James Joyce, whose biography is described in this article, is Ireland's most famous modernist representative. His literary work had a huge impact on the entire world culture of the 20th century.
Childhood and youth
Joyce was born in 1882 in the south of Dublin, in the Ratgar area. His family was very large (fifteen children). Father John Joyce was originally engaged in the family business - wine trading. But since he was poorly versed in business, he quickly burned out. He had to get a tax service. In general, the work was not dusty, but even there John did not last long. After that, he often changed jobs. Together with his wife Mary Jane, they often had to move, so James lived in almost every part of Dublin in early childhood.
In fact, all responsibility for the family fell on the shoulders of the mother. She had a modest pension, which everyone lived on. John the reveler was not at all embarrassed by this state of affairs. This greatly affected all the children in the family who had an aversion to their own father. Later, in the works of Joyce, these feelings will be reflected.
Despite the poverty and frustration of the family, the boy managed to get a good education. At the age of six, he was sent to the Jesuit College of Klongows Woods. And at the age of eleven, they were transferred to the Belvedere. In 1897, after receiving secondary education, James Joyce entered the University of Dublin (Royal), which he graduated in 1902.
First publications
James Joyce, whose biography proves that he, undoubtedly, the most talented of writers, from school years loved literature and language. It was immediately clear that this was not just a hobby.
Little James was engaged in writing even before entering the Jesuits College. But at the age of nine, he created a poem that amazes with its directness and openness. He dedicated it to Charles Parnell, leader of the liberation movement in Ireland, and his comrade-in-arms Timothy Healy, who betrayed his comrade, as a result of which he died.
The poem was propagated by the father of the writer, but the copies, unfortunately, were not preserved.
While studying at the university, Joyce writes an essay about his beloved writer Heinrich Ibsen, "Drama and Life." It was a short review of creativity. A year later, Joyce began to be published in the prestigious London magazine "Two-Week Review". His first publication was an article about Ibsen's play "New Drama". The novice writer received a good fee, but the praise of the playwright himself became the most valuable for him.
In the same 1900, he wrote the play "Brilliant Career". It is nothing more than an imitation of Ibsen.
In connection with the death of Ruskin, the journal published an article by Joyce "A Crown of Wild Olives", where the writer discusses the fate of the famous Englishman.
Since 1901, he was mainly engaged in translations (for example, Hauptmann's Before Sunrise).
In October 1902, James managed to meet with Yeats. As the latter remarked, our budding writer was very arrogant. Indeed, Joyce was characterized by such behavior, but this did not prevent him from being merciful and kind to people.
Paris
So, Joyce graduated from university. He faced a dilemma: what to do next? After thinking about this for some time, he decided that he wanted to practice medicine. That is why he went to Paris in early December 1902.
James Joyce, whose biography is sometimes surprising, quickly forgot about the purpose of his arrival in the most romantic city in the world. Medicine literally eroded from his head.
He becomes a regular at the National Library, reads and thinks a lot. Out of these thoughts, the result was a poem collection "Chamber Music" and prose works, which James Joyce himself called "Epiphanius". Briefly, this concept is reflected in Hero Stephen (novel of the writer) and is characteristic of Joyce's early aesthetic theory.
In addition, James sent materials and book reviews to the island, they were printed in the Dublin Daily Express.
In mid-1903, Joyce's mother dies. In recent months, her son was with her in Dublin. But because of disagreements on religious grounds (Joyce denied religion), after leaving his mother, he felt guilty and began to choke it with alcohol.
Since 1904, he begins to work on the first major work - the novel "Hero Stephen." At the same time, he is working on poems that will later be included in the Dubliners collection.
June 10 is a fateful meeting in the life of Joyce. He meets his future wife Nora. At that time, she worked as a maid in a hotel. From that day they practically did not part.
During this period, James writes and publishes many stories in magazines. And at the end of the year, together with Nora, he leaves for Europe, to the mainland.
In 1905, in Trieste, the couple gave birth to a son, Giorgio, and in 1907, the daughter of Lucia. It is noteworthy that the girl was born in a hospital for the poor. Joyce was in a difficult financial situation, despite the fact that the father of the family worked hard and hard. Nobody wanted to publish the Dubliners collection, especially in Ireland. He was considered unpatriotic, and the publisher, under pressure from the public, ordered the circulation of a print run already ready for sale.
Zurich
Because of the beginning of the First World War, Joyces are forced to leave for Zurich, where they will stay until 1919. James has already begun work on the most important novel in life - Ulysses.
Life in Zurich was notable for the fact that here the writer was finishing work on one of his best works - the book "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man". Some chapters have already seen the light, but the whole edition was not ready.
"Portrait of the artist in his youth"
This James Joyce novel is autobiographical. It is redesigned from the previously written "Hero Steve."
The book was first published in America in 1916, thanks to the efforts of friend Joyce Harriet Weaver, a former editor of Egoist magazine. Then it was published in Austria and other countries.
The author describes the formation of a hero named Stephen Daedalus, who will also appear in the novel Ulysses in the future. James Joyce speaks of the character as his alter ego. Daedalus also doubts the truth of the postulates of Catholicism and the correctness of the structure of modern society in Ireland.
Ulysses
Until 1922, chapters from Joyce's new novel were published in some magazines. But soon, even in the United States, he was banned from release. In Britain, the moratorium lasted until 1936. As a result, the book was released in Paris. It was released on February 2, the author’s birthday.
Could the writer then dream that it was his work that would be called the pinnacle of modernism, that this high title would be given to him by Ulysses? James Joyce did not doubt it at all! He created an incredible polystylistic work filled with historical, philosophical, cultural and other elements. Despite the simplicity of the plot, the novel is truly amazing and unique.
Two schemes for his understanding were composed by James Joyce. The chronological table was published in 1931 by S. Gilbert in the study book Ulysses by Joyce.
Finnegan Wake
In 1923, the writer begins work on his last major work. He himself called this work "Thing in Work."
James Joyce, whose biography was constantly reflected in his books, stated that he was writing the history of the world. Since 1927, separate chapters of the new novel began to be published.
In July 1931, James officially married Norah (and this is after 27 years of relationship!). And six months later, they have a grandson, named Stephen.
In 1939, an experimental novel was published, written in the technique of "stream of consciousness." Naturally, its author was James Joyce. The reader has never seen a book more surprisingly. Finnegans Wake consists entirely of puns, sets of neologisms, the author uses many languages in writing, so you won’t understand what it’s about right away.
Formally, the action takes place during one night in Dublin, at a symbolic level - this is the whole world history.
Influence
In January 1941, after surgery to remove a stomach ulcer, James Joyce dies. Quotes from his books are published in all magazines, only now in the obituaries section. This was a serious blow for the family and for all fans of the writer.
With his life and work, he had a great influence on such outstanding creators as John Updike, Borges, Becket. His literary work was assessed ambiguously both during life and after death. But one thing remains the same - James Joyce carried out a full-fledged revolution in world culture.