Chekhov's Mistress
The “Ineluctable Modality” of Copyright Laws
Toward the end of his life, James Joyce strolled around Zurich with his young grandson Stephen, according to Richard Ellmann, Joyce’s biographer. One can only wonder what the genius of modern literature might have been telling his only grandson on these walks, but perhaps it would seem that Joyce was telling Stephen: Sue! Sue! Sue!
Stephen Joyce, now 70 and the only living heir of the man who pushed the English language beyond its limits, has developed a reputation for litigiousness that apparently has stifled many attempting to use Joyce’s work for artisitic or homage purposes. This should come as no surprise because Joyce himself was often rabidly ligitous, pursuing pirates of one form or another, often against logic and his friend’s advice.
Still, it would appear from a recent article in the Guardian that Mr. Joyce has taken his charge of protecting the literary legacy much too far. Some accounts, such as not allowing eighteen words of Finnegans Wake to be used in a piece of music, are arguably overblown – he doesn’t like the music, and that, in my opinion, is his right. But to block the Irish government from displaying Joyce manuscripts, which they own and want to display to the public out of homage and celebration is ridiculous. Mr. Joyce threatened to sue, and Irish Parliament, rightly, pushed through legislation that will allow the manuscripts to be displayed as part of the Bloomsday 100th anniversary celebrations.
I think that Mr. Joyce’s behavior goes beyond the spirit of his grandfather’s pursuit of pirateers. James Joyce was proud of his work and quite self-consciously sought readership and recognition. Why would his heir want to close the book on the appreciation of what really belongs to the world anyway?
p.s. I originally saw reference to this story at Moorish Girl, a literary blog
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About this Post
- Posted by: Bud Parr
- Date: June 07, 2004
- Filed Under:
Wise Men Fish Here: Literature
- Comments:0
- Links to this Post: Technorati
