Female Positioning in James Joyce’s Short Stories “Clay”, “Eveline” and “Araby”

Abstract

This research work on James Joyce’s short stories, “Clay”, “Eveline” and “Araby” (1914) studies the existing male domination, female subordination, unstable and immoral social condition and resulting impulsiveness on part of the suffering characters, especially Eveline and Maria. Eveline is motivated by what marrying Frank could give her respect, more freedom but at the final moment she could not marry with her lover. She is more responsible towards her family. Her gender roles are assigned by society. She internalizes female responsibilities and roles from the early ages. Culture determines Eveline’s role therefore she is doing work for her brothers and drunkard father. Maria from the “Clay”, also responsible for the society. She works in laundry and serves pre-prostituted women. She is nurse for her two brothers. She has middle age but still unmarried. In “Araby” narrator’s girlfriend has not freedom to visit bazaar with a boy. She has take care her two brothers who may fight with other boys. In this three stories, all female character are guided by what culture says and doing their work on the basis of gender.

In order to study female positioning in the short stories, the theory of feminism, gender and sex becomes important for addressing the Eveline, Maria and girlfriend of narrator’s situation. Gender is culturally and socially constructed and sex is natural biological difference between men and women. Eveline, Maria and girlfriend of narrator’s are internalizes female behavior, role and responsibility, dress, etc from the early age so they are more responsible for society than personal life. Culture teaches them their role, where they learn from their grandmother, mother and sisters. The feminist writers whose ideas have been helpful for this research are Simon de Beauvior , Garda Lerner, Mary Wollstonecraft etc. The analysis of female characters from the stories is enhanced by historical analysis between woman in the stories and situation of Irish women.