Scarica analisi di "Dubliners" e più Sintesi del corso in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! Joyce, James - analysis of Dubliners Introduction Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories set in Dublin, published in 1914 by James Joyce. These stories lake action but disclose human situations and lead to a spiritual revelation. The stories are divided into 4 groups, which represent phases of human life: childhood, adolescence, mature life, public life. All these stories ( 3 or 4 in each group) have the same themes, narrative techniques and symbols. They are set in Dublin, the most important city for the poet, described in its every part: it’s the object of his love (it collects all his young memories) but also of his hate (there was a bad atmosphere, a strong nationalism and Catholicism, it represented a sort of prison, it’s ‘the center of paralysis'). Epiphany There are the use of realism (abundance of details) and the use of symbolism (often details have a deeper meaning). That is a similar technique to epiphany ‘the sudden spiritual manifestation’ caused by a trivial situation or a banal object through it the main character became aware; they don’t know themselves until they have an epiphany. But at the end, in spite of the epiphany, they come back to paralysis because they are anti-heroes, inepts. Paralysis and escape The paralysis Joyce wants to represent results from external and moral forces linked to religion, politic and culture. Dubliners are weak, scared people with a lack of self-knowledge. The opposite theme is ‘escape’, it is originated by a sense of enclosure but characters have no the courage to overcame. Narrative technique Each story is told from the perspective of a character, with the presence of the free direct speech and free direct thoughts with some mediations of the narrator. Language suits the social class, the position, the age of the characters. Summary: Eveline sits at the window, watching the avenue. She thinks of her family, and the neighbors. Years ago, the children on the avenue used to play on a field where now stand many houses. She and her siblings are now grown up, and her mother is dead. Eveline is nineteen years old, and she is planning to leave Ireland forever. She works very hard, at a store and also at home, where she cares for her old father. She won't miss her job in the store. She has mixed feelings about her father. He can be cruel, and though he doesn't beat her, as he did her brothers, he often threatens her with violence. With her brothers gone (Ernest is dead and Harry is often away on business) there is no one to protect her. She takes care of two young siblings and gives over her whole salary for the family, but her father is always accusing her of being a spendthrift. She is going to leave Ireland for good with a sailor named Frank. He has a home in Buenos Ayres. Frank treats her respectfully and with great tenderness, and he entertains her with stories about his travels around the world. Her father dislikes him. Still, she loves her father and regrets the idea of leaving him in his old age. At times he can be kind. She remembers her mother's death, when she promised her mother to keep the home together as long as she could. Her mother lived a life "of commonplace sacrifices closing in final craziness" (33). She finished babbling the enigmatic phrase "Derevaun Seraun!" again and again. The fear of that memory strengthens the resolve in Eveline to leave. But at the station, with the boat ready to leave, she is paralyzed. She cannot go; the world is too frightening. "All the seas of the world tumbled about her heart. He [Frank] was drawing her into them: he would drown her" (34). Frank calls to her, trying to get her to board with the rush of people. She merely stares at him as if he is a stranger. Analysis:
