Part I: Dublin Summary and Analysis

Family is always an important source of inspiration for Joyce's literary works; this reality goes back several generations. In fact, Joyce's father, at one point, takes special pride in the family's coat of arms. In this chapter, Ellmann describes the family history. Joyce is a French name and there have been other Jameses in the family. His grandfather has a happy marriage, with one son: John, James's father. John is in school briefly, but has to stop because of financial problems. He then goes to work at the shipyard. He spends some time beginning medical studies at Queen's College, but, though he is athletic and a theatrical star, he has to repeat his second year and fails his third. When his father dies, John inherits the estate and brings his mother into Dublin from Cork. John buys...