James Joyce's Dubliners - Anger and Misery in Counterparts

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Dubliners - Anger and Misery in Counterparts

If one story in Dubliners can be singled out for its overly disturbing qualities, then "Counterparts" would be it. In this story the reader witnesses the misery that people in Dublin pass on to each other and through generations. Joyce introduces us to a character that at first is mildly amusing. Farrington is a working-class man that, like so many others, has to put up with verbal abuse from his boss. At first it is comical to watch him outline his speech he will give to his friends about how he wittily insulted his boss. However, we soon learn that he is a very angry man with rage dangerously building up with no acceptable outlet.

Where the anger stems from is very important. As we learn he has no power, no sense of true self. He is mentally paralyzed, one symbolic man, representing Dublin for Joyce. And the inherent danger for this paralysis is demonstrated at the shocking and terribly disturbing ending. First though we see the rage that he built up during his day. Though not shown, undoubtedly this rage has been building in him over years. "A spasm of rage gripped his throat for a few moments and then passed, leaving after it a sharp sensation of thirst" (Joyce 87). It is rather obvious what it leaves him thirsty for. Despite (or rather because) of the urgency to finish his work he sneaks out of the office for a drink. This business of leaving to drink is not in response to stress, we learn it is a compulsive habit. When returning to the office Farrington is asked where he was. He does not answer, but the questioning clerk does for him "'I know that game, he said. Five times in one day is a little bit...'" (Joyce 89).

Exacerbating the idea of a powerless man is the iron...

... middle of paper ...

...o each other. Farrington and Mr. Alleyne are physical opposites, yet they complete the picture of a paralyzed, dysfunctional Dublin. Mr. Alleyne can not treat Farrington as another human being, Farrington is a machine, a means to production. Farrington can not get any power over Mr. Alleyne despite his physical advantage. His counterpart, his complement is to drink and beat his frustrations out of himself using his son. His unfortunate son is the counterpart to his father's anger. A perverse release necessary if Farrington is to have a semblance of sanity.

Works Cited and Consulted

Joyce, James. Dubliners. Penguin Books: New York, 1975.

Tindall, William York. A Reader's Guide to James Joyce. Noonday Press: New York, 1959.

Walzl, Florence L. "Dubliners." A Companion Study to James Joyce. Ed. Zack Bowen and James F. Carens. Greenwood Press: London, 1984

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