Beckett and Joyce, among others, had to leave their homeland to understand it  and to be understood.
Beckett and Joyce have never left their hometown, and are grossly ignorant of the outside world. 
mnli hypothesis: Beckett and Joyce have never left their hometown, and are grossly ignorant of the outside world.  premise: Beckett and Joyce, among others, had to leave their homeland to understand it  and to be understood.