A Dark Knight

Maybe someday,when Gotham no longer needs Batman...

      A couple of points we focused on and disagreed upon during our classroom discussion of "A Painful Case" were Mr. Duffy's reason for not wanting to publish any writing and the extent of his epiphany and change (if any) as a character at the end of the story.  As especially the ending is crucial to our understanding of the story as a whole and because his reasons for not writing fit in with his characterization as an Übermensch I think both points are worth further discussion.

     First, Henry and a few others felt that subtext revealed that fear was Mr. Duffy's reason for not wanting to publish his ideas, but I disagree with this. Really the only word in that paragraph on page 90 that could be cited as suggesting any sort of fear is "criticisms" but one must keep in mind that although now we tend to associate a negative connotation to the word, in reality it has a neutral meaning and is merely the practice of judging the merits and faults of something in an intelligible way. The real issue Mr. Duffy has is that he regards the people of Dublin as incapable of such "intelligible" thought, describing his potential readers as "obtuse" and "incapable of thinking consecutively for 60 seconds" (90). His use of the word "submit" confirms his notion of superiority and arrogance that Jack mentioned in class, as he feels that he is above the rest of society. This reading also fits much better with the generally accepted idea that he is attempting to be a sort of Übermensch, who would not feel fear but rather the need to put himself above society. Mr. Duffy leaving the Irish Socialist Party meetings was also mentioned as part of his possible fear, with the idea that he was probably rejected by them. However, what is more important and what we know for certain is that before the split he "felt himself a unique figure" (90). It is more likely that he left because after the split attending the meeting was nothing special, not the sort of thing for an Übermensch. Going along with our idea of these men moving from peak to peak on mountains, attending these lowly meetings and being a part of a social revolution in this way would be like struggling through the valleys, something Mr. Duffy would be above. 

     Henry also wondered if Mr. Duffy undergoes a change at the end of the story, thus separating him from the other Joyce characters we have read about. I agreed with Henry, Bosh, and others' thoughts on Mr. Duffy having an epiphany about his loneliness, but I do not think he has really changed at the end of the story. His decision to end his relationship with Mrs. Sinico is in the past, he has simply realized the great solitude that comes along with being an Übermensch. Much like Bruce Wayne cannot have Rachel and sacrifices personal relations and reputation to be a Dark Knight for Gotham, Mr. Duffy must abandon his relationship with Mrs. Sinico, and although it is a difficult sacrifice, "he had no difficulty in approving the course he had taken" (94). The ending of the story is not exactly a happy one, but he has achieved an Übermensch-like emotionless state in silence and solitude above the temptations and lower society of Dublin.

     Much of our analysis depends on how we read the solitude and silence at the end of the story. Is it too much for Mr. Duffy to bear coming on the heels of his emotional state upon hearing of Mrs. Sinico's death? Or is it something that isn't ideal but that he has come to embrace as part of his life separate from society. In other words, are we to trust that in the end Mr. Duffy has left behind any emotional attachment and regret he felt about ending his relationship with Mrs. Sinoco and truly has the will to be an Übermensch? Or rather did his escapades with her and regret reveal him to be just as in need of emotional connection within society as the average man?