The Performance of Joyce: Stage Directions in Dubliners, Exiles, and “Circe”

Abstract

James Joyce (1882-1941) was drawn to theatre and performance. He was particularly fascinated by the effect of stage directions, which he remediated from the play to different genres such as short stories and prose. This thesis investigates the way in which Joyce has been influenced by playwrights such as Bernard Shaw and Henrik Ibsen, and how they contributed in shaping Joyce in, and outside of, his writing. The curious use of stage directions written in the past tense will be explored in “The Boarding House” and “The Dead”. Subsequently, the effect of sound and the construction of interior spaces on the experienced reliability of Joyce’s works will be charted. Additionally, the credibility of Joyce’s descriptions in the phantasmagoria of “Circe” will be examined. This will determine his proficiency in establishing the ultimate form of realism through the use of stage directions.