James Joyce's Ulysses As A Work Of Fanfiction: Relating To The Cognitive Turn

Abstract

This paper tries to look at James Joyce's masterpiece Ulysses, in the light of the contemporary
phenomenon of Fanfiction, which again is part of the broader tradition of derivative works and
pastiches. Ulysses, clearly based on Homer'sThe Odysseyalthough reimagined in the context of
1920's Dublin, has many parallels with the praxis and theories of Fanfiction writing, and can
itself be called a work of fanfiction. The paper begins by defining the praxis of fanfiction, while
embedding it within the historiography of storytelling and writing, and giving examples of
other classics that could very well beconsidered to be works of fanfiction. It also looks at how
fanfiction is a fruitful cognitive exercise and how Ulysses as fanfiction is a result of such
cognitive praxis, which is also true for speculative fiction writing in general. In its conclusion,
the paper talks about the afterlife of both Homer's The Odysseyand Joyce's Ulysses as they live
on through contemporary fanfictions, while remaining just as relevant as they had been when
conceived.