Types of Internal Monologue in Joyce and Kovačič

Abstract

This article presents the types of internal monologue used by two modernist writers, James Joyce and Lojze Kovačič, who were active in two different periods. The analysis of the internal monologue of the two main protagonists (Bubi from Prišleki and Stephen from Ulysses) showed that Joyce and Kovačič primarily use quoted and self-quoted monologue in order to depict the subjectivity of individual literary characters and their complex and elusive identities. – In Stephen’s and Bubi’s internal monologue, the reader comes across fragmentary repetitions and memory associations, but can follow their stream of consciousness without a problem. In both literary characters, internal monologue occurs as silent, unspoken thoughts, in which both writers nearly consistently avoid all punctuation when using and writing down internal monologues, thus – through largely implicit use – increasing the directness, mimeticism, and subjectivity of experiencing and perceiving what is being said. Explicit forms of internal monologue can be found in both Kovačič and Joyce, but with Joyce such segments are extremely rare. – Silent quoted monologue is Joyce’s basic device for depicting Stephen’s psyche: through the use of a special idiom it reflects the hero’s complex soul and his intellectual mind. Kovačič also uses self-quoted monologue to present the subjective internal experiences in a unique way, and through a literary character offers a dynamic image of intense emotions initially felt by a child or a boy, who grows up into a sensitive individual.