Stream of Consciousness

In the earlier 20^th century fiction saw a unique change in disrupted treatment. James Joyce was the four runners who heralded this new movement. It was called stream of consciousness novels. This kind of literature was also known as a demonstration of the working of the mind. Before Joyce no writer of fiction of so four grounded the process of thinking. While on one side critics loaded the movements there are others who called it “inimitable, and also possibly mad”.

 

Born in Dublin, Ireland James spends most of his time in France and Switzerland. In fact he had migrated permanently to continental Europe. Yet most of his characters are drawn from different cities of Ireland where he spent his early days.

Joyce is best known for Ulysses (1922), a landmark work in which the episodes of Homer‘s Odyssey are paralleled in an array of contrasting literary styles, perhaps most prominent among these the stream of consciousness technique he utilized. Other well-known works are the short-story collection Dubliners (1914), and thenovels A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) and Finnegans Wake (1939). His other writings include three books of poetry, a play, occasional journalism, and his published letters. (From Wikipedia)

Time magazine considered James Joyce as one of the very important writer of the 20^th century. The magazine went to the extent of saying “Joyce….revolutionized 20^th century fiction”

 

On 11^th January 1941 Joyce had to undergo surgery in Zurich. After the surgery he improved a little bit. Doctors were thinking that he will regain good health. However he had a relapse and despite all efforts fail into a coma. On 13^th January 1941 he at 2 am he opened his eyes, asked for a nurse and requested her to call his wife and son. However within 15 minutes, before they arrived Joyce breathed his last.

 

In Dublin the work and life of Joyce is annually celebrated on 16^th June every year.

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Anton Chekhov- The Great Russian Short Story Writer.

Anton Chekhov was born in 29^th January 1860 and died on 15^th July 1904. Though he was a doctor by profession, he is remembered as one of the finest short story writers in the world. Some of his stories have been adapted as plays, films etc. He died young at the age of 44 years. He practiced his medical profession throughout his literary career. Jocularly, he would say ‘medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.’

 

Young Anton.

He also wrote a number of plays. These are: ‘Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard’. However his play ‘The seagull’ was a big flop. That’s why he stopped writing plays. He introduced stream of consciousness technique in his stories. This was well ahead of time. But his treatment of this technique was quite simple and therefore his stories are merited by one and all. Later Russian literary writers lauded creativity of technique and his imagination. 

 

 Painting of Anton Chekhov.

He had to spend lot of time attending to his patients. At times, they would come from far of places. He had also to visit the patients who could not come to his clinic. Such visits were time consuming but he continued. His interaction with patients gave him lot of material which he used in literary creations. 

 

Anton with Leo Tolstoy.

Today is his death anniversary. Our deepest regards to one of the greatest short story writer the world had seen so far.

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