Dublin and Istanbul: the Two Formative Forces in the Fiction of James Joyce and Orhan Pamuk

Abstract

This comparative article explores how James Joyce and Orhan Pamuk approach and reflect upon their native cities in their works entitled Dubliners and Istanbul Memories and the City. The article puts particular emphasis on the two authors' parallel as well as different ways of representing Dublin and Istanbul. One of the most noteworthy similarities between Joyce and Pamuk is their preference for contemplating their birthplaces from outside as both authors have gone to a self-imposed exile. To a large extent, the said exile in the case of both authors is occasioned by a strong conviction that a double perspective-that of a native and that of a foreigner-is crucial for drawing an authentic picture of their cities. The article examines this double perspective as a parallactic structure. Parallax serves as a conceptual tool in understanding the two authors' manipulations of space and time in their writings. Where the two authors differ are the particular sentiments they entertain for their native cities. While a strong sense of hatred towards Dublin and Dublin life prevails in Dubliners, Pamuk's relationship with his city is defined by a deep love in Istanbul Memories and the City. And, it is these two contrasting emotional responses, namely hatred and love, that form the respective concepts of cityscape in the fiction of James Joyce and Orhan Pamuk.