Exiles

Publisher: Penguin Books, Limited
Publish date: 28 July 2026
Pages: 160
Binding: Paperback
Language: English

Subjects: Drama, European, English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Fiction, Classics, Psychology

James Joyce's only surviving play, Exiles builds upon one of his most famous short stories, 'The Dead', as well as elements of his own life.

It follows the story of writer Richard Rowan, who, along with his 'common-law wife' Bertha and their young son Archie, has come home to Dublin after ten long years away. Yet far from bringing comfort and ease, the couple's return to the place where they first met triggers an existential questioning, an anxiousness which is exacerbated by meetings with old friends and lovers. Exiles is a profound exploration of jealousy, doubt and the complexity of human desire.

'A landmark of modern theatre that explores the byzantine complexities of marriage with the honesty of genius' Guardian

With a new introduction and notes by Andrew Gibson