James Baquet

    James Joyce (1882-1941) is considered one of the greatest authors of the 20th century. Many “best” lists put his “Ulysses” at or near the top as one of the most important novels of that century — even though most people find it nearly impossible to read.

    Born in Dublin, Ireland, he moved away from his home country by his early 20s, living in Italy, France, and Paris. But in a way, he never really left Ireland. He created his own universe, all set in his hometown. He wrote, “I always write about Dublin, because if I can get to the heart of Dublin I can get to the heart of all the cities of the world. In the particular is contained the universal.”

    His first important work, “Dubliners,” is a collection of 15 short stories portraying middle-class characters in Dublin. It was published in 1914 (though it was completed years earlier). This is perhaps the easiest of his works to read; nevertheless, it is filled with layers of symbolism that became typical of his later work.

    Next was his most autobiographical work, “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” (1916), in which the title character, Stephen Dedalus, represents Joyce himself. Like Joyce, Stephen rebels against the Catholic church and Irish customs, finally leaving for Europe. It can be seen as an apology for his life.

    “Ulysses” was published in book form in 1922. It is based on a framework like that of Homer’s “Odyssey,” and recounts one day in the life of a Dublin man named Leopold Bloom on June 16, 1904 — a day now celebrated as “Bloomsday.”

    Like the subsequent and even more difficult “Finnegans Wake” (1939), “Ulysses” is a book not so much to be read as to be studied. Joyce requires participation from the reader and does not allow for a passive experience.

    “Finnegans Wake” is considered to be one of the most difficult fictional works in the English language. Experimental in nature, reading like a dream or the wandering thoughts of a madman, it contains thousands of words created by Joyce, often allusions to other works of literature or art, or sometimes just plays on words.

    Lest you think Joyce was always serious, the musical “Cats” was based on a collection of his whimsical poems called “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.”

    Vocabulary:

    Which word above means:

    1. following, later

    2. references

    3. outline, pattern

    4. unless, in case

    5. goes against, rejects

    6. explanation, justification

    7. playful, lighthearted

    8. specific, exact