THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS IN JAMES JOYCE'S EVELINE

James Joyce’s short story Eveline, from his collection Dubliners (1914), explores the internal conflict of a young woman trapped between the past and the uncertain future. Through a detailed psychological and socio-cultural lens, this article examines how Eveline reflects the struggles of women in early 20th-century Ireland. Eveline’s paralysis, resulting from familial obligations, religious guilt, and fear of the unknown, embodies Joyce’s broader theme of existential stagnation. The paper also contextualizes Eveline’s situation within contemporary feminist theory and historical Irish cultural norms. By drawing on psychological and literary analysis, this study demonstrates how Joyce’s use of epiphany and narrative structure underscores the protagonist’s tragic immobility.