Welcome to the Brazen Head!
Have a seat at the bar, and while I pour you a pint, let me introduce the site. Founded on 16 June 1995, the Brazen Head is among the Web’s oldest James Joyce sites. Whether you’re a first-time reader curious about Ulysses, a student assigned “The Dead,” or a long-time Joyce enthusiast looking for piano sonatas inspired by Finnegans Wake, you’ve come to the right place. All are welcome, so kick back and relax! The links below will take you to separate areas of the site, so enjoy your stay and come back any time!
Joycean News
 Cambridge 1922 Ulysses A magnificent new version of the original Ulysses, full of annotations and big enough to stun an ox! |
 Joyce In Songs |
Collected Epiphanies |
The Brazen Head contains the following sections. You may also use the “Joyce” menu at the top of the page.
You got a decent enough do in the Brazen Head
(Introduction)
So who am I, your humble barman? And why exactly is this place called the Brazen Head? Herein lies the tale.
Come up, Kinch. Come up you fearful Jesuit
(Biography and Chronology)
See that picture hanging over the bar? That’s the founder and Patron Saint of this little pub, and I’m always glad to tell you all about him.
Book through eternity junction
(Joyce Works)
Welcome to the Common Room, the heart of the Brazen Head. Here you’ll find a ball of electronic twine to aid you in your travels through the labyrinth of Dedalus. This section holds a complete bibliography of Joyce’s work, each with a synopsis, commentary, and advice for the first-time reader.
I’ve put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries
(Criticism)
Past the Common Room lies the Back Room, where clouds of smoke swirl around some very lively conversation. Here you’ll find discussions about Joyce and his work, from guides and annotations to in-depth analysis and criticism. Commentaries and reviews are provided for the more noteworthy texts.
That ideal reader suffering from the ideal insomnia
(Papers)
A collection of academic papers and essays on Joyce, including a few pinned exclusively to the walls of this public house.
The books he received for review were almost more welcome than the paltry cheque
(Reviews)
Did you know that H.G. Wells reviewed Portrait? Here you can hear what old-timers had to say about the works of James Joyce, and catch up on what Brazen Head regulars are saying about modern Joyce criticism.
Flinging phrases here, there
(Quotations)
A few things overheard at billiards, or: Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? A list of famous quotations, both from his life and his work, as well as a few interesting comments made about Joyce by other notables.
Tuck up your sleeves and loosen your talktapes
(Audio)
Ever try to shut an Irishman up? Get ready to hear Joyce spoken out loud, the way it should be. Here you’ll find an annotated catalog of Joycean audio.
And roll away the reel world, the reel world, the reel world!
(Film & Video)
If you tire of music and chatter, you can always relax at the Brazen Volta: a little theatre out back where you can catch a few movies made about Joyce’s work and life. Mind your hats goan in!
As good as any bloody play in the Queen’s royal theatre
(Joyce in Theater)
The funny thing is, there’s been many more theatrical adaptations based on Joyce’s fiction than there’s been productions of Exiles, his only surviving play. Here you’ll find notes on live performances and Dead musicals. [TBD]
The finnecies of poetry wed music: BRONZE BY GOLD
(Joyce and Music)
What’s a pub without a little music? Hundreds of compositions have been inspired by Joyce or make allusions to his work. These pages profile some of the most interesting, from Stephen Albert’s Symphony RiverRun to Kate Bush’s Sensual World.
Oh Jamesy let me up out of this
(Joyce in Fiction)
James Joyce, Nora Barnacle, and Lucia Joyce have appeared in several works of fiction, including novelizations about their lives. This profiles these efforts. [TBD]
Ineluctable modality of the visible
(Images)
What else did you expect to see hanging on the wall? A gallery of Joycean images, including paintings, photographs, and cartoons. [TBD]
The last word in stolentelling!
(Influence)
Joyce, like Guinness, is often an acquired taste, but once you get it, you spread the gospel far and wide. References to Joyce in fiction, cinema, and philosophy. Includes a poem by Jorge Luis Borges. [TBD]
They are all there scraping along to sneeze out a likelihood that will solve and salve life’s robulous rebus
(Joyce Communities)
The community bulletin board is hanging above by the fireplace: Joyce-related communities and organizations, from professional societies to public reading groups.
In painted chambers loaded with tilebooks
(Offsite Links)
The back door—a vast constellation of links to Joyce organizations, Joycean Web sites, and electronic texts.
Ask no questions and you’ll hear no lies.
(FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions)
Do you have a question about this site? Try the FAQ file.
Speak to us of Emailia
(Contact)
Send email to the Great Quail—comments, suggestions, corrections, criticisms, submissions; all are welcome.