Eveline as Ireland: A Realistic and Symbolic ApproachSay no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay James Joyce has always been widely regarded as a leading exponent of the "children of a fragmented, pluralistic, sick, and strange period," as Nietzsche called the artists of the time (Bradbury, p. 7). His career as an artist can be considered a "journey from realism to symbolism" (Daitchies, p. 66) for which he chose Dublin as a departure as well as a destination. As a result of his desire to show the suffering of the city's inhabitants, he produced Dubliners. Although this work was originally created on commission as a collection of short stories for publication in a magazine intended to describe rural Irish life for a general audience, Joyce realized that he could give his stories a unified outline. Therefore, by giving them an overarching purpose, he tied them around specific themes, symbols, techniques, and even characters. We must keep in mind that Dubliners represents the beginning of Joyce's transition from realism to symbolism and, as such, its structure is partially defined in terms of each technique. The systematic and increasing use of symbols establishes relationships between 'superficially disparate elements in the stories', that is, much of the composition remains invisible until the main symbols in which it is defined are recognized (Ghiselin p. 101). Insofar as Dubliners is a clear example of Joyce's beginning of the previously mentioned journey, it is worth mentioning some realistic elements in the stories that mix with the symbolic ones. The characters' desire to escape and their paralysis weaken their drive and ability to move forcefully. This inability to act accordingly in response to Dublin-related difficulties acts as a realistic as well as symbolic reference: "pure physical inaction of any kind is a rather crude means of indicating moral paralysis" (Ghiselin pp. 102-103) . The apparent lack of plot is actually a movement towards an epiphanic revelation of an impasse, "a sudden spiritual manifestation, both in the vulgarity of words and gestures" (Bradbury p. 168) and, unfortunately, the paralysis that marks the end. It is clear that the author did not try to mask the harsh reality of the citizens of Dublin. On the contrary, he "wanted to mediate between Ireland and the world, but above all to explain Ireland to itself" (Kiberd p. 334) during a political period that afforded its people no hope or choice. Furthermore, it is worth saying that a clear message appears in each story: no matter how much the characters try to escape the routine and inertia of their lives, they never manage to do so despite the epiphanic moments of intensity and revelation they experience. . Eveline presents a case in point when she isolates herself from her surroundings and continues to revolve around the memories of her life, instead of stepping forward and dealing with the tense situation. Brewster Ghiselin concludes that "the unity of Dubliners is achieved, finally, in terms of religious images and ideas, most of them distinctively Christian" (Ghiselin p. 105). It goes without saying that the epiphany is a transcendental revelation that Joyce actually took from religion and applied to art. However, by proposing an alternative interpretation of Joyce's work, it is the intention of this article to shed light on the integration of the stories, while paying special attention to one of them in particular, in terms of political and social images and ideas as we they took into account the fact that Joyce draws not only on religious images and ideas but also on political ones andsocial. Consequently, in an ambitious attempt to develop the alternative interpretation introduced above, we have chosen to analyze 'Eveline' at two distinct levels. On the one hand, we will take the story as the clearest illustration of 'movements and stasis, a system of significant movements, countermovements and stops' (Ghiselin p. 103), on a realistic level. On the other hand, on a deeper symbolic level, we will consider the representation of the political and social situation of Ireland in the essence of the protagonist, alluding to other stories whenever they serve the purpose. From a rather realistic point of view, paralysis, a common theme in Dubliners, finds Eveline faced with a dilemma: to stay at home and keep the family together, thus fulfilling her dead mother's last wish; or flee with Frank, her lover, to an unknown destination. John Blades argues that Eveline's inability to fight back is so extreme that it prevented her from leaving her home in the first place. This theory assumes that, in reality, Eveline never leaves for the port. Therefore, post an example on a double level: on a physical and mental level. Although he lives with an overbearing, unfair and abusive father, he is mentally incapable of moving away from the few fond memories he has of his childhood. Instead of reacting to the terrible situation in which she is immersed, she is paralyzed by a sudden feeling of fear towards what is unfamiliar to her, thus giving up the possibility of a new life because, according to her, it could also be a source of danger '... All the seas of the world rolled around his heart. He was pulling her in: he was going to drown her. He held on to the iron railing with both hands." (Joyce, p. 34) As a first attempt to reveal the symbolic-realistic analogies that we assume emerge in 'Eveline', we would like to present to our readers some parallels between the characters in the story and what they really represent according to our vision. analyses. Our aim is to say that Eveline embodies Ireland; his family, Great Britain; his father, King Edward; his mother, Charles Parnell; his home, Dublin; and Frank, James Joyce. Let us then pay attention to the fact that the protagonist who gives her name to this story is a teenager. Unlike older England in terms of importance within Great Britain, Ireland appears as the younger sister to the other countries that belong to the same kingdom (or family). It has been well established that young people in any family must struggle to make their way against the paralyzing influence of the older generation. 'Eveline' makes clear how strong a force family can exert in Dublin domestic life" (Blades p. 10). Similarly, we found it possible to compare her father, who keeps her working and keeps her wages, to the king Edward and the representatives of Parliament who exploited Ireland by refusing to recognize their struggle for land and independence Furthermore, Terence Brown describes King Edward as a womanizer: did Eveline's father also sexually abuse her? answer to this question will be deliberately silenced by Joyce. "... the possibility arises that the young author was making a spiteful joke by using this name [Eveline] and perhaps implying sexual abuse as an underlying theme" (Brown, p. 254). Furthermore, it will eventually connect with Ireland represented as a female character, masterfully represented in the figure of a harp in "Two Gallants". Not far from the club porch a harpist stood on the street, playing a small ring . of listeners. He pinched the threads casually, occasionally glancing quickly at the face of each newcomer and occasionally, even wearily, at the sky. Even her harp, regardless of the fact that the covers had fallen on heron her knees, she seemed tired of both the looks of strangers and the hands of her master. (Joyce, p. 48)Traditionally in poetry and ballads, Ireland has not only been symbolized as a harp, but also as an abused or wronged woman, a legendary figure generated by the tragic narratives of the country's history. Agreeing once again with Terence Brown, we consider this choice of images in texts where women often bear the brunt of male oppression in the sexual sphere provides an equivalent of imperial domination in the political one. (Brown, p. xxiv) It also helps to connect Eveline to Ireland that Joyce openly considers Dublin to be the clearest example of the paralysis that controls the entire country. As was described above, Eveline herself personifies an excellent example of paralysis. Consequently, Dublin is the city from which he cannot escape. Additionally, we also commented on the ambiguous aspect that she may not have left the house to follow Frank to the docks. “Joyce presented an accusatory picture of the city as a prison, plagued by both desire and inertia.” (Blade, p. 38) The description of Eveline sitting at the window at the beginning of the story goes hand in hand with an image of seclusion, on a realistic level; and an allegorical image of the restrictions and fixations of life in Dublin in a symbolic key, especially considering Eveline's house as the representation of the city itself, especially when the protagonist is a woman. “As individuals and types, women are simultaneously disenfranchised and powerless, the limits of their existence determined by men. They are repeatedly described as helpless, passive and silent.' (Blades, p. 48) It is our belief that, in addition to being an exclusively female reality at the time, this description also applies to the helpless submission to the Empire that Joyce criticizes towards Ireland. An important and influential figure in the story is Eveline's mother. It is by her will that the young woman finds herself unable to leave the house. Apparently, it had been her mother's job to keep the family together until she went mad and died "uttering unintelligible or nonsensical Irish" (Blades, p. 19) after making her only daughter promise "to keep the house together as long as he could." ' (Joyce p. 33). Fulfilling her mother's dying wish, Eveline will be left tied to an abusive father. On a symbolic level, and taking into consideration another recurring theme in Dubliners – that of the dead influencing the living – we understand that the desire for the dead mother represents the intention to continue with Charles Parnell's movement for home rule and tolerance religious. This image reappears in a detailed depiction in "Ivy Day at the Committee Room", where Parnell hovers over the entire event even after his death. We can also appreciate how the absence of such strong personalities – namely Eveline's mother and Parnell – exerts an influence on the behavior of those who remain in this world and at the same time determines their failure to continue their tasks. There is no hope, and those who had created great expectations are now gone, thus reinforcing the stasis of those who remained... and if they are gone beyond memory we hope, at least, that in meetings like this we will continue we speak of them with pride and affection, we still keep in our hearts the memory of those great dead and buried whose fame the world will not willingly let die. (Gabriel's speech in 'The Dead', Joyce p. 204) Eveline remained and was left with a sad legacy: her bleak surroundings and her weak personality. The fact that Joyce describes an 'Ireland frozen in servitude' (Kiberd, p. 334) is clearly reflected in the hollowness of Eveline's identity. This uncertaintyon its identity corresponds to the search for national identity that Ireland undertook after the death of Charles Parnell. As Irish citizens struggle to define what it means to be Irish while trying to reinvigorate the Irish language and culture, we find Eveline stuttering in the midst of deciding between abandoning her land and following her desires. The young protagonist of the story is faced with a choice. However, can such a situation be considered an option? In fact, the dilemma she faces is nothing more than a choice between two lives of male exploitation, as it is unclear in the story how sincere Franco is. “The truth is, he needs someone else, now Frank, who can redefine who he is.” (Blades, p. 21) We then come to our final parallel, which is Joyce's presence in the story through Frank. We believe that Frank embodies some of Joyce's ideas as what he does is encourage Eveline to take a step forward. He takes a risk, seeks a change of scenery (suggested by the name of the city he has chosen to leave for) and is willing to take his lady with him. It is well known that Joyce left Ireland with Nora Barnacle, who later became his wife. This episode in his life can be related to the realistic aspect of his stories since "the trapped innocents he uses for his heroes are all aspects of his conception of himself" (Ellmann, p. 176). Furthermore, Joyce exiled himself from Ireland to seek a change of scenery as did Frank. However, the fact that Joyce improved her life by abandoning her homeland could be compared to the moment when the narrator describes Frank's departure: “He rushed over the barrier and called her to follow him. They shouted at him to go on but he called her anyway' (Joyce, p. 34) Nothing else is said about Frank. We don't know what became of him, so is the case with James Joyce. To what extent did Joyce actually separate himself from Ireland? Why did he constantly return to Dublin in his works? Has he ever managed to achieve a real exile, and not just a physical one? All these questions lead us to a final analysis worthy of note because it is closely connected with the arguments developed above. As for the intent of this article, we have explored the characters in the story in relation to their allegorical meaning. The author of Dubliners would have selected the characteristics of the characters and their environment, without showing any innocence in his choice. Eveline is a perfect representation of Ireland and all her relationships fit harmoniously with the relationships of this country, with the exception of one character who appears in the last story of the collection. It has been claimed that Joyce later added "The Dead" as an excuse for being so harsh on Dublin, "though he never modified his belief about the traps and paralysis of Dublin". (Blades, p. 53) It is in "The Dead" that Eveline's counterpart appears to redeem Ireland. One such character is Miss Ivors, who represents Irish Ireland, the independent and self-sufficient nation. Her name may be related to the ivy, which brings us directly to 'Ivy Day in the Committee Room': the ivy is a symbol of Parnell's memory. Furthermore, she does not seem destined to fall like Eveline since she "represents a new type of woman". With an independence of mind […] She refuses to be pinned down and finally escapes from the world of the dead with a sardonic gesture' (Blades, p. 49). On a symbolic level, Miss Ivors carries with her a subtle promise for Ireland. In conclusion, one could say that it is not possible to pursue a simplistic parallel symbolism. Therefore, in an attempt to reveal the symbolic meaning behind Joyce's characters, we have chosen to do so through aspects.•