Dubliners

Exploring the complexities of Irish middle-class life in early 20th-century Dublin, this collection presents a series of vignettes that reflect the themes of paralysis and decay. Joyce categorizes the stories into four life stages: childhood, adolescence, maturity, and public life. Notable tales include "The Sisters" and "Araby" for childhood, "Eveline" and "Two Gallants" for adolescence, and "A Painful Case" for maturity. The collection culminates with "The Dead," a poignant examination of mortality, often regarded as Joyce's masterpiece.