Brian Lombardo
Dr. Reed
26 January 2010
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Born February 2, 1882 in
Dublin
Father passed away when he
was 2 years old
When James was 6, his
mother remarried and
abandoned him
Attended Meath Protestant
Industrial School for Boys
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brutal, ruthless treatment at
Meath
ran away and became
homeless, living with
various charitable families
and on the streets of Dublin
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1896 - Began working as a typist in a solicitor’s
office
1905 – First story, “The Greatest Miracle”,
published in the newspaper The United Irishman
by Arthur Griffith, an Irish Nationalist
1907 – began contributing to Sinn Fein, Griffith’s
magazine dedicated to the Irish Nationalist cause
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“We Ourselves”
Emerged in early 1900’s
Organizations of Nationalist
Groups, working for Irish Home
Rule
1916 – Contemporary critics called
the Easter Rising the “Sinn Fein
Rebellion”
1917 – After the party was
reorganized, it upset the Assembly
of Ireland party in the 1918
general election
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1907 – at his job at the solicitor’s office, he was
introduced to poet George Russell
Russell introduced him to other notable Irish
persons, including Yeats, Lady Gregory, and George
Moore
Took classes on the Gaelic League and became
politically active
Published various pieces dealing with Irish
Nationalism, encouraging readers to remember
Irish ancient tales and traditions
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Published in 1912, his most
notable work
Written as a children’s story,
but held various philosophical
undertones and criticisms
The work ingeniously
condemns organized
occupations (doctors,
businessmen, etc.) and the
religious class for narrowing
the abilities of the human mind
Also comments humorously on
Irish gender relations
Won the Polignac Prize for
fiction in 1912
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Because of the tremendous success enjoyed by
Crock of Gold, Stephens retired as a typist
Moved to Paris to work full-time as a writer
1919 – Married Cynthia Kavanagh, his lover of 12
years
Moved back to Dublin in 1915 and held the
position of Registrar of the National Gallery of
Ireland until 1924
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During the Rebellion in Easter 1916, Stephens saw
a man being shot
This event impacted his later literary products.
Directly recounted in his 1916 The Insurrection in
Dublin.
Evidence can be seen of his stronger Irish pride and
attention to Irish literature from an earlier time
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Philosophical
Combination of fantasy and realism
Humorous
Display Irish National Pride and desire for Irish
home-rule
Accurate depictions of traditional Irish culture and
traditions
Presence of varied characters, with whom many
readers could relate
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Mixture of Short Stories, Poems, and Novels
Poetry Collections:
Insurrections (1909)
Reincarnations (1918)
The Kings and the Moon (1938)
Short stories:
“Hunger” (1918)
“Etched in Moonlight” (1928)
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Novels:
The Charwoman’s Daughter (1912)
My enemy came nigh,
And I
Stared fiercely in his face.
My lips went writhing back in a grimace,
And stern I watched him with a narrow eye.
Then, as I turned away, my enemy,
That bitter heart and savage, said to me:
"Some day, when this is past,
When all the arrows that we have are cast,
We may ask one another why we hate,
And fail to find a story to relate.
It may seem then to us a mystery
That we should hate each other."
Thus said he,
And did not turn away,
Waiting to hear what I might have to say,
But I fled quickly, fearing had I stayed
I might have kissed him as I would
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1925 - Moved to London
1928 - Became a broadcaster for the BBC
1935 – Developed a friendship with James Joyce
1937 – began giving lectures on the BBC on poetry
Decline in physical health and mental capacity
1950 – died in London, England on December 26
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Academic Search Complete. Stephens, James. Funk
& Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
http://www.answers.com/topic/james-stephens
Martin, Augustine. James Stephens: A Critical
Study. 1977.
http://www.poemhunter.com/jamesstephens/
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/hate-3/
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http://www.sinnfein.org/documents/intro.html
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