Kennedy 1

Hannah Kennedy
Dr. Wawrzycka
ENG 420
Final Essay
4/22/19

Spring= comedy, Summer= romance, Autumn= tragedy, and Winter= irony

The Painful Case (all 4)

An Encounter (Spring pg. 21 end of spring, summer pg. 25 goes on adventure)
The Sisters (Winter pg.11 irony in priest’s death)
Araby (Winter pg. 30, 31 irony in his epiphany)
Eveline (spring/ summer)
After the Race (Summer pg. 45, 47)
Two Gallants (Autumn pg.49 “memory of summer”)
The Boarding House (Early summer pg. 63 Polly’s romance)
A Little Cloud (Autumn pg. 71 Little Chandler starts at a low point & the ending is even lower)
Counterparts (Winter pg. 89 – “February” through April in Dublin is Spring but it doesn’t say
when in February)
Clay (Hallow eve = Autumn pg. 103)
Ivy Day in the Committee Room (Autumn “October 6th” pg. 119 – Parnell’s death)
A Mother (none)
Grace (its “cold” and the wife has a fire lit but no mentioned month or season – assumedly
autumn or winter)
The Dead (Winter pg. 177, “snow”)
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The Seasons of Dublin: An Archetypal Criticism on James Joyce’s Dubliners

Archetypal criticism focuses on elements in literature such as interpreting images and

symbols within a text in order to find a deeper meaning through them. By applying an archetypal

reading to James Joyce’s Dubliners, these symbols and images can be seen more clearly and can

therefore allow the reader to get a better understanding of the entirety of the novel itself.

Through the application of this criticism on Joyce’s short stories, elements of images of seasonal

weather changes can clearly be seen to corelate to symbols of comedy, romance, tragedy, and

irony when analyzing the relationships between the characters and their surroundings.

This topic can also be seen within the book, “Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays”, which

was written by Northrop Frye, who originally discovered the correlation between both seasons

and stories to begin with. Frye writes:

The four mythoi that we are dealing with, comedy, romance, tragedy, and irony, may

now be seen as four aspects of a central unifying myth. Agon or conflict is the basis or

archetypal theme of romance, the radical of romance being a sequence of marvelous

adventures. Pathos or catastrophe, whether in triumph or in defeat, is the archetypal

theme of tragedy. Sparagmos, or the sense of heroism and effective action are absent,

disorganized or fore-doomed to defeat, and that confusion and anarchy reign over the

world, is the archetypal theme of irony and satire. Anagnorisis, or recognition of a

newborn society rising in triumph around a still somewhat mysterious hero and his

bride, is the archetypal theme of comedy.

Each of these correlations between seasons and the central unifying myth that is within them can

be seen throughout Joyce’s novel. This quote highlights the basic and important attributes of
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each seasonal symbol, allowing the reader to better understand these symbols and themes when

reading Joyce’s novel itself.

Joyce’s short story “An Encounter”, takes place in summer, which can be seen when he

writes, “The summer holidays were near at hand when I made up my mind to break out of the

weariness of school-life for one day at least.” (D21). Not only does this quote show the reader

that this story takes place in summer, but the rest of the sentence correlates to the romance aspect

of the season itself. Although the definition of romance can mean that the protagonist finds love,

it can also mean that the main character is going on a minor adventure, which is exactly what the

narrator is doing within this story. This can also be seen when Frye writes, “The essential

element of plot in romance is adventure, which means that romance is naturally a sequential and

processional form...” (190). Later on, Joyce writes, “He began to talk of the weather, saying that

it would be a very hot summer and adding that the seasons had changed greatly since he was a

boy – a long time ago.” (D25). Not only is the reader made more aware of the seasonal imagery

through this sentence, but adding that the seasons themselves had been very different since the

“queer old josser” (D26), of a man’s childhood, adds an entirely different connotation to the

conversation when taking into consideration the alignment between summer and romance.

Through the use of the archetypal lens on each of these characters and their surroundings, the

older man’s questionable intentions can be seen more clearly by the reader.

Unlike, “An Encounter”, Joyce’s short story “Eveline” does not specifically mention a

month or season. Instead, readers must analyze the context of certain sentences about both

Eveline and Frank. This can be seen when Joyce writes, “She was to go away with him by the

night-boat to be his wife and to live with him in Buenos Ayres where he had a home waiting for

her... He had fallen on his feet in Buenos Ayres, he said, and had come over to the old country
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just for a holiday...If she went, tomorrow she would be on the sea with Frank, steaming towards

Buenos Ayres.” (D38-40). Although there is no clear mention of the season, if the reader were to

take into context and speculate on the knowledge that Joyce had both of Dublin and what went

on during various times there, it could be assumed that Joyce was writing of either spring or

summer. This can be concluded because the waters are only calm enough to sail on during the

warmer months, meaning that the story cannot take place during winter or autumn. Because of

this assumption, both spring’s comedy and more so summer’s romance can therefore correlate to

the story. Eveline begins in a lower place within her life, describing to the reader several

hardships such as her mother and brother dying, having to live with her abusive father, and not

being able to save her own money that she has worked for in order to leave. This aspect of the

story describes the comedy of spring, meaning that the main character begins at a lower place

within their life or situation and then ascends as the story goes on. However, Eveline and Frank

also share a short-lived summer romance which supports Frye’s previously included statement

regarding the season. Usually summer romances only last during that specific season, fitting with

the story when Eveline does not board the ship to go with him at the end.

Another story that takes place within the warmer months is, “The Boarding House”,

which can be seen when Joyce writes, “It was a bright morning of early summer, promising heat,

but with a fresh breeze blowing.” (D63). This quote not only shows the reader that it’s

summertime, but it also alludes to the romantic acts that are going to take place within the

remainder of the story. The phrase, “promising heat” almost hints that there are going to be

issues with the romance, yet the addition of, “a fresh breeze blowing” gives the connotation that

something may not go as planned or even that perhaps everything will be fine at the end. The

romance between Polly and Mr. Doran fits exactly with this description. Although the story may
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not have an obvious resolution, the absence of a clear ending leaves what will happen next up to

interpretation, which could have been the intention of the addition of a “fresh breeze” along with

the heat of their “relationship”.

Joyce’s, “After the Race” also takes place within summer, which can be seen when he

writes, “They walked northward with a curious feeling of disappointment in the exercise, while

the city hung its pale globes of light above them in a haze of summer evening.” Within this story

in particular, the adventurous aspect of the seasonal symbol becomes obvious through Jimmy

Doyle’s desire to be like the richer men surrounding him along with the activities he does to

satisfy himself. Another place within the story that mentions summer can be seen when Joyce

writes, “It was a serene summer night; the harbor lay like a darkened mirror at their feet. They

preceded towards it with linked arms...” (D47). Despite his lack of money, Jimmy not only

adventures onto the yacht of Farley, but he also ends up being one of the biggest losers during

the game of cards. Although Jimmy is not the most adventurous character, he certainly does

everything he can in order to appear so, even if it means losing the only money he has in the

process.

The majority of the short stories within the novel tend to take place within the colder

months, such as, “Two Gallants” which takes place in autumn. The very first line of the story

states, “The grey warm evening of August had descended upon the city and a mild warm air, a

memory of summer, circulated in the streets.” (D49). This quote is important because it sets the

“tragic” tone for the rest of the story; hinting not to the “sadness” of the story, rather it hints that

both Corley and Lenehan are in a lower point within their own lives in the story itself. This topic

is also discussed by Frye, who writes:

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Like comedy, tragedy is best and most easily studied in drama, but it is not confined

to drama, not to actions that end in disaster. Plays that are usually called or classified

with tragedies end in serenity...or even joy...or in an ambiguous mood that is hard to

define...The source of tragic effect must be sought, as Aristotle pointed out, in the

tragic mythos or plot-structure (207).

Frye’s writing is especially true in relation to Joyce’s stories that take place in autumn, as most

of them end in an “ambiguous mood that is hard to define.” Within this story, the final scene of

the coin being handed over gives the reader a feeling that is hard to define. Yet, since the month

was stated at the beginning of the story, one can only assume that it is there for a reason. In order

to hint at the overall meaning of the story, even the title lets the readers know that each of these

men are in fact not chivalrous, and seeing as though they are duping house maids into stealing

from their employers, it is impossible to say that they are not in a lower point in their lives. Both

men live dissolute and empty lives with very few prospects and knowing by the end of the story

that nothing except easy money gives them hope, the seasonal setting of the story makes much

more sense.

Much like, “Two Gallants”, Joyce’s, “A Little Cloud” also takes place within the autumn

and surrounds the seasonal symbol of tragedy. Joyce sets the scene when he writes, “The glow of

a late autumn sunset covered the grass plots and walks...He watched the scene and thought of

life; and (as always happened when he thought of life) he became sad. A gentle melancholy took

possession of him.” (D71). Shortly after the reader learns that the story is taking place in autumn,

they then also learn that Little Chandler is in a lower point within his life as the thought of life

itself makes him sad. His jealousy of Ignatius Gallaher, along with his outburst/ epiphany when

he is holding his crying baby, end the story on quite an unhappy note. After the reader is made
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aware of the season, the rest of the story fit with the tragic aspect of autumn. Not only does Little

Chandler yearn for a life that isn’t his own, but after staring at a picture of his wife he becomes

disgusted that he ever married her, and then screamed at his own crying baby, making it cry even

worse. However, with the ending of the story on a feeling of remorse and shame on Little

Chandlers part, the reader can only assume that this was the lowest point of his life at this time

and also adding to the overall tragic sense the reader receives from it.

Another story which takes place in autumn is Joyce’s, “Clay”, which can be seen by the

reader when he writes, “The gentleman began to chat with her about Hallow Eve.” (D103) and

also “The two next-door girls had arranged some Hallow Eve games and soon everything was

merry again.” (D104). Although each of these quotes have a very happy and empathetic tone to

them, the tragedy of the story lies with its ending. Despite Maria’s attempt to make herself along

with everyone else happy, her true source of pain becomes clear when she is unable to sing the

second verse of the song at the end of the story. The missing verse contains lyrics of finding love

and marrying, yet she cannot bring herself to sing it and chooses to instead repeat the first verse

to save herself the embarrassment. The ending of the story is somewhat of a tragic epiphany not

only for the characters surrounding Maria, but also for the readers as they have been given hints

to her older age along with the tendency of men to not even look her way. This is a very painful

and tragic moment which is even more hinted toward with the setting of the story being in

autumn. Maria’s inability to find love is the overall tragedy of this story, along with this more

than likely being the lowest point of her life, as she has yet to find the love she so desperately

seems to want.

The last story with a definite setting in autumn is Joyce’s, “Ivy Day in the Committee

Room”. This story takes place on the only specific date within the book, which can be seen when
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Joyce writes, “Old Jack raked the cinders together with a piece of cardboard and spread them

judiciously over the whitening dome of coals...It was the sixth of October, dismal and cold out of

doors.” (D118-119). This story has an underlying sense of tragedy due to the death of Parnell,

whom the characters within the story mostly all supported. The setting of the story taking place

within autumn shows the reader that something is going to happen within the scenes coming up,

and that it will not be something happy. After Parnell’s death, each of the men surrounding the

fire had to go into hiding about openly being a Parnell supporter which also coincides with them

being at a lower place within their lives compared with when he was alive. This is especially

apparent with the poem about his death, which also talks about his death and the impact that it

had on those that supported him. Their grief can be seen when Joyce writes, “He is dead. Our

Uncrowned King is dead. / O, Erin, mourn with grief and woe / For he lies dead whom the fell

gang / Of modern hypocrites laid low.” (D134). This sense of grief can also be seen within

Frye’s work when he writes, “One of these is the theory that all tragedy exhibits the omnipotence

of an external fate. And, of course, the overwhelming majority of tragedies do leave us with a

sense of the supremacy of impersonal power and of the limitation of human effort.” (209).

Despite the effort that these men put into the campaigning of Parnell to ensure his election into

office, no amount of human effort could have saved him, fitting perfectly with the autumnal

theme of tragedy.

Joyce’s, “Grace” never actually mentions a month or season, rather the reader must

analyze the small seasonal details within the story to conclude that it takes place either within

autumn or winter. He does this through clues such as, “A keen east wind hit them blowing from

the mouth of the river. Mr Kernan was huddled together with cold.” (D153). By alluding that this

story takes place within either autumn or winter, the reader is able to fit the characters within
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both the tragic and ironic aspects of each season. This story can be seen as tragic as Mr. Kernan

is at a low point within his life, which is apparent through the very beginning of the story when

he is found passed out in a pile of piss and blood. However, the ending of the story is what gives

it that ironic undertone. Not only did his wife and friends stage an intervention for him to quit

drinking and to become a better man, but the ending of the story has no definite ending to tell the

reader whether this worked or not. For all the reader knows, Mr. Kernan could walk back into the

same bar tomorrow, as the ending sermon could have not done a single thing for him. This

undefinable sense of the unknown is the exact ironic feeling that the winter seasonal symbol

would invoke.

Unlike “Grace”, Joyce’s “Araby” definitely takes place in the winter, which can be seen

when Joyce writes, “When the short days of winter came dusk fell before we had well eaten our

dinners... The cold air stung us and we played till our bodies glowed.” (D30). This story

captures the ironic symbolism of winter perfectly through its depiction of the narrator’s epiphany

at the end of the story. After he realizes that Mangan’s sister isn’t interested in him after

overhearing the conversation between the young girl who was flirting with other boys at the

bazaar, the reader becomes aware that his entire journey to purchase a gift for her was useless.

The entirety of the story is mostly focused on the narrator’s attraction to this older girl, and even

though the reader gets small hints that she is not interested when she turns down his offer, the

irony of the story becomes the most apparent after his own realization. This can be seen when

Joyce writes, “Gazing up into the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by

vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger.” (D35). Serving as the final line of the story,

this line shows the reader just how upset the narrator is by his epiphany, fitting in perfectly to the

irony of winter symbolism.

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Another story that takes place during the winter is, “Counterparts”. Joyce sets the scene

within the story when he writes, “Darkness accompanied by a thick fog, was gaining upon the

dusk of February and the lamps in Eustace Street had been lit.” (D89). Farrington’s story is

entirely ironic, becoming mostly apparent by the end. It Is not only ironic that he doesn’t want to

be at work so that he can drink his money away, but it is also ironic that everything around him

turns sour for him. When he stands up for himself to Mr. Alleyne he gets punished, when he goes

out drinking he loses the arm wrestling game to a younger and smaller boy, he doesn’t even end

up being drunk after all his drinking and money spending, and by the end he blames everything

bad that has happened to him on his child and beats them. Although one may believe that this

should fit more with the tragic turn of events, it is mostly ironic because chaos follows

Farrington seemingly everywhere he goes.

However, there is only one story within Dubliners that completely aligns with each

seasonal archetype. Although there is never a specified month or season when Mr. Duffy and

Mrs. Sinico first begin their romance within “A Painful Case”, it can be assumed that it begins

within the spring and moves into the summer as their relationship progresses. Due to the only

presence of any actual mentioned seasons or months being within the ending of their

relationship, the middle of their relationship can be traced back to around late spring based on

how long they were seeing each other. When they first meet within the Rotunda it is late spring

which is the symbol for comedy. Within this particular stage of their relationship, this represents

Mr. Duffy beginning at a low point within his life and ascending. This is proven both by the

description of his melancholy life before meeting Mrs. Sinico, “He had neither companions nor

friends, church nor creed. He lived his life without any communion with others... his life rolled

out evenly – an adventureless tale.” (D 109), and the improvements made in his life shortly after.
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It can be assumed to be mid to late summer due to the duration of their courting time.

After their first encounter, “He met her again a few weeks afterward.” (D 110), and after an

unspecified amount of time he meets her once more by accident, ending spring and moving into

summer. This part of their relationship which takes place within the summer can clearly be

defined as romance, as the season is a symbol for both romance and love. They are described as

meeting a countless amount of times during this stage, lasting throughout the summer and

leaning into fall. Fall marks the end of their relationship, symbolizing tragedy which can be seen

when Joyce writes, “It was cold autumnal weather but in spite of the cold they wandered up and

down the roads of the Park for nearly three hours. They agreed to break off their intercourse:

every bond, he said, is a bond to sorrow.” (D 112). Although this doesn’t seem to be the main

tragedy of the story, it is the most obvious point that the characters descend from the height they

were previously at. For Mrs. Sinico, this point marks the downward spiral that leads to her

demise. The time that takes place between fall and winter is shown when it states, “...two months

after his last interview with Mrs. Sinico...” (D 112), which indicates the transition from fall to

winter. Winter can then be seen when Joyce writes, “He walked along quickly through the

November twilight... His stick struck the ground less emphatically and his last breath, issuing

irregularity, almost with a sighing sound, condensed in the wintry air.” (D 113). Winter

symbolizes irony, and although this is rather sad, he reads the paper that describes her ironic

death after introducing it as being winter.

Although not every Joyce story contains seasonal imagery, the ones that do can be

analyzed to fit into each according archetypal mythos. Through the process of applying this type

of criticism onto Joyce’s Dubliners, not only is the reader able to get a better understanding of
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the novel in its entirety, but it also shows them how seasonal imagery can be used to correlate the

themes of any story, even if it does not explicitly say to do so.

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Works Cited

Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press,

2000.
Joyce, James, and Robert E. Scholes. Dubliners: Text, Criticism, and Notes. Penguin Books,
1996.