Stanislaus Joyce
Encyclopedia
Stanislaus Joyce was an Irish
teacher, scholar, and writer who lived for many years in Italy
. He was the brother of James Joyce
. Considered a "whetstone
" by his more famous brother, who shared his ideas and his books with him, Stanislaus was three years younger than James, and a constant boyhood companion. Stanislaus rebelled against his native Ireland
as his brother had done, and in 1905, he joined James's household in Trieste
on Via Caterina, 1.
He worked as an English-language teacher in the Berlitz School
alongside his brother. In 1903, he had already begun to keep a diary that recorded his own thoughts on philosophical and literary matter as well as those of his brother; he later resumed this diary in Trieste. This "Book of Days", as he called it, sheds light on James Joyce's life between the years 1906 and 1909. The diary indicates that Stanislaus, truly "his brother’s keeper", was called upon to rescue his brother from financial difficulties time and time again. After 1908, he maintained his own address, although he may have lived with his brother again for a time in 1909.
Arrested as an irredentist on December 28, 1914, at the beginning of World War I
, he was interned by the Austrians at Katzenau, near Linz
. After his release, he moved in with his sister Eileen's family. Stanislaus took his brother’s teaching position at Trieste’s Scuola Superiore di Commercio “Revoltella” in 1920; this school later became assimilated into the University of Trieste
and he continued on as a non-tenured professor of English until his death. On August 13, 1928, Stanislaus married Nelly Lichtensteiger. They had one son —James— who was born in February 1943. Due to his anti-Fascist
views, Stanislaus moved to Florence sometime in 1941, where he may have been protected from the Germans by various wealthy Italian and American families.
He later published Recollections of James Joyce (1950); published after his death on June 16 ("Bloomsday
") were My Brother’s Keeper (1957) and Dublin Diary (1962). In the 1950’s, Stanislaus had also assisted Richard Ellmann
, his brother's biographer, with Ellmann’s monumental James Joyce (1959).
Stanislaus often fought with his brother, as well as with his brother's wife Nora Barnacle
, but they shared a common literary philosophy despite the fact that Stanislaus had received less advanced schooling than his brother. Stanislaus, however, would channel these instincts into sober academic study rather than wild flights of literary fancy. Of his brother, Stanislaus wrote, "It seems to me little short of a miracle that anyone should have striven to cultivate poetry or cared to get in touch with the current of European thought while living in a household such as ours, typical as it was of the squalor of a drunken generation. Some inner purpose transfigured him."http://classiclit.about.com/cs/articles/a/aa_mybrother.htm He died in Trieste, and is buried at the Via della Pace cemetery.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
teacher, scholar, and writer who lived for many years in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was the brother of James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
. Considered a "whetstone
Sharpening stone
Sharpening stones, water stones or whetstones are used to grind and hone the edges of steel tools and implements. Examples of items that may be sharpened with a sharpening stone include scissors, scythes, knives, razors and tools such as chisels, hand scrapers and plane blades...
" by his more famous brother, who shared his ideas and his books with him, Stanislaus was three years younger than James, and a constant boyhood companion. Stanislaus rebelled against his native Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as his brother had done, and in 1905, he joined James's household in Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
on Via Caterina, 1.
He worked as an English-language teacher in the Berlitz School
Berlitz Language Schools
Berlitz Corporation is a global leadership training and education company with headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey and Tokyo, Japan. The company was founded in 1878 by Maximilian D. Berlitz in Providence, Rhode Island...
alongside his brother. In 1903, he had already begun to keep a diary that recorded his own thoughts on philosophical and literary matter as well as those of his brother; he later resumed this diary in Trieste. This "Book of Days", as he called it, sheds light on James Joyce's life between the years 1906 and 1909. The diary indicates that Stanislaus, truly "his brother’s keeper", was called upon to rescue his brother from financial difficulties time and time again. After 1908, he maintained his own address, although he may have lived with his brother again for a time in 1909.
Arrested as an irredentist on December 28, 1914, at the beginning of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was interned by the Austrians at Katzenau, near Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
. After his release, he moved in with his sister Eileen's family. Stanislaus took his brother’s teaching position at Trieste’s Scuola Superiore di Commercio “Revoltella” in 1920; this school later became assimilated into the University of Trieste
University of Trieste
The University of Trieste is a medium-sized university in Trieste in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. The university consists of 12 faculties, boasts a wide and almost complete range of university courses and currently has about 23,000 students enrolled and 1,000 professors...
and he continued on as a non-tenured professor of English until his death. On August 13, 1928, Stanislaus married Nelly Lichtensteiger. They had one son —James— who was born in February 1943. Due to his anti-Fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
views, Stanislaus moved to Florence sometime in 1941, where he may have been protected from the Germans by various wealthy Italian and American families.
He later published Recollections of James Joyce (1950); published after his death on June 16 ("Bloomsday
Bloomsday
Bloomsday is a commemoration observed annually on 16 June in Dublin and elsewhere to celebrate the life of Irish writer James Joyce and relive the events in his novel Ulysses, all of which took place on the same day in Dublin in 1904...
") were My Brother’s Keeper (1957) and Dublin Diary (1962). In the 1950’s, Stanislaus had also assisted Richard Ellmann
Richard Ellmann
Richard David Ellmann was a prominent American literary critic and biographer of the Irish writers James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and William Butler Yeats...
, his brother's biographer, with Ellmann’s monumental James Joyce (1959).
Stanislaus often fought with his brother, as well as with his brother's wife Nora Barnacle
Nora Barnacle
Nora Barnacle was the lover, companion, inspiration, and eventual wife of author James Joyce.-Biography:Nora Barnacle was born in the town of Galway, Ireland, but the day of her birth is uncertain. Depending on the source, it varies between the 21st and the 24th of March 1884...
, but they shared a common literary philosophy despite the fact that Stanislaus had received less advanced schooling than his brother. Stanislaus, however, would channel these instincts into sober academic study rather than wild flights of literary fancy. Of his brother, Stanislaus wrote, "It seems to me little short of a miracle that anyone should have striven to cultivate poetry or cared to get in touch with the current of European thought while living in a household such as ours, typical as it was of the squalor of a drunken generation. Some inner purpose transfigured him."http://classiclit.about.com/cs/articles/a/aa_mybrother.htm He died in Trieste, and is buried at the Via della Pace cemetery.