James Joyce and Ethno-sexual Boundary Crossings

In the history of colonization, how and to what extent the colonizer interacted with the local population differed according to race relations in specific periods. Generally speaking, social or sexual contact between two communities was tolerated when race relations were relatively relaxed. When the racial relationship became aggravated, however, such contact between the colonizer and the colonized was discouraged in order to forge and maintain ethnic solidarity. In Ireland, the colonizer's interaction with the colonized was not different from that of colonized countries in the Third World. Unlike those colonies, however, the settlers, that is, Protestants, simply could not be treated as the colonizer because they had lived in Ireland long enough to assert their Irishness. Joyce is keenly interested in intergender ethnic boundary crossings. In his works, two kinds of ethno-sexual interactions are presented from two totally different perspectives. As shown in the cases of the young lady in the street stall, Polly, Milkwoman, Sheila, and Cissy, Joyce describes the interaction of Irish women with Englishmen from a skeptical viewpoint. All of those cases demonstrate typical relationships epitomizing power relations in a colonial society. They reflect the turbulent time at the beginning of the century when Ireland had to fight with England to gain its independence. At such a transitional time, the ethnic relationship became aggravated and boundary crossings were discouraged. On the other hand, through the relationship between Stephen and Eileen, Girty and Reggy Wylie, Browne and Irish ladies, and Mr. & Mrs. Kernan, Joyce presents the interaction between Protestants and Catholics in terms of romantic or human relationships rather than power relations. From his description of those interactions, we can assume that Joyce, in the time of nation building, provided a blueprint for the future Irish nation, where Protestants and Catholics could build a nation and live harmoniously.