Friday, June 6, 2025

James Joyce and William Butler Yeats

 

 

 

James Joyce 

 

 

W. B. Yeats 

 

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) was a famous Irish writer

James Joyce (1882-1941) was a famous Irish writer

Did they ever meet?

Did they know each other?

The answer is yes.

 

They met each other in Ireland in 1902. This was two years before Joyce and his partner in life Nora Barnacle left Ireland to search for a better life in continental Europe.

 

In 1902, Yeats was the older person who had experience, while Joyce was the younger person whose experience was still limited.

 

Yeats was already a well-known writer, while Joyce was still hoping to build a successful career as a writer.

 

What happened?

 

Apparently, the meeting was not quite successful. They shared an interest in writing, but they did not agree about the major topics of the time.

 

Perhaps Yeats felt the young man did not show him the respect he deserved?

 

Perhaps Joyce felt the old man was getting old and out of touch with the current situation?

 

*****

 

REFERENCES

 

James Joyce

by Richard Ellmann

(first edition 1959)

(revised edition 1983)

 

William Butler Yeats

by Morton Seiden

(first published 1962) 

(reprinted in 2012)

 

***** 

 

 

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