Joyce Criticism: General Criticism

Joyce Criticism: General Criticism 1924–Present

There are hundreds of book about James Joyce and his works—general introductions, essay collections, doctoral dissertations, monographs, and examinations of Joyce under the lenses of literary theory, politics, feminism, psychoanalysis, and so on. Although a comprehensive list of all published Joyce criticism is beyond the scope of this site, over fifty books are profiled on the following pages, many with useful commentary. Priority has been given to works of historical importance, academic influence, and enduring popularity. In general, I have passed over dissertations and symposia notes—I’m not that crazy! Readers looking for books about specific works—Ulysses, Finnegans Wake, etc.—should check those specific pages on the Brazen Head’s “Joyce Criticism” pages, which are accessible at the bottom of this page. This section is divided into four parts. The books in each category are listed in order of publication date.

General Criticism:

General Criticism 1924-1979
Works written during Joyce’s lifetime and the generation after his death. Many of these works attempt to explain Joyce’s project and organize his central themes.

General Criticism 1980-1999 
The last last two decades of the twentieth-century saw a new generation of Joyceans, many with a political focus.

General Criticism 2000-2019
New criticism for a new millennium!

General Criticism 2020-Present
Modern criticism to take us to the 100th anniversary of Joyce’s death.

Joyce Criticism
[Main Page | General Criticism | Dubliners | Portrait | Ulysses | Finnegans Wake]

Author: Allen B. Ruch
Artwork: Loui Jover
Last Modified: 13 June 2024
Main Joyce Page: The Brazen Head
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