“Eveline” by James Joyce

Introduction

"Eveline," the fourth story in Dubliners, illustrates both James Joyce's thematic concerns and his meticulous treatment of language and structure. Like most of the characters in the book, Eveline oppressed by her circumstances, and like many others, she considers the possibility of escape, but when she offered a perfect opportunity to leave, she refuses.

Most of the story mediated through Eveline's consciousness as she explores three well-defined stretches of time: her past, her present, and her doubtful future. She evokes images of all three only to find that they need painful revision. She has memories of a ...