Joyce was born on February 2, 1882 in Dublin, Ireland, and grew up in a dominant Roman Catholic family with his mother being a successful pianist and his father failing to support a family stable. However, his father was an impressive singer. Joyce was a smart and motivated child, so he was able to teach himself Norwegian and other languages. Therefore, he was able to read and analyze many plays like no other monolingual person could. Some books he read as a child greatly influenced his later writing. For example, after reading “The Adventures of Ulysses,” a children's version of “The Odyssey.” Joyce's model soon became Odysseus from which he later framed his most famous novel, “Ulysses,” after “The Odyssey” during his writing career. As a result, his parents observed his intelligence and forced him to study at Clogowes Wood College. He later attended Belvedere College and the Royal University of Dublin. Joyce later moved to Paris to study medicine, but returned to Ireland when her mother fell ill. Eventually, he met his first wife, Nora Barnacle, and published his first story in Irish Homestead magazine. This did not keep Joyce in Ireland, so he emigrated across the Mediterranean as a foreign language teacher. Joyce eventually published his first book, “Dubliners,” in 1914, and “A Portrait of the Artist As A Young Man” in 1916. Subsequently, Joyce published “Ulysses,” set on the same day Joyce and Nora married , in June. 16, 1904. After his success with “Ulysses,” Joyce and his family settled in Paris, and in 1939 he published “Finnegan's Wake.” The Second World War subsequently broke out and the family had to flee to Zurich. Ultimately, Joyce died due to a failed bowel operation, so... middle of paper... if, and a profound theme in his novels have given Joyce a notable reputation in British literature. The symbolism of “Ulysses” and “Odyssey” literally entertained scholars, the in-depth motifs “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” and the profound theme of “Dubliners” clearly distinguished James Joyce among other British authors. Works Cited Joyce, James. A portrait of the artist as a young man. New York: Viking, 1964. Print.--- and Padraic Colum. Dublin. Middlesex: Penguin, 1991. Print."Ulysses by ---. Search text, read online, study, discuss." The literary network: classic literature online, poems and quotes. Essays and summaries. Web of Jalic Inc. March 30, 2011. "James Joyce." 2011. Biography.com. March 27, 2011, 10:59 am http://www.biography.com/articles/James-Joyce-9358676.