James Joyce was obsessed with both Irish history and Irish politics, and he used the two topics extensively in all of his works. In his novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, one of the most famous examples of Joyce's use of politics and history is the Christmas dinner in the first chapter, in which Stephen's family discusses and debates the tragic downfall of Charles Stewart Parnell.
During the Christmas dinner, Stephen witnesses a debate about Parnell, a prominent Irish Nationalist politician. To properly understand this debate, it's important to understand Parnell within a historical and political context. Parnell was an Irish member of the British Parliament and was popular in Ireland in the late 1800's due to his commitment to fighting for Irish Home Rule, a political movement that sought to return significant sovereignty to the Irish state. Parnell was thus seen as an Irish savior, one who would fight against the tyranny of Great Britain and lead Ireland to independence. Parnell was ruined by scandal, however, during 1889-90, during which time it was revealed that he had been engaging in an affair with a married woman, Katherine O'Shea. Ireland's conservative Catholic culture was scandalized, and Parnell was died a short time later in disgrace.
With this knowledge in mind, the Christmas dinner makes much more sense. In this scene, members of Stephen's family argue about the Parnell affair; some of them uphold their leader, while others condemn him. This argument illustrates an important historical and political divide in Irish history and politics during the 20th century, and it also exemplifies how important both topics are to understanding Joyce. While Joyce's work is often seen as avant-garde, the author rooted his writing firmly within a specific historical and political context, and so it is necessary to understand this context if one is to fully understand his work.
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