13 January 1941: James Joyce dies

In the early morning of 13 January 1941, James Joyce died from complications after surgery for a perforated duodenal ulcer. He was 58.

Joyce was an Irish writer and poet considered to be one of the most influential and important authors of the 20th century. He is best remembered for his ground-breaking novels, including Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, which are known for their innovative use of language and structure.

Born in 1882 and raised in Dublin, Joyce excelled academically and studied at University College, where he developed an interest in literature and modernist ideas. In 1904, aged 22, he began a relationship with Nora Barnacle. The two left Dublin and lived in Paris for a short time before moving on to other cities in Europe. Joyce and Nora had 2 children and married in 1931, after 27 years together.

Joyce supported himself by teaching English and working as a journalist while beginning to write and publish his own works. His first publication was the 1907 poetry collection named Chamber Music. This was followed by his short story collection, Dubliners in 1914, and his first novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, in 1916. These works received critical acclaim and helped to establish Joyce as a major figure in the world of literature.

In the final years of his life, Joyce suffered from several health problems, including glaucoma and ulcers, and he was in and out of hospitals during this time, continuing to write for as long as he could. He died in hospital in Zurich the day after receiving surgery and was buried in the Fluntern Cemetery in Zürich.

After her husband’s death, Nora wished to have his remains repatriated to Ireland, but her request was denied. Nora died in 1951 and was buried in the same cemetery as her husband, but only in 1966 did officials inter them in plots next to one another; there had been no space near his at the time of her death. The couple’s son Giorgio and his second wife, Asta, are also buried at the site.