THE INTERIOR MONOLOGUE

Of J. Joyce

By Valentina Indri

MODERNISM

Modern Age represents the reaction ageinst the Victorian Age and its values.

The age is marked by man’s sense of isolation, lack of reference point.

In order to put into light such an inner reality the novelist doesn’t seem rely on the third person omnicient narrator anymore but such a narrative choice is replaced by new techniques such as the INTERIOR MONOLOGUE.

WHAT IS THE INTERIOR MONOLOGUE?

It is the transformation of the monologue used in drama.

There is a speaking voice talking to an audience.

Literature: the interior monologue had already been used by Tennison and Browing.

THE INTERIOR MONOLOGUE USED BY J. JOYCE

It is a sequence of random associations which also leads to the lack of a well

organized plot.

The narration unveils frequent time shifts.

Technique of FLASHBACK and FLASHFORWARD.

CONSEQUENCES OF THE USE OF THE INTERIOR MONOLOGUE

It paves the way to a revolution in the way of writing.

The reader comes across a narration marked by lack of punctuation, a syntatic structure very difficult to understand since some sentences are interrupted and very often there is no logical connection among them.

Narrative technique of the interior monologue proves useful to allow the novelist to give voice to the real movement of his characters’ thoughts.