord (1878-1957), was an Irish author who is remembered today for his fantastic tales. He is also known for such plays as The Glittering Gate (1909), The Gods of the Mountain (1911), A Night at an Inn (1916), and If (1921).
Lord Dunsany was born Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett on July 24, 1878, in London of Irish parents. He was a noted sportsman and soldier. Dunsany’s writing is filled with the exotic wonder of fairy tales. His best literary work is found in his short pieces, and all his writings tend toward the form of the ironic fable. Many of his writings deal with the supernatural, and he invented his own mythology—”heavens and earths, and kings and peoples and customs, just as I need them.” Nevertheless, his works show the influence of Asian, Biblical, and classical literature. He died on Oct. 25, 1957.
