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I.7: Shem the Penman (pp. 169–195)

The seventh chapter is Joyce's satirical self-portrait: Shaun's devastating (and hilarious) attack on his brother Shem, the artist—a "sham" and a "forger" who is also unmistakably James Joyce himself.

Quick Reference​

DetailInformation
Pages169–195
Vico AgeTheocratic (Age of Gods)
TimeNight
SettingShem's house; abstract
Main CharactersShem, Shaun (as narrator), ALP

Synopsis​

Shaun's Attack (pp. 169–185)​

Shaun delivers a sustained character assassination of his brother Shem: he's weak, cowardly, drunken, self-exiled, and—worst of all—an artist.

Shem's House (pp. 176–177)​

A grotesque description of the house Shem built for himself, made of disgusting materials.

The Writing Process (pp. 185–186)​

Shem makes ink from his own bodily waste and writes on his own skin.

Justius and Mercius (pp. 187–195)​

The chapter shifts to a dialogue between Justius (justice/Shaun) and Mercius (mercy/Shem), ending with ALP's voice breaking through.

Shem as Joyce​

Shem is unmistakably Joyce:

  • "Usylessly unreadle Blue Book of Eccles" — Ulysses, set on Eccles Street
  • Self-exile — Joyce left Ireland in 1904 and never returned permanently
  • Drinking — Joyce's famous alcoholism
  • Cowardice — Joyce avoided WWI and the Easter Rising
  • Poor eyesight — Joyce's near-blindness

That Joyce paints such a negative self-portrait shows his commitment to including uncomfortable truths.

Key Themes​

1. The Artist as Outcast​

Shem is reviled by respectable society—and by his own brother.

2. The Artist's Materials​

The grotesque image of Shem making ink from bodily waste and writing on his own skin captures art's transformation of life into text.

3. Shem vs. Shaun​

The eternal conflict:

  • Shem: Introvert, artist, exile, heretic, bohemian
  • Shaun: Extrovert, postman, patriot, orthodox, bourgeois

4. Joyce and Stanislaus​

Joyce's brother Stanislaus was critical of his work. The Shem/Shaun conflict draws on their real relationship.

Notable Passages​

"Shem is short for Shemus" (p. 169)​

The chapter's opening identification.

The House of Shem (pp. 176–177)​

A catalog of the disgusting materials from which Shem builds his home.

The Writing (pp. 185–186)​

Shem's method of making ink and writing on his own body.

ALP's Voice (p. 195)​

Anna Livia breaks through at the end to defend her son.

Characters in This Chapter​

CharacterAppears AsRole
ShemHimselfSubject of attack
ShaunJustius / NarratorAttacker
ALPHerselfDefender
JoyceThrough ShemSelf-portrait

The Artist's Method​

The famous passage describing Shem's writing process—making ink from excrement and writing on his own skin—can be read as:

  1. Literal grotesquerie — Shocking the bourgeois
  2. Artistic metaphor — Transforming waste into art
  3. Autobiographical — Writing from/about the body
  4. Religious — The word made flesh

Relatively Accessible​

This chapter is often recommended for new readers because:

  • The satirical voice is relatively consistent
  • The humor is accessible
  • The autobiographical element is clear
  • The prose, while dense, follows recognizable patterns

Audio Resources​

ResourceNotes
One Little GoatVideo with subtitles
Patrick Healy readingComplete audio
Waywords and MeansignsMusical settings

Reading Tips​

  1. Enjoy the satire — The attack on Shem is meant to be funny
  2. Look for Joyce references — Ulysses, Dublin, exile, drinking
  3. Note the ending — ALP's voice breaks through
  4. Compare to Stephen Dedalus — But note Shem is not distanced by irony

Further Reading​

  • Campbell & Robinson, A Skeleton Key, Chapter 7 commentary
  • McHugh, Annotations to Finnegans Wake, pages 169–195
  • FWEET — Search "169.01" onward

See Also​