The Irish Ulysses

The Irish Ulysses is an in-depth critical study that bridges the works of James Joyce with the rich tradition of early Irish literature. By drawing parallels between the mythological and narrative structures of Joyce’s Ulysses and the symbolic motifs found in Irish literary heritage, the book reclaims Joyce as not only a cosmopolitan writer but also as a deeply Irish one. The text posits that Joyce’s Irish background profoundly shaped his creative vision, embedding his works with themes, archetypes, and styles derived from Irish myth and oral traditions. While much scholarship has focused on the Homeric, Dantean, and Shakespearean influences in Ulysses, this study illuminates the overlooked Irish mythic underpinnings that provide a second axis of symbolic resonance, thereby offering a fuller understanding of Joyce’s layered narrative.

The book addresses how Irish literary traditions—particularly the Sovereignty myths, the Book of Invasions, and medieval voyage tales—inform the structural and thematic elements of Ulysses. Joyce’s deployment of Irish poetics and storytelling tropes serves as a cultural counterpoint to the Homeric parallels, reasserting his roots in Irish nationalism and his engagement with postcolonial identity. This duality of influences highlights how Joyce used his narratives to both critique and celebrate Irish culture, creating a work that is as much a reflection of Ireland’s divided heritage as it is a universal modernist masterpiece. For scholars, students, and readers of Joyce, The Irish Ulysses provides a revelatory framework that repositions Ulysses within its rightful Irish literary and cultural contexts, deepening our appreciation for Joyce’s ingenuity and the enduring legacy of Irish storytelling.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1994.