2. Colonialism and Imperialism

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this module, Nicholas looks at the themes of colonialism and imperialism in Dubliners. In particular, he focuses on three stories within the collection: ‘An Encounter’, ‘Araby’, and ‘A Little Cloud’. In each of these stories the narratives of colonialism and imperialism sit just below the surface - but it is exactly its subtlety (it is argued) that makes colonialism so dangerous and treacherous.

Course

In this course, we look at James Joyce's collection of short stories, Dubliners. In particular, we explore key themes in the collection by looking at groups of 2-3 stories. Having given an introduction to the Dublin of the late-19th and early-20th centuries, we then look at the themes of colonialism and imperialism, women, masculinity, and the use and abuse of alcohol. The final module concentrates on the last story in the collection, 'The Dead', and ask what clues this final story may give us in how we understand Dubliners as a whole.

Lecturer

Nicholas is a final-year doctoral student at the University of Warwick. He conducts his research in the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies. His main research areas are early modern literature (including Shakespeare), twentieth-century Irish literature and critical theory.