DUBLINERS BY JAMES JOYCE | BOOK REVIEW | JUNE 2019
I picked this book up a few months ago, as I'd always wanted to delve in to Irish literature. This is probably one of the few books I've read entirely based in Ireland. Other than that, it's been Brooklyn by Colm Toibin and Conversation with Friends by Sally Rooney. Both of those novels are entirely different to this one. First of all this novel is a collection of short stories, which for me they go in a pattern of birth to death. Of course, there are religious aspects and references that in help to create the stories and the context. There are a lot of references to Catholicism, and how the social life of Dubliners were intertwined with the rich intricacies of their faith.
There are fifteen short stories in this book, and for me the most important and significance of this is the characters. They all literally obtain the largest characters; full of 'personal failure, exploitation, sexual desire and social decline'. From this, Joyce explores the lives of Dubliners mostly in the way of the social norms and expectations of men and women. An example of this would be in the short story called 'The Boarding House', which focuses on the landlady of a boarding house in Hardwicke Street called Mrs Mooney. The breakdown of her marriage subsequently resulted in her setting up her own boarding house. However, the men from Liverpool and the Isle of Man soon had an interest in her nineteen year old, Polly Mooney. One of the boarders, Mr Doran had an ongoing affair with Polly, even though he was in his thirties, the social norms was to ask her to marry him, if not it would result in his declining reputation in his workplace and in society. This story stood out on the grounds of the difference of social norms and the high importance of faith, and doing what is right in terms of the role of man and woman. Obviously the twentieth century is different to now, but specifically Ireland still holds the religious faith strongly in their societal doctrines.
Another one of the stories that stood out to me was 'A Painful Case'. The protagonist in this one is 'Mr James Duffy', which Joyce describes as a bit of loner in all honesty. However, he meets a woman - a married woman. Her husband is away at sea, travelling mostly between Ireland and The Netherlands. They form a bond and their relationship is entirely platonic, but soon enough the relationship has a deeper connection: 'friendship between a man and woman is impossible because there must be sexual intercourse' (p.108). The social norms of men and women just being friends is highlighted and frowned upon by Duffy's inspiration from his female friend and the philosophical thoughts of Nietzsche. However, the climax of the story, when both characters separate from each other, is when Mr Duffy finds out that Mrs Sinico had died. She either threw herself under a train, or accidentally was killed by the oncoming train whilst trying to cross the tracks. I think the former was the most probable one. In this case the story is about loneliness, companionship and sexual desire. But the constraints of the Irish society stops them from being together formally.
I've never really read any short story collections, but this one was very enjoyable because of its apparent pattern of birth to death.The book started with the innocence and naivety of the stories of; 'The Sisters' and 'An Encounter', then moves on to the gothic and themes of insanity and religious references of 'Araby' and 'Eveline'. Sexual desire and exploitation is explored in 'The Two Gallants' and 'The Boarding House'. Throughout the book there is a strong foregrounding of the characters, and their specific feelings and journeys. That is what I admire the most about Joyce's writing, it gives the reader a better understanding of the social implications of Ireland, and in particular Dublin.
Happy Reading!
Rose x
There are fifteen short stories in this book, and for me the most important and significance of this is the characters. They all literally obtain the largest characters; full of 'personal failure, exploitation, sexual desire and social decline'. From this, Joyce explores the lives of Dubliners mostly in the way of the social norms and expectations of men and women. An example of this would be in the short story called 'The Boarding House', which focuses on the landlady of a boarding house in Hardwicke Street called Mrs Mooney. The breakdown of her marriage subsequently resulted in her setting up her own boarding house. However, the men from Liverpool and the Isle of Man soon had an interest in her nineteen year old, Polly Mooney. One of the boarders, Mr Doran had an ongoing affair with Polly, even though he was in his thirties, the social norms was to ask her to marry him, if not it would result in his declining reputation in his workplace and in society. This story stood out on the grounds of the difference of social norms and the high importance of faith, and doing what is right in terms of the role of man and woman. Obviously the twentieth century is different to now, but specifically Ireland still holds the religious faith strongly in their societal doctrines.
Another one of the stories that stood out to me was 'A Painful Case'. The protagonist in this one is 'Mr James Duffy', which Joyce describes as a bit of loner in all honesty. However, he meets a woman - a married woman. Her husband is away at sea, travelling mostly between Ireland and The Netherlands. They form a bond and their relationship is entirely platonic, but soon enough the relationship has a deeper connection: 'friendship between a man and woman is impossible because there must be sexual intercourse' (p.108). The social norms of men and women just being friends is highlighted and frowned upon by Duffy's inspiration from his female friend and the philosophical thoughts of Nietzsche. However, the climax of the story, when both characters separate from each other, is when Mr Duffy finds out that Mrs Sinico had died. She either threw herself under a train, or accidentally was killed by the oncoming train whilst trying to cross the tracks. I think the former was the most probable one. In this case the story is about loneliness, companionship and sexual desire. But the constraints of the Irish society stops them from being together formally.
I've never really read any short story collections, but this one was very enjoyable because of its apparent pattern of birth to death.The book started with the innocence and naivety of the stories of; 'The Sisters' and 'An Encounter', then moves on to the gothic and themes of insanity and religious references of 'Araby' and 'Eveline'. Sexual desire and exploitation is explored in 'The Two Gallants' and 'The Boarding House'. Throughout the book there is a strong foregrounding of the characters, and their specific feelings and journeys. That is what I admire the most about Joyce's writing, it gives the reader a better understanding of the social implications of Ireland, and in particular Dublin.
Happy Reading!
Rose x
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