James Joyce: Modernist Writer

Paper Summary:

The essay highlights the ways in which James Joyce should be considered a modernist writer. The paper includes comments from many critics, including William York Tindel, and quotations from Shakespeare. Many modernist writing techniques are revealed that conventional writers would not have used. The use of symbolism is shown as well as examples that show Joyce using realism to portray himself as a modernist writer. The two central short stories used to convey Joyce as a modernist are 'Araby' and 'Two Gallants'. There are also examples taken from 'The Sisters'. The essay also demonstrates how Joyce uses religion to show Dublin in a state of paralysis, which is one of the central themes seen throughout the collection.

From the Paper:

"James Joyce's "Dubliners", a collection of short stories published in 1907, revolves around the everyday mundane lives of Dublin and its citizens. According to Joyce himself, his intention was to "write a chapter of the moral history of my country and I chose Dublin for the scene because the city seemed to be the center of paralysis". James Joyce is a modernist writer as he also does not conform to the traditional style of writing genre which conventional writers such as Jane Austen would have used at the time. Joyce believed that they modernists should "As t were hold the mirror up to nature" (hamlet, William Shakespeare). Joyce believed that a revelation of truth would free Dublin's citizens from the paralysis of Dublin and their daily life's. Joyce felt that due to the secularization and the industrialization of Dublin at the time the citizens were left in a state of paralysis with no escape. "The stories portray Joyce's feeling that Dublin is the epitome of paralysis and all of the citizens are victims". (Levin 159)."

More papers on James Joyce: Modernist Writer:

• Essay # 23067 : "Modernist Literature"
• Research Paper # 24183 : "Samuel Beckett And Postmodernism"
• Essay # 3298 : "The Character of Maria in "Clay" by James Joyce"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: