Beauty in Complexity

Complexity can be synonymous with genius. James Joyce, the famous Irish author, proved to be such a complicated genius in both his works and life. He loved his deeply religious mother but he tested her love by exceeding his anticlerical father and becoming truly irreligious (Ellman 390-391). He despised and even hated the corruption, drunkenness, and ignorance of Ireland. This disgust prompted Joyce to initiate a self imposed exile from his homeland yet Joyce brought along a large contingent of his family and his own fond memories. Therefore, never truly leaving Ireland but transplanting the simple, sweet pleasures that Joyce loved about his nation. When asked if he would ever return home he would reply, "Have I ever left""

The works of Joyce are as complex, if not more, as the author that penned them. Joyce was never content to write merely on...