Blog #4

Daedalus Nightmare History:

Upon googling “Daedalus nightmare history,” I found:

“History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake,” -Ulysses, episode 2.

“Daedalus” was said to be Joyce’s autobiographical alter ego. This quote by the character Daedalus in Ulysses signifies Joyce’s struggle with the past.

Throughout his life, Joyce struggled with the political, religious and societal ideologies of 20th century England.

In Eveline, the quote can be applied to Eveline’s regrettable promise she made to her dying mother to: “keep the home together as long as she could,” (p.318). The history of her life (and present) consumes her so that she is unable to move forward, -to awaken into a new, happier life.

In Araby: The point of view is of a man reflecting on his youth. The nightmare of history from which he is trying to awaken may be the underlying resentment of religious ideals present throughout the story. The young boy’s sexual desire for the girl could be symbolic of religion -it is sacred. However, his desires are undermined by his guilty feelings caused by religious forces which imply what he feels is wrong. Perhaps the narrator of the story wishes to awaken or free himself from the religious history that has made him feel trapped.

In The Dead, Gabriel wants to awaken from the self-deception of his marriage. When Gretta’s past love is brought to light, Gabriel realises he has never known love like that. His self-deception is the result of historical societal and political values, which at present, Gabriel struggles to identify with. His desire to be clear of past pretenses resembles awakening from the nightmare of history.

In Mrs. Dalloway, Clarissa, Peter and Septimus all struggle to deal with the nightmares of the past. Clarissa and Peter’s love for one another when they were young affects them in present day life and they both struggle to be freed from their desire and repressed feelings. Septimus’ sense of reality has been skewed by the past, and if he were able to ‘awaken’ from his nightmare, he may have regained sanity.

20th Century: In literature, the 20th century saw a huge change in writing style as modernism became increasingly popular. Modernism is hostile to city life, to the historical political and religious processes that have degraded and demeaned it’s citizens. Historically, societal norms have alienated people from themselves and others. Modernist writing is an attempt to make people aware of this nightmare history has imposed upon us.

Now: Who am I kidding??? Society still alienates us from ourselves and each other. These political, religious and societal norms -the way we are ‘taught to live’, are foolish nightmares that have haunted us in the past and continue to still. How to awaken from this nightmare??? Anarchy. Just kidding. I don’t really know how we will awaken.

Part 2:

Snow symbolizes: frozen, motionless, paralysis, cold and frigility.  It is fitting for Gabriel to see snow at the end of The Dead because of the paralysis of his marriage. Coldness and frigility reflect Gabriel’s inability to understand his wife’s former love.  Gabriel begins to see how his marriage to Gretta has decayed over the years.  Gabriel is a well educated man who has deceived himself about his own nature, and what it is to love.  It is interesting that the snow covers all of Ireland.  This perhaps could be symbolic of Gabriel’s ethic identity as Irish being masked by English influence.  The direction ’west’ is symbolic of DEATH!  This is symbolic of Michael Furey’s legacy -that he died for love.   

Part 3: Response to Steph Broocke

Steph discusses oppression of the female gender in Dublin.  I agree with her in that Eveline struggles with conforming to the gender norms of during the 20th century.  Joyce describes Eveline’s responsibilites to the family: making sure the childern are fed and clothed, cleaning and contributing to family finances.  Eveline lives a difficult and harsh life, -it is strongly dominated by her father’s will and her family responsibilities are immense.  Gender oppression is also evident when Eveline has to secretly meet with her lover, as her father won’t allow it.  So horrendous are the living conditions for Eveline, she has to sneek away, leaving only letters for her family members.  Leaving letters for her brothers could symbolize a woman’s powerlessness to actually voice her own opinions/thoughts/values/beliefs.  The finality of Eveline’s actual physical inability to move onward towards a new life could be symbolic of women in Dublin, and they’re inability to change their oppressive circumstances in a assertive and direct manner.   

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