Dubliners Analysis

Dubliners Analysis

World Literature (Mr.Garrioch)

JeeHoon Lee

131109

Eveline

         At first glance, James Joyce’s “Eveline" might appear to be a story about a woman, Eveline, facing the conventional yet significant conflict between the gender role and self-actualization. After all, when Eveline first encountered Frank, the man she admired, while she was enduring an arduous and uphill life full of her father’s irksome attitude and the duty as the only lady in the family, it seemed legitimate for her to leave her original life and start a new one as the wife of Frank. There was no doubt that following Frank would have brought Eveline a complacent life with the high reputation as the wife of a chief sailor, a stress-less daily life without any conflict with her father, and the happiness and joy from the sincere love. However, on the other hand, Eveline decides to forsake the new life after a short but intensive interval of inner-conflict. Therefore, it is perhaps more accurate to assume that "Eveline" successfully demonstrates the subtle affection of Eveline towards her family. Eveline knew that her old life would continue to be aggravating and disquieting, but she finally chose to sacrifice her personal satisfactory life for the sake of her family. In this sense, Eveline is a good paragon of the woman stuck in the traditional ‘guardian’ duty in the family, most of the times dropping out her personal success, pursuit of happiness and self-satisfaction. 

The Boarding House

     At first glance, James Joyce's "The Boarding House" depicts ‘marriage’ as a long lasting obligational contract rather than the promise of forever love. After all, Mrs. Mooney tactfully tries to make her daughter, Polly marry a man who is not the genuine, only love, but rather a man who can provide her a more elegant life with the higher status. However, on the other hand, Mr. Doran faces a chaotic dilemma about the marriage with Polly. To this gentleman, the relationship with Polly was just a temporary affair. Polly was definitely not the final destination of this man’s heart. But even so, what bothers Mr. Doran was his high status as the veteran wine merchant. He worries that breaking up with Polly would wash away the fame and admiring reputation that he had earned for a decade. Therefore, it is perhaps more accurate to assume that "The Boarding House" demonstrates the marriage as the formation of calculated bonds. In this sense, Mr. Doran is a good example of the man who forgets the original value of ‘love’ and ‘marriage’ to maintain the realistic values such as the reputation.