Although all set in Dublin and focused upon the themes of death, disease and paralysis throughout, Dubliners
is a
collection
of short stories only interconnected by symbols and
moods. They are not as bleak as their themes suggest, at least not in
all cases, and are often heartening in their subtle evocations of
experience common to all. The
collection was published after numerous
hassles from publishers and almost a decade after they were written, in
1914. It is hard now to see the innovation in Joyce’s construction of
stories that are not based on the contrived set-ups familiar from
nineteenth century short stories (Maupassant, Poe etc) and the way in
which he avoids precise beginnings or ends to present instead an
‘epiphany’ or spiritual awakening. The Dublin portrayed in the short
stories is usually grimy and full of cynical and indecent
individuals.
From this gleam a few thinking individuals who the author seems to side
with. They are generally the sensitive or young ones, and the adult
world is often seen as foolish, futile and unpleasant. These stories are
easily Joyce’s most accessible works, and their vision of a composite
life created around a chronological sampling of Dublin lives from youth
to age is still both amusing, moving and serious.