The theme of exile in James Joyce's a portrait of the artist as a young man (1916) and Frank McCourt's angela's ashes (1996)

Abstract

Irish writers, James Joyce and Frank McCourt, have long been considered "voluntary exiles". From a different approach, the present research work is an attempt to argue that the theme of exile in James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) and Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes (1996) is, first and foremost, "involuntary and unhappy", and culturally coded. The study is tackled from two perspectives: historic (Kerby A. Miller), and literary (Edward Said and Hegel). Drawing on Miller's theory, we shall argue that Irish emigration has always been thought as "involuntary and unhappy exile". urthermore, the concept is deeply rooted in Irish History, culture, and particularly Irish Catholic culture. It goes as far back as early Christian Ireland. Exile, as "involuntary and unhappy", attained unbearable degrees in post-famine Ireland, and worsened in post-colonial Ireland because of inflexible Irish authoritarian practices. Gaelic Ireland with its three pillars, Catholicism, Nationalism, and social conventions, has done much to embitter Joyce's, McCourt's, and the majority of Irish writers' lives. Each of these institutions demanded absolute conformity, and any kind of deviations led directly to exile, physical or spiritual. By studying Joyce's A Portrait (1916) and McCourt's Angela's Ashes (1996), we shall also emphasize the continuity of 'exile' as a literary theme and fate in post-colonial Ireland till the 1950s. Both Joyce/Dedalus and McCourt/McCourt share many similarities (process of maturation, reasons behind departure, and fate) which are far from being a mere coincidence. On a different but connected level, we shall also throw light on positive aspects of the condition of exile. Edward Said's perience-based theory about exile stipulates that "involuntary exile" and "defensive nationalism" are directly proportional to each other. Said argued that exile empowers the feeling of belonging and nationalism. The exile acquires 'new eyes' with which to see the history of his country. From exile, Joyce and McCourt dedicated themselves to invent a "New Ireland" by recalling the brilliance of Irish culture through their autobiographical writings. A Portrait and Angela's Ashes are full of Irish myths, legends, songs, and nature beauty that make the process of reading very much appealing and attractive. Studying the positive aspects in A Portrait and Angela's Ashes, we shall in the process, highlight the central characteristic of exilic writing, dialectics. Joyce's and McCourt's relationships with Ireland as reflected in their autobiographical novels are one of a love-hate. Other exilic literary characteristics that can be mentioned at this level include: the autobiography genre as "the text of the oppressed", a quest for a home, and Irish history and Irish Catholicism as prerequisites for the understanding of Irish Literature. As a conclusion, conceived differently from exile, Joyce and McCourt succeeded in creating a 'fashionable' image about Ireland through their writing. Key word: Irish studies; the Irish tradition of exile; Ireland, exile, and nationalism; Ireland, exile, and autobiographies/memoirs; Ireland, exile, and globalisation; James Joyce and Frank McCourt