In episode 2 Stephen tells his boss:
"--History, Stephen said, is a nightmare from which I am
trying to awake." (page 34, lines 22-23)
His thoughts (now every line that doesn't begin with "--") can be current running commentary or reflections of times past, and sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish the two. I find the later to be far more intense than the former. For instance early in episode 2 as the class starts to become unruly, he thinks about how their social standing above him contributes to his inability to keep control of the snotty boys.
"In a moment they will laugh more loudly, aware of my lack of rule and of the fees their papas pay." (24, 34-36)
Later when waiting to be paid his thoughts about his lack of upward mobility progress into thoughts about life and purpose and futility.
"As on the first day he bargained with me here. As it was in the beginning, is now." (29, 23-24)
Friday, March 9, 2012
only ideas and sensation
Buck Mulligan frowned quickly and said:
--What? Where? I can't remember anything. I remember
only ideas and sensations. Why? What happened in the name
of God?
(p. 8, l. 10-13)
I like this quote for itself and also as very relevant to Ulysses itself, as the novel starts off with a relatively easily followed narrative in Episode 1 but soon will change into heavily stream-of-consciousness. This episode is told more matter of factly but later Stephen's thoughts (of past, present, and future) will intrude and even dominate the text.
--What? Where? I can't remember anything. I remember
only ideas and sensations. Why? What happened in the name
of God?
(p. 8, l. 10-13)
I like this quote for itself and also as very relevant to Ulysses itself, as the novel starts off with a relatively easily followed narrative in Episode 1 but soon will change into heavily stream-of-consciousness. This episode is told more matter of factly but later Stephen's thoughts (of past, present, and future) will intrude and even dominate the text.
"Rubbing down with oil"
When Telemachus arrives somewhere, he is first given food and wine, then bathed and rubbed down with oil by local women, and then dressed before sitting next to the leader of whoever he is visiting. It's easy to presume a sexual nature and I think indeed we're meant to assume as much. I noticed that most of the time they are just attended to by unnamed women:
"When women had washed them, rubbed them down with oil and drawn warm fleece and shirts around their shoulders..." book 4 (126, 56-57)
But in one case in book 3, they name the woman:
"During the ritual lovely Polycaste, youngest daughter
of Nestor, Neleus' son, had bathed Telemachus.
Rinsing him off now, rubbing him down with oil,
she drew a shirt and handsome cape around him.
Out of his bath he stepped, glistening like a god,
strode in and sat by the old commander Nestor." (122, 521-526)
Looking it up, I see that Polycaste will later become Telemachus' wife!
ALSO, it is easy to compare this to Stephen's completely opposite feelings towards bathing. He is said to despise bathing, and one of the Ulysses guides (Hart/Hayman) says that the reader is actually supposed to believe that Stephen hasn't bathed in 8 months. EIGHT MONTHS. I know that's there the understanding of cleanliness has changed drastically in the last century, but 8 months still is quite a long time.
Also, compare the above quotes to Stephen's stream-of-consciousness on bathing. He is thinking about someone who apparently died in a public bath, a place where men are bathed and treated very similar to the Homeric heroes as above. In his memory of discussing the story with a woman she remarks that all men do that. Stephen, unlike most men or the Homeric heroes, feels quite differently about bathing:
"Tous les messieurs" he recalls to the lady saying, i.e. all men do!
"No this Monsieur, I said. Most licentious custom. Bath a most private thing. I wouldn't let my brother, not even my own brother, most lascivious thing." Episode 3(p. 43, l. 17-20)
"When women had washed them, rubbed them down with oil and drawn warm fleece and shirts around their shoulders..." book 4 (126, 56-57)
But in one case in book 3, they name the woman:
"During the ritual lovely Polycaste, youngest daughter
of Nestor, Neleus' son, had bathed Telemachus.
Rinsing him off now, rubbing him down with oil,
she drew a shirt and handsome cape around him.
Out of his bath he stepped, glistening like a god,
strode in and sat by the old commander Nestor." (122, 521-526)
Looking it up, I see that Polycaste will later become Telemachus' wife!
ALSO, it is easy to compare this to Stephen's completely opposite feelings towards bathing. He is said to despise bathing, and one of the Ulysses guides (Hart/Hayman) says that the reader is actually supposed to believe that Stephen hasn't bathed in 8 months. EIGHT MONTHS. I know that's there the understanding of cleanliness has changed drastically in the last century, but 8 months still is quite a long time.
Also, compare the above quotes to Stephen's stream-of-consciousness on bathing. He is thinking about someone who apparently died in a public bath, a place where men are bathed and treated very similar to the Homeric heroes as above. In his memory of discussing the story with a woman she remarks that all men do that. Stephen, unlike most men or the Homeric heroes, feels quite differently about bathing:
"Tous les messieurs" he recalls to the lady saying, i.e. all men do!
"No this Monsieur, I said. Most licentious custom. Bath a most private thing. I wouldn't let my brother, not even my own brother, most lascivious thing." Episode 3(p. 43, l. 17-20)
Host Etiquette
I like how the ancient Greeks feed their guests first and then probe with questions. "Now's the time, now they've enjoyed their meal, to probe our guests and find out who they are. Strangers--friends, who are you?" (p. 109, l. 77-79)
The term "stranger" is used without any negative connotation.
Also, I noticed the repeated phrase "once they'd put aside desire for food and drink"(109,75). Later as "when they'd poured [i.e. out to the gods], and drunk to their hearts content" (118, 385). Later again "when they'd put aside desire for food and drink" (122, 530).
It is about satisfying the strangers' bodily needs first and asking about gossip second...
The term "stranger" is used without any negative connotation.
Also, I noticed the repeated phrase "once they'd put aside desire for food and drink"(109,75). Later as "when they'd poured [i.e. out to the gods], and drunk to their hearts content" (118, 385). Later again "when they'd put aside desire for food and drink" (122, 530).
It is about satisfying the strangers' bodily needs first and asking about gossip second...
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Audioguide to Ulysses
Frank Delaney
http://blog.frankdelaney.com/2010/06/re-joyce-episode-0-introduction-to-james-joyces-ulysses.html
Will make for some very slow reading but could be a good guide
http://blog.frankdelaney.com/2010/06/re-joyce-episode-0-introduction-to-james-joyces-ulysses.html
Will make for some very slow reading but could be a good guide
Monday, March 5, 2012
Irish Money
I made this as a guide. Add to it as need be!
Pound = quid = sovereign
1 pound = 20 shillings = 240 pence = 960 farthing
1 shilling = 1 bob = 12 pence/pennies
1 pence = 4 farthing
Florin = 2 shillings
Crown = 5 shillings
Guinea = 1 pound + 1 shilling = 21 shillings
Pound = quid = sovereign
1 pound = 20 shillings = 240 pence = 960 farthing
1 shilling = 1 bob = 12 pence/pennies
1 pence = 4 farthing
Florin = 2 shillings
Crown = 5 shillings
Guinea = 1 pound + 1 shilling = 21 shillings
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Editions
The Odyssey (Penguin classics). Tr R. Fagles. 2006. ISBN 0143039954.
Ulysses (Vintage International). 1990. ISBN 978-0-72276-2
"But Elliott, that version of Ulysses doesn't have episode numbers!"
1961/1990 version Ulysses episodes by page number
1 p2
2 p24
3 p37
4 p54
5 p71
6 p87
7 p116
8 p151
9 p184
10 p219
11 p256
12 p292
13 p346
14 p383
15 p429
16 p612
17 p666
18 p738
Ulysses (Vintage International). 1990. ISBN 978-0-72276-2
"But Elliott, that version of Ulysses doesn't have episode numbers!"
1961/1990 version Ulysses episodes by page number
1 p2
2 p24
3 p37
4 p54
5 p71
6 p87
7 p116
8 p151
9 p184
10 p219
11 p256
12 p292
13 p346
14 p383
15 p429
16 p612
17 p666
18 p738
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