Gender roles and sexual morality in James Joyce's 'Dubliners'

Dossier / Travail , 2005 , 13 Pages , Note: 2-

Philologie Anglaise - Littérature

First of all, and before we proceed with the actual description and basic layout of the term paper, it would be quite interesting to cite an extract from a letter that James Joyce himself wrote to his lover and partner Nora Barnacle. “How could I like the idea of home? … My mother was slowly killed, I think, by my father’s ill-treatment, by years of trouble, and by my cynical frankness of conduct. When I looked on her face as she lay in the coffin – a face grey and wasted with cancer- I understood that I was looking on the face of a victim and I cursed the system which had made her a victim.” (Letters, II, 48) 1 This quotation roused my interest and became my first motivation concerning the study of gender roles and sexual morality in ‘ Dubliners’, as it summarizes the cruel reality of the position of women at that period of time. In addition to that, it provides us with a general impression of what the situation in Dublin might have been, focusing on the rather inharmonic relations between the two sexes.This small study and description of the gender roles in ‘Dubliners’ is organized in two main parts. As Joyce’s intention was “to write a chapter of the moral history of my [his] country” (D, xxxi), it is essential that the first part provides us with the general historical background of that age. The historical part may conveniently be divided into two sections. The first concerns the roles of both sexes in the Victorian era, whereas the second section brings us closer to the reality of men and women in Ireland, and to be more specific in Dublin. This second section is of great importance, because as already implied by the last quotation, this collection of fifteen short- stories, published in 1914, are expected to mirror the reality of the society of Dublin of that time, and to be more specific, this is done in a very representative way, as the stories involve nearly all stages and aspects of life.After having a general impression of the roles of men and women living in the Irish capital, we will go on to check whether this is in fact true and representative of the people described in the stories of ‘ Dubliners’. This will consist the main topic of the second part of the term paper, which is in turn divided into three sections...

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Historical background
• Gender roles in the Victorian period
• Gender roles in the society of Dublin at the turn of the 20th century
• Gender roles in Dubliners'
• Marriage in 'Dubliners'
• Sexual morality in 'Dubliners'
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This term paper analyzes the portrayal of gender roles and sexual morality in James Joyce's collection of short stories, 'Dubliners.' The paper aims to explore the complexities of these themes within the context of the historical background of Victorian and early 20th-century Irish society, and how they are reflected in the lives of the characters in Joyce's work.

• The influence of Victorian ideals and their impact on gender roles in Ireland
• The portrayal of gender roles in 'Dubliners' through the depiction of characters and their relationships
• The significance of marriage as a social institution and its implications for gender relations in the stories
• The exploration of sexual morality in 'Dubliners' and its connection to societal expectations and religious influence
• The relationship between societal norms and the individual experiences of characters in 'Dubliners'

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introductory chapter sets the stage for the paper by highlighting the importance of exploring gender roles and sexual morality in 'Dubliners' and introducing the author's personal motivation for undertaking this study.

The historical background section provides a comprehensive overview of the Victorian period and the changing gender roles and social norms in Britain and Ireland. It also emphasizes the enduring influence of the Catholic Church on Irish society and its impact on the evolution of gender roles and sexual morality.

The third chapter delves into the depiction of gender roles in 'Dubliners' itself. The author examines the specific situations and characters presented in the short stories, highlighting the constraints and opportunities faced by men and women in Dublin society.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The central keywords and focus topics of this term paper are gender roles, sexual morality, Victorian ideals, Irish society, Dubliners, James Joyce, Catholic Church, marriage, social norms, and societal expectations. The paper delves into the intricate relationships between these concepts as they are manifested in the context of early 20th-century Ireland and in the lives of the characters in Joyce's work.

• Note: 2-
• Auteur: Eleni Papadopoulou (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2005
• Pages: 13
• N° de catalogue: V45213
• ISBN (ebook): 9783638426510
• ISBN (Livre): 9783638883290
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Gender, James, Joyce, Dubliners