RELIGIOUS IRONY AND REDEMPTION IN JAMES JOYCE’S GRACE: A STYLISTIC PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This paper offers a stylistic analysis of James Joyce’s short story Grace, focusing on how language exposes religious hypocrisy and the illusion of spiritual redemption in early 20th-century Irish Catholicism. Unlike previous studies that emphasize cultural or theological themes, this research applies Leech and Short’s (2007) stylistic model to examine the text at the levels of lexis, grammar, figures of speech, and discourse. The analysis reveals that Joyce juxtaposes formal religious vocabulary with colloquial and euphemistic expressions, employs passive and paratactic syntax, and uses a restrained narrative voice to highlight the performative and socially motivated character of religious practice. Symbolic imagery and flat narration further reinforce the ironic distance between language and faith. The study concludes that Joyce’s stylistic techniques both critique Catholic ideology and demonstrate how language can simultaneously conceal and expose moral truths, offering a satirical perspective on Dublin society