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James Joyce's "The Sisters": chalices and umbrellas, ptolemaic Memphis and Victorian Dublin.(Special "Dubliners" Number)

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From: Studies in Short Fiction
Date: 19950622
Author:Swartzlander, Susan

James Joyce's "The Sisters" draws on a George Ebers' novel with similar themes of corrupted religious faith and a focus on ancient Greek and Egyptian cult imagery. In "The Sisters," the character Father Flynn faces a loss of faith which reflects the corrupted and corrupting religious values of the church. Recurring symbols such as umbrellas and chalices are taken from ancient Memphite cult and Rosicrucian symbols.

Almost 30 years ago, Berni Benstock published a note about "The Sisters," questioning whether the short story had "come-of-age," a point "when a critic takes it upon himself ...

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