JAMES JOYCE (opere+vita), Appunti di Inglese

Scarica JAMES JOYCE (opere+vita) e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! JAMES JOYCE BIOGRAPHY Born in Dublin. Ha had a real nek for languages (modern and classic) one of the most important points, one of the most revolutionary characteristics is that of a linguistic pastige, shown in Ulysses and Finnegan’s Wake which are his greatest accomplishment. Finnegan’s Wake mix every languages he knows. Joyce, as Woolf, felt completely dumb/chastised in Dublin and what he will later call paralysis (he fells stuck) is due to the conventions. Dublin is a steel city, than he felt chastised by catholic religion, then felt constricted by his family as well. He criticized the church working and living became hard for him. Moreover, his living condition changed, and he was destitute. Ezra Pound on of the greatest American writer of the time, he influenced every writer of the time. Elliot describes him as “il miglior fabbro”. His most important masterpiece is Cantos. He lived most of his life preacherly. He used to drink to much (first with his dad, than alone). He spent his money in dissolute absolves. At certain point he had an epiphany himself took some steps to save his own life. Two are the most important: met Nora Barnacle + left Dublin. He left Ireland went to Trieste (Italo Svevo + Dubliners). Then he went to Zurich where wrote Ulysses (7 years). In Paris, he met many poets and artists (Picasso, Braque,). He took many steps and ended writing Finnegans Wake. Then he backed in Zurich were died.  Dubliners: collection of stories divided in three groups which recount the three stages in life (childhood, adulthood, death). Deals with life in Dublin and the theme that is common is that of decay and stagnation of city life. Syntax is coherent but he sediment the concept of Epiphany  Ulysses: Steven Dedalus  is the alter ego of Joyce. There is the portrait of an artist itself. The stream of consciousness technique reaches it apex.  Finnegans Wake: a step further than the two others The artist should not express his view-point. Instead, should try to express his feeling to other mans. Total objectivity of artist + independent from religious or political moral. Artist should stay away from conventions. Institutions represent paralysis (the reason why he escaped from Dublin it was somehow frozen). Joyce rejected not only Irish politic but he rejected Irish life in toto, despite this Dublin remains his obsession. Dublin is seen as a sort of Damocles’ Sward. Interest in studies of psychoanalysis + every experiment in the artist. What he rejected is to be classified in any movement because his style was drawing both from realisms and symbolism which were combined in two works ( Ulysses and Finnegans Wake break with tradition and they are more evocative, this mixture finds in language his best tool, he creates what he defines a dreaming language).  Dreaming languageInvented words, non-existing word, combinations between words,… this provided a multilayer prose (many different meaning). Meaning derives from ambiguity, from references that are stewards in the reader. Syntax and punctuation is going to be broken, just sensation. The first period of his works is called a Naturalist Period. In the second period of his literay production the style changes DUBLINERS Joyce himself said that by writing it he wants to write a moral chapter of the story of his country. Chose Dublin as the center of paralysis. This collection of stories cannot deal with light-hearted themes described paralyzed citizens. Moment of  Epiphany a sudden revelation, a moment of inside, a sudden spiritual awakening which produces a new awareness. Despite Epiphanies protagonists are not aware, they are “L’uomo senza qualità”; “Hallow Man” (Elliot)  Antiheroes or Modern Hero. They had the chance to escape the moment they realize their condition, but they didn’t move. They are blocked by morality and education. Epiphanies could be triggered by whatever. THE DEAD Is the last short story of Dubliners. It takes place in Dublin in the house of two spined sisters who eared their living giving music lessons. They are sisters of Gabriel Conroy which is the main character of the story. It is the Christmas party and during the dinner many people are invited. In this dinner, the guests represent a sort of microcosmos. Christmas represent tradition (ritual) and the highest moment of the ritual is the speech that Gabriel Conroy gives (the males of the house). He has been invited with his wife Greta. This speech is well accepted by the audience. He is very proud of it… many too proud. The party comes to an end. The air is that of happiness but you feel there is something lurking (Dublin’s paralysis). There is someone playing the violin they are singing folks-sounds. Sounds a song and Greta, who’s going downstairs, she stopped paralyzed she seems lost in her thoughts, because that tune actually steers an epiphany in her mind. She has a sweet expression and Gabriel Conroy admires her. Greta + Gabriel walk toward the hotel in which they are going to spend the night; both are lost in thoughts and Gabriel is getting strong and deep feeling for his wife. He tries to approach her but something happens. She is putting away the make-up and he realizes that she was silently weeping. The tune Greta heard had remanded her to Michael Fury  her first love, a boy she met in younghood who was not very healthy (very week lungs) and the night before Greta was leaving for another city, this boy went to say goodbye to Greta: it was pouring, this boy got pneumonia and died after a while. She had removed this memory form the mind because she felt guilty “I think he died for me”. This memory sterns an epiphany in Gabriel.  Epiphany and Moment of being: moment of being allows you to make order in your mind and usually the outcome is positive. In epiphany characters still remain trapped in their life, they can’t move on. Gabriel has two epiphanies: 1. Auditory  when he listens to his wife, he realizes he is not the only-love of his wife, maybe he will never know her completely. 2. Visual  described in “She was fast asleep” (autoconiscimento)