Joyce's Representation of Ireland as a Partner in the British Empire

Abstract

Challenging the prevailing postcolonial readings of Joyce, which treat the Irish solely as the colonized, this article focuses on how Joyce represents Ireland's partnership with and contribution to the British Empire. Based on historical records about the Irish involvement with the Empire, the author finds that Joyce realistically portrays the historical contributions to the British Empire of Ireland's soldiers and settlers as two forces essential to the development and spread of the Empire. These Irish soldiers or settlers, whether Protestants or Catholics, both participated in the creation and maintenance of the Empire, but Catholics were treated somewhat differently from Protestants, reiterating the power relationship in their home state. At the turn of the century, however, when political and managerial power began to pass into Catholic hands, clear distinctions between sectarian lines started to dissolve. As illustrated in Joyce's writings, even promising Catholic Irishmen wanted to join the British army or work as civil servants. Irish Catholic settlers in particular were able to overcome prejudice and stereotypes regarding their religion and ethnicity. However, the Irish views of the Empire were as diverse as those of Joyce's characters. By presenting characters who have opposing political viewpoints and by refusing to identify himself with one of the characters, Joyce gives his readers the chance to contemplate the multifaceted views of the Irish toward the British Empire.