The purpose of this site is to introduce undergraduate students and first time readers of James Joyce's Dubliners to the stories contained in the collection and to the context--Joyce's biography, as well as the culture, economics, politics, and religion in Ireland at the time. Additionally, we set out to provide photographic illustrations of contemporary Dublin that connects to places, people and events in the stories. In so doing, we make it possible for those reading the short stories to visit Dublin today and seek out the sites as they currently appear. Though the city has provided markers correlated to Joyce's Ulysses and there are many fine books to assist travelers and scholars with following in the footsteps of the characters from that novel, until now it has been more difficult to find the places associated with Dubliners.
Because Joyce's fiction grows increasingly complex and experimental, it is appropriate that readers begin their Joycean reading journey with Dubliners. The students who have prepared this guide study the collection of stories in Concordia's introductory literature course, Global Literature--Human Connections. Later they may study Portrait of the Artist in The Moderns and Ulysses in an Authors course on James Joyce. In addition to studying the works in class, the students engaged in independent research, including a one-week trip to Dublin over their Spring Break to complete research and take the photographs contained herein. We hope the result will help the stories and Dublin come alive and will enrich your reading experience.
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