James Joyce And Shakespeare In Ulysses

James Joyce (1882-1941) is a great master in literary creation not only in the Irish history but in the whole history of world literature. The publication of Ulysses in 1922, which revolutionizes the form, structure and language of the novel, brings Joyce worldwide recognition.In Ulysses, readers can easily find Shakespeare's trace, such as Shakespeare's words, dramas, and his family life. Previous studies on Shakespeare in Ulysses have concentrated solely on the presence of Shakespeare's words and his great influence on the text. Much research has noted the presence of Shakespeare in Bloom's nature and the similarities between Stephen and Joyce. William Schutte's pioneering volume, Joyce and Shakespeare, largely mentions the numerous quotations of and references to Shakespeare in the text of Ulysses. However, Schutte's research does not answer the question why so many quotations and references involving Shakespeare are there. In order to answer this question, I divide all Shakespeare's presence into three parts:the quotations from Shakespeare's Hamlet, the discussion about Shakespeare's family life and the references to Shakespeare's other works.In Chapter one, this thesis intends to analyze the relationship between James Joyce and William Shakespeare. In Ulysses, Stephen is overlapped with Danish prince Hamlet, and Bloom with the ghostly king. Through delicate designs, the theme of spiritual father/son exists between Bloom (Shakespeare) and Stephen (Joyce). Harold Bloom suggests that the natural instinct of the young writer (son) is to rebel against the influences of his precursors (father). This certainly seems to be what Joyce attempts with his works. In Ulysses, Joyce portrays himself as the son of William Shakespeare and he desires to surpass the Bard of Britain. The "Saxon Shakespeare" is a painful legacy left to Joyce who is determined to be the Irish bard.In Chapter two I move to the exile motif and try to analyze the significance of Joyce's exile. Shakespeare, Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus are exilic figures throughout the novel. The common point in the family lives of Shakespeare and two protagonists in Ulysses is their sense of being betrayed by a woman. Many scholars'interpretations show a western critical tradition that links mother/virgin/wife with motherland. Therefore, both Stephen and Bloom, even Joyce, are betrayed by Ireland itself in a broader sense. With the discussion of Shakespeare's family life, Joyce shows the chaotic and disordered situation of Ireland and his preference to leave it behind and to seek refuge in exile. Exile has always been an evidence of Joyce's indifference towards his homeland. But Joyce's attitude towards Irish nation is a complex one, with love and hatred mixed up. Exile is what Joyce chooses in order to save his artistic desires and ambitions.In Chapter three, I focus on Shakespeare and Joyce's different understandings of the Jewish people. Shakespeare describes a typical Jewish merchant in The Merchant of Venice. In Ulysses, Leopold Bloom is given the Jewish identity as well. In the play, though Shakespeare represents the oppressed life of the Jewish merchant in some sense, he still designs Shylock as a symbol of evil. Unlike Shylock, a greedy and merciless merchant. Bloom in Ulysses is designed as a really kind man. The novel confirms Bloom as "the new Messiah for Ireland". In most previous studies, Bloom's domestic and social situation is considered as a real reflection of the Jewish people in Ireland. Actually, Dublin itself is an occupied city, a colony whose identity is indeterminate. In this sense, Bloom's domestic and social situation is also an epitome of the Dubliners'life under foreigners'power and domination. Joyce concerns over not only the Jewish people's life but also the Dubliners" domestic and social situation.Through Shakespeare's presence in the novel, Joyce expresses his desire to surpass the Bard of Avon, and exposes his sweet-bitter love for his motherland as well as his concern over Irish culture and the Dubliners.