Essay on the Situation of Joyce
Edited, introduced and commented by Gaston Mannes
Armand Petitjean (1913-2003) was an intellectual and critic whose significant contributions remain underappreciated. Between 1933 and 1935, he wrote a typescript titled Essay on the Situation of Joyce, which James Joyce praised as an impressive study of W[ork]. I[n]. P[rogress]?. Petitjean had a notable relationship with Joyce in Paris, influencing his life until Joyce's death in 1941. This edition includes an introduction detailing the essay's origins and Petitjean's interactions with key figures of the 1930s French literary scene, drawing on unpublished letters and other sources. It situates the essay within its contemporary literary context and emphasizes its importance for understanding Joyce's reception. Although known to Petitjean's close associates, the essay has remained unpublished, much to the dismay of Joyceans. Its release offers crucial insights into the development of Work in Progress / Finnegans Wake and the Joycean community in Paris. The volume also contains a historical overview, analysis, commentary, and annotations, featuring unpublished materials such as letters from notable figures like Sylvia Beach, T. S. Eliot, and Richard Ellmann, along with extracts from Petitjean's unpublished autobiography.
