Background
Ferris, Kathleen Richard was born on September 30, 1941 in Baldwin, Louisiana, United States. Daughter of Arthur Edward and Loretta Anne (Bienvenu) Richard.
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- Works
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- Works
book
James Joyce and the Burden of Disease by Kathleen Ferris (2010-06-18)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FKU8SD0/?tag=2022091-20
James Joyce and the Burden of Disease
( " James Joyce's near blindness, his peculiar gait, and ...)
" James Joyce's near blindness, his peculiar gait, and his death from perforated ulcers are commonplace knowledge to most of his readers. But until now, most Joyce scholars have not recognized that these symptoms point to a diagnosis of syphilis. Kathleen Ferris traces Joyce's medical history as described in his correspondence, in the diaries of his brother Stanislaus, and in the memoirs of his acquaintances, to show that many of his symptoms match those of tabes dorsalis, a form of neurosyphilis which, untreated, eventually leads to paralysis. Combining literary analysis and medical detection, Ferris builds a convincing case that this dread disease is the subject of much of Joyce's autobiographical writing. Many of this characters, most notably Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom, exhibit the same symptoms as their creator: stiffness of gait, digestive problems, hallucinations, and impaired vision. Ferris also demonstrates that the themes of sin, guilt, and retribution so prevalent in Joyce's works are almost certainly a consequence of his having contracted venereal disease as a young man while frequenting the brothels of Dublin and Paris. By tracing the images, puns, and metaphors in Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, and by demonstrating their relationship to Joyce's experiences, Ferris shows the extent to which, for Joyce, art did indeed mirror life.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081311893X/?tag=2022091-20
Kathleen Richard Ferris
Edit ProfileEnglish language educator and professional
Education
Bachelor in English and French, Middle Tennessee State University, 1974; Master of Arts in English, Middle Tennessee State University, 1980; Doctor of Philosophy in English, Emory University, 1989.
Career
Associate Professor of English, Lincoln Memorial U., Harrogate, Tennessee, 1988-1998.
Achievements
Works
book
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James Joyce and the Burden of Disease
( " James Joyce's near blindness, his peculiar gait, and ...)
- James Joyce and the Burden of Disease by Kathleen Ferris (2010-06-18)
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James Joyce and the Burden of Disease
Membership
Member Rutherford County Democratic Women, Murfreesboro, since 1971, president, 1972. Member Modern Language Association, American Association of University Women, American Association of University Professors, South Atlantic Modern Language Association, American Conference for Irish Studies, James Joyce International Foundation.
Interests
Connections
Married Norman Bernard Ferris, February 24, 1961. Children: Kennedy Adams, Julie Elizabeth. Stepchildren: Allison Ferris Pierce, Cheryl, Adrienne Ferris Johnson.
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Born
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Nationality
American
Awards
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Recipient Houston award for excellence in teaching, 1993, Lincoln award for professional achievement, 1995. Mellon Appalachian fellow Faculty Scholars Program, U. Kentucky, 1994-1995.Recipient Houston award for excellence in teaching, 1993, Lincoln award for professional achievement, 1995. Mellon Appalachian fellow Faculty Scholars Program, U. Kentucky, 1994-1995.