James Joyce's Mandala

The Sanskrit word mandala means sacred circle. It is a spiritual-artistic practice that Eastern civilizations developed to manifest a geometry with layers of esoteric meaning. James Joyce's Mandala outlines and explains this iconic sacred geometry, and assesses how his works of literature, particularly Finnegans Wake, can be understood as mandalic constructs. It explores the issue of spiritual paralysis and how fascinated Joyce was by geometric imagery and symmetry, the technical devices employed in mandala construction. This is the first book-length comparison of Joyce's work with the mythic structure of the mandala.

Format: Hardback
Length: 228 pages
Publication date: 29 July 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The Sanskrit term mandala, which means sacred circle, holds profound significance. Within this circle, a miniature representation of the universe and/or consciousness is depicted through icons. Eastern civilizations have cultivated a remarkable spiritual-artistic tradition by crafting mandalas, employing various mediums such as sand, paint, and architecture, to achieve remarkable technical proficiency. These mandalas manifest a complex geometry with layers of esoteric meaning, captivating both the artist and the initiated viewer.

James Joyce's Mandala delves into the intricate details of this iconic sacred geometry, offering an insightful exploration and analysis. It assesses the extent to which Joyce's literary works, particularly Finnegans Wake, can be interpreted as mandalic constructs. Through a comparative examination of examples from Dubliners to the Wake, the book demonstrates how central the theme of spiritual paralysis is to Joyce's fiction, and how he was captivated by geometric imagery and symmetry, the technical principles employed in mandala construction. This groundbreaking work represents the first comprehensive comparison of Joyce's work with the mythic structure of the mandala. While fully acknowledging Joyce's unparalleled genius, it employs his collagescape to delve into the secrets of the mandala principle, as well as utilizes mandala theory to shed light on his celebrated masterpiece, Finnegans Wake.

Weight: 600g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032076775