Despite brevity, the analysis of O'Casey's personal and professional career is penetrating and affords a contemporary study of his plays as well as a careful reading of his autobiographical writings. The plots, characters, and action of his major plays are examined as are the playwright's distinctive use of settings and stage directions.

This book succeeds in providing an informed, balanced introduction to the various works in the Joyce canon free of the specialist's elaborate theses or encumbering apparatus. The work flows with the mainstream of critical consensus, making it a fitting and useful introduction to the student newly made aware of Joyce's work. For college, community college, and public libraries.

Set entirely on one day, 16 June 1904, Ulysses follows Leopold Bloom and Stephen Daedalus as they go about their daily business in Dublin. From this starting point, James Joyce constructs a novel of extraordinary imaginative richness and depth. Unique in the history of literature, Ulysses is one of the most important works of the twentieth century.

These essays represent the best of current Joycean criticism. Five of the essays examine the characters of the novel, four deal with the literary style of presentation, and the last deals with problems of translation.