James Joyce: Grace - short story review

Probably the funniest story from Dubliners.

Three men help a drunkard get up to his feet and promise his wife to "make a new man of him", alluding to easing him into the Catholic way of life. They get together at his house, drink lots of whisky and talk incessantly about the history of the Church in Ireland by constantly misquoting and confusing things or, in other words, having a "jolly" time together. Then they go to something akin to a sermon — "a kind of a friendly talk, you know, in a common-sense way" — "to wash the pot" (confess) all whilst trying not to make dumb jokes and act serious.

What can be better than a bunch of Irish lads having drinks and speaking in slang and misquoting things with the utmost confidence? I believe not many things can compete with that and I laughed quite a few times during the first read. The notes by Terence Brown were very helpful and the constant correction of the "Dublin Church historians" made me chuckle.

Joyce at his best.

P.S. You can read it here: http://www.online-literature.com/james_joyce/960/ - I'd recommend finding a physical copy with notes though, there's lots of Irish slang and church references you probably won't get (I didn't without the notes).

Rating: 5/5