British Literature Survey
Reference Pages: James Joyce Group

Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891)
by Caroline Stover

Charles Stewart Parnell was born to an Anglo-Irish, landowning family in Wicklow, Ireland. Elected to parliament in 1875, Parnell joined the Home Rule Party which fought for home rule, or devolution, in the United Kingdom (wikipedia). He soon became an obstructionist in the House of Commons, deflecting anti-home rule legislation through filibusters. In 1879 Parnell became president of the newly-formed Irish National Land League. This movement taught tenant farmers to recognize their rights, and they gained fair rent and fixed tenure. In 1880, he became the chairman of the Nationalist Party and reorganized it to vote as a block, renaming it the Irish Parliamentary Party (wikipedia). His party’s success proved to the United Kingdom that Ireland was able handle home rule. Due to these achievements, Parnell experienced tremendous political influence and popularity in Ireland during the 1880’s, and was deemed the “uncrowned king of Ireland” (Fargnoli 173).

An affair between Parnell and Mrs. O’Shea, the wife of Captain William O’Shea, was made public in 1889 (Fargnoli 174). Many thought he would resign due to pressure from the Catholic Church and his party’s leaders. When he did not resign, the party split into Parnellites, which still supported Parnell, and anti-Parnellites, who wished to disassociate themselves with his immorality. He initiated a political campaign throughout Ireland to regain his position. While giving a speech in 1891 in the rain, he caught pneumonia and died later that year.

James Joyce’s father was a Parnellite, and believed that the Irish betrayed Charles Parnell. In Joyce’s books, Ireland’s betrayal of Parnell is referenced often.

Works Cited

“Charles Parnell.” Clare County Library. 31 Jan. 2006. http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/people/parnell.htm.

“Charles Parnell.” Jan 1006. Wikipedia. 31 Jan. 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Parnell.

Fargnoli, A. N., and M. P. Gillespie. James Joyce A to Z. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994..

Foster, R. F. Modern Ireland 1600-1972. London: The Penguin Group, 1988.

Paul Marchbanks
marchban@email.unc.edu