ELEMENTS OF JAMES JOYCE’S COMIC GENIUS IN “ULYSSES”
ELEMENTS OF JAMES JOYCE’S COMIC GENIUS IN “ULYSSES”

Summary/Abstract: The current paper is intended to analyse the multifaceted comic universe imagined by James Joyce for his characters in his masterpiece called Ulysses. Although the novel is famous for posing considerable difficulties in terms of deciphering its messages, the comic is regarded as an excellent guide to Ulysses because it reminds the readers, by its presence, that one of the most significant reasons for being a work of art is to give them pleasure. The present paper is also aimed to reveal the methods by which Joyce’s novel offers not only great entertainment, but a deeper sense of joy. It is worth mentioning that throughout the novel there are to be noticed a large number of similarities in terms of theme, structure and technique between Joyce’s work and Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey. This paper will deal with examining the mythical background of the novel and establish the manner in which comic realism and comic irony combine in the use of myth. The world of Ulysses is under the major influence of the topic of morality. Joyce employs the structure of the Odyssey as a framework for Ulysses. Moreover, a special attention will be granted to the ways in which the traditional patterns of comedy are used by Joyce to shape and control the evolution of his main characters. The analysis of verbal comedy also plays an important role in the current paper.

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