James Decided He Wanted a More Permanent Relationship with Nora

The James here was James Joyce, the Nora was Nora Barnacle, and the date was 1904.

I am reading Nora by Brenda Maddox - a huge book, which says on page 27:

To Joyce's grateful astonishment, she unbuttoned his trousers, slipped in her hand, pushed his shirt aside, and acting with some skill (according to his later account) made him a man.

On the basis of this, Jame's feeble mind, decided it wanted a more permanent relationship with Nora - but one that did not include marriage. This arrangement was satisfactory to Nora also - who was living in a condition of near poverty. She thought he would become rich and famous - and she would get him to marry her.

All this would happen, but much later. Their relationship would become one of the many dysfunctional relationships of their time.

James Joyce: The Ultimate Collection

Amazon

This was only 99 cents! For some of the best writing of all time. This is not annotated as The Dead is (I can recommend that too, because it explains the Irish English, that Joyce uses so generously).

Pay your 99 cents, and take a look at the Table of Contents.