Dubliners by James Joyce
Fifteen glimpses into the hidden lives of a city.
James Joyce's Dubliners explained with section summaries in just a few minutes! Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe explains James Joyce's short story collection Dubliners. Set in Dublin at the turn of the 20th century, Dubliners provides glimpses into the lives of some of the city’s residents and their anxieties, sufferings, and momentary joys. The stories are roughly categorized by the life stages of their characters: childhood, youth, and early adulthood and maturity. The children have uneasy encounters with adults. The younger people pursue romance and financial success. And the mature characters deal with politics, alcoholism, and personal discontent. These tales speak to a distinct Irish identity and to the nascent formation of a uniquely Irish literary sensibility. This collection of 15 stories presents character sketches and themes that apply to Ireland but also have universal appeal. Irish writer James Joyce’s Dubliners was first published 1914. Joyce is known for his experimentation with modern literary forms, including stream- of-consciousness writing and nonlinear plots. Joyce's success with his second novel, Ulysses, renewed public interest in Dubliners, whose stories critics and scholars consistently describe as some of the best short fiction written in English. Even today, Ulysses tends to overshadow Joyce's other works in terms of popularity, but Dubliners is far more accessible and often serves as a gateway into Joyce's world. The short story collection Dubliners contains many important symbols, including food, representing unity and inspiring deep longing; alcohol, representing unhealthy desires, camaraderie, and escape; and weather, as it reflects the moods and mindsets of the characters. Important themes include conformity, religion, identity, class, and escape. Course Hero helps empower students and educators to succeed! We’re fueled by a passionate community of students and educators who share their course-specific knowledge and resources to help others learn. Learn more at Master Your Classes(TM) with Course Hero!
- Language
- English
- Studio
- Course Hero
- Genres
- Drama
- Episodes
- 16
- Views
- 390K
Episodes on YouTube
- Clip 1 · Brief Plot Summary
- Clip 2 · The Sisters
- Clip 3 · An Encounter
- Clip 4 · Araby
- Clip 5 · Eveline
- Clip 6 · After the Race
- Clip 7 · Two Gallants
- Clip 8 · The Boarding House
- Clip 9 · A Little Cloud
- Clip 10 · Counterparts
- Clip 11 · Clay
- Clip 12 · A Painful Case
- Clip 13 · Ivy Day in the Committee Room
- Clip 14 · A Mother
- Clip 15 · Grace
- Clip 16 · The Dead