JAMES JOYCE I: DUBLINERS & A PORTRAIT
(Summer 2025, Wed 17:30-19:00, Room 104)
David Vichnar, PhD (david.vichnar@ff.cuni.cz)
(Office hours: by appointment, Room 219b)
Optional M.A. Course
Special Programme in Critical & Cultural Theory; Irish Cultural Studies
Department of Anglophone Literatures and Cultures
Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague,
Czech Republic, Europe,
the World, the Universe
Feb 19 Introduction: Joyce’s Ulysses and Finnegans Wake in critical perspective.
Feb 26
Calypso (IV.1-81, 218-70, 308-431, 485-550)
Lotus Eaters (V.82-191, 241-88, 340-430, 520-72)
Secondary Reading: Karen Lawrence, Chapter III of The Odyssey of Style (Princeton UP, 1981) 55-79
Mar 5
Hades (VI.40-90, 190-205, 310-65, 580-645, 672-732, 880-900)
Aeolus (VII.80-220, 483-591, 921-1075)
Secondary Reading: Jennifer Levine, Ulysses (The Cambridge Companion to JJ, Cambridge UP, 2004) 122-48
Mar 12
Lestrygonians (VIII.88-139, 542-673, 732-790, 896-918, 1162-93)
Scylla & Charybdis (IX.147-260, 376-431, 600-17, 828-92, 981-1053, 1202-25)
Secondary Reading: Hugh Kenner, Chapters IV & V of Ulysses (Johns Hopkins UP, 1987) 31-54
Mar 19
Wandering Rocks (X.368-97, 578-641, 800-80, 1080-99, 1260-82)
The Sirens (XI.1-80, 330-80, 492-540, 713-53, 821-73, 1203-94)
Secondary Reading: Michael Groden, “‘Cyclops’ in Progress, 1919” (JJQ 12.1-2 [Fall 1974]): 119-65
Mar 26
Cyclops (XII.1-53, 151-205, 300-37, 415-78, 748-79, 1178-265, 1416-501, 1550-72, 1800-)
Nausicaa (XIII.188-269, 404-520, 678-800, 1007-99, 1240-1306)
Secondary Reading: Jen Shelton, “Gerty, Cissy, and the Erotics of Unruly Speech” (JJQ 34.1-2: 263-78)
Apr 2
Oxen of the Sun (XIV.60-131, 187-312, 530-81, 738-830, 1027-1109, 1356-1406, 1562-91)
Circe I (XV.102-44, 240-340, 458, 1040-73, 1350-450, 1560-90, 1768-832, 1890-1960)
Secondary Reading: Chapter VII of Andrew Gibson, Joyce’s Revenge: History, Politics & Aesthetics in Ulysses (Oxford: Oxford UP, 2002) 150-82)
Apr 9
Circe II (2070-120, 2735-960, 3028-90, 3561-629, 3670-720, 3745-830, 4155-250, 4560-960)
Eumaeus (XVI.260-85, 620-80, 890-950, 1110-71, 1232-1300, 1421-526, 1691-710, 1863-)
Secondary Reading: Fritz Senn, “Joycean Provections” (Inductive Scrutinies [Johns Hopkins UP, 1995] 35-58)
Apr 16
Ithaca (XVII.1-100, 304-70, 445-86, 525-610, 745-842, 929-88, 1032-1129, 1182-1242, 1274-1310, 1361-1407, 1754-64, 1841-67, 2000-80, 2115-2199, 2240-330)
Penelope (XVIII.1-60, 160-80, 535-70, 717-75, 900-33, 990-1010, 1088-148, 1300-30, 1355-82, 1434-64, 1496-516, 1557-610)
Secondary Reading: Derek Attridge, “Molly’s Flow: The Writing of ‘Penelope’” (in Joyce Effects: On Language, Theory, and History [Cambridge UP, 2000]) 93-116
Apr 23
Finnegans Wake
I.1 – “Finnegan’s Wake”: 4.18-8.8; 15.28-18.16; 21.5-close
Apr 30
I.5 – “The Mamafesta”: 107.8-114.20; 119.10-close
I.6 – “The Quiz”: 126; 139.13-143.28; 152.4-159.23; 161.15-168.12
May 7
I.7 – “Shem the Penman”
I.8 – “Anna Livia Plurabelle”
May 14
IV.1 – Ricorso
JOYCEAN WEBSITES OF POSSIBLE USE
HJS, a refereed journal of James Joyce scholarship (http://hjs.ff.cuni.cz)
JJQ, the James Joyce Quarterly (http://www.utulsa.edu/jjq/)
JJLS, the James Joyce Literary Supplement (http://www.as.miami.edu/english/jjls/)
FURTHER INFORMATION
Course reader
All of the primary and most of the secondary reading will be available from the faculty Moodle system for the students to study as part of their weekly readings. Students are also strongly encouraged to consult the reader while researching for final papers.
Mailing list posting
A mandatory part of your active participation in the course will be a weekly email posting of every student’s individual critical response concerning the week’s primary reading. The student’s email response (around 300 words) needs to be sent to the lecturer’s email no later than Monday noon, in order to allow some time for its processing before next class. N.B. The departmental zero-tolerance policy on plagiarism will apply to these postings.
Final paper
The final seminar paper shall ideally have the scope between 2,000 and 3,000 words (for a Zápočet), or 3,000 and 4,000 words (for a Zkouška) and will be due by Bloomsday, 2025. Individual deadline extensions are possible, but need to be discussed with the lecturer in reasonable advance.
N. B. Students need to discuss their final paper topics, bibliography, and other possible details with the lecturer ahead of the end of the course, i.e. in mid-May.
Credit
Students will be given their credit for presence at minimum 10 sessions (of 12 total) and active participation in at least 10 email postings (50%), as well as their final paper (50%).
- Teacher: David Vichnar