Love and Socialism in Joyce’s “A Painful Case”: A Buberian Reading

Recent queer analyses of James Joyce’s “A Painful Case” have challenged the traditional narcissistic reading of the story, arguing that its rebuke of James Duffy’s rejection of Emily Sinico ignores his persecution by heteronormative Dublin and thus perpetuates the “epistemology of the closet.” This essay provides a narcissistic interpretation of Duffy that avoids this closeting gesture by reading “A Painful Case” with respect to Martin Buber’s definition of love as an “affirmation of otherness.” By characterizing Duffy’s refusal of Mrs. Sinico in terms of empathy as well as sexual desire, it further demonstrates the insidious nature of the Dublin patriarchy, as the victims of societal persecution perform versions of that very persecution on their fellow Dubliners. The essay also shows that Duffy’s refusal carries political implications since his denial of Mrs. Sinico also rejects her desire for him to share his socialist ideas with others, which short-circuits his political aspirations.