Joyce Writing Disability

This book explores James Joyce's writings about disability, considering it both as a metaphor and a physical reality for his characters. It examines how Joyces texts represent disability and the environmental conditions of his time that stigmatized and isolated individuals with disabilities. The collection highlights the centrality of the body and embodiment in Joyce's writings, addressing topics such as paralysis, masculinity, childhood violence, trauma, disorderly eating, blindness, and nineteenth-century theories of degeneration. The essays offer examples of Joyce's interest in the complexities of human existence and challenge assumptions about bodily and mental norms. It is a valuable resource for disability scholars interested in modernist literature and a great starting point for those new to studying Joyce's work.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 22 February 2022
Publisher: University Press of Florida

In this groundbreaking book, a diverse group of scholars delves into the profound and multifaceted role of disability in the writings of James Joyce. Contributors approach the subject from various angles, exploring it as both a symbolic and metaphorical concept in Joyce's work and as a physical reality for many of his characters. They examine the diverse ways in which Joyce's texts represent disability, shedding light on the societal conditions of his time that stigmatized, isolated, and marginalized individuals with disabilities.

The collection showcases the centrality of the body and embodiment in Joyce's writings, spanning from his early works like Dubliners and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man to his later masterpieces like Ulysses and Finnegans Wake. Essays in the volume address a wide range of topics, including paralysis, masculinity, childhood violence, trauma, disorderly eating, blindness, nineteenth-century theories of degeneration, and the concept of "madness." These essays offer insightful examples of Joyce's interest in the complexities of human existence and his challenge of prevailing assumptions about bodily and mental norms.

In addition to the essays, the book includes an introduction that provides a comprehensive overview of key disability studies concepts and the current state of research on the subject in Joyce studies. This introduction serves as a valuable resource for disability scholars interested in modernist literature and provides an excellent starting point for those new to the study of Joyce's work with a disability lens.

Overall, this collection is a significant contribution to the field of Joyce studies, offering fresh perspectives and insights into the role of disability in Joyce's writings. It demonstrates the rich and complex ways in which Joyce's work intersects with issues of identity, representation, and the human condition, and it will be of great interest to scholars, students, and enthusiasts alike.

Weight: 518g
Dimension: 159 x 235 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780813069135