We are using the original 1922 First Printing by Shakespeare & Co. - section attached
"Stately, plump Buck Mulligan" - to - "No, mother. Let me be and let me live."
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And we begin.
We have an abundance to disentangle in the leading pages. There is a plentitude of loose fibers that you are entitled to weave together, like the clearing of fog after a long hot shower.
Buck Mulligan
Our first character introduced is Buck Mulligan. He is described as stately and plump. Very early on, we can tell he is being blasphemous, somewhat intellectual, and possesses a bit of wit. Through a few paragraphs, we learn about his physical appearance: stately, plump, with a face that is equine in its length, light untonsured hair, even white teeth, a shadowed face, sullen oval jowls, and smokeblue eyes. There are multiple areas within this first section where we glimpse Buck’s views. He is infatuated with the Greeks and desires to Hellenize Ireland, using Greek ways of governance as an influence on how the country and people should be.
Location
Okay, great, we’ve met Buck, but where are we? Using our X-ray vision through Joyce’s covers, we expose a stairhead, a gun-rest, a tower, awakening mountains, a parapet, and a green nose rag that resembles “our Irish poets.” We observe the words “twenty quid,” directing us to somewhere around England. Stephen is leaning on “jagged granite,” and they see a boat near the harbor of Kingstown. They mention a place called the Ship and Dottyville. Buck links Stephen’s arm and walks him around a tower. There is mention of “the blunt cape of Bray Head.” With this information, we can determine that the two characters are Irish and that we are in Ireland, atop a tower at the very least, and near Dublin, as the Ship and Dottyville were both in Dublin.
Stephen Dedalus
We meet the second character when Buck calls him up from the stairhead. Buck’s moniker for him is Kinch and the “fearful Jesuit.” Stephen Dedalus appears. He is “displeased and sleepy.” From Buck’s aliases for him, we can read a bit into his character: “fearful Jesuit,” meaning fearful of God or the power of Jesuits, and “Kinch,” referring to a knife blade, possibly indicating sharpness or wit. We start to uncover Stephen’s keen acuity as soon as we read his inner description of Buck. He describes Buck’s “plump shadowed face and sullen oval jowl” as recalling “a prelate, patron of the arts in the Middle Ages.” What a tease of a glimpse into Stephen’s intellectual depth.
Religion
Since we have touched on religion in the description of Stephen, it’s worth noting that the first pages of Ulysses are rich with religious references, though they are not overtly confrontational. Ireland, at the time, was predominantly Catholic. Buck Mulligan, for example, is described wearing a yellow dressing gown, a color historically imposed on heretics by the Catholic Church. The ungirdled gown symbolizes a mockery of liturgical figures and the church itself. There’s debate within the Joycean world about whether this yellow should be seen as gold, a color priests might use in their white gowns during Mass. However, if Joyce intended to depict gold, he would have made that explicit. This imagery seems to evoke past heresies against Catholicism. Additionally, the bowl with a mirror and razor laid cross-like mocks a priest preparing for Mass, while Buck’s gestures and playful invocations further emphasize this mockery. Religion is thus established as a significant theme in the story. The 1920s critique of religious conservatism might have contributed to Joyce’s difficulties in getting the book published, as he challenges the restrictive nature of traditional beliefs.
Let me be clear: Joyce was not solely focused on mocking or condemning religion in general. His criticism arises from the frustration and confusion caused by his upbringing. The resistance to change within the ‘boys’ club’ of religious orthodoxy forms the core of his critique. Joyce, the son who sought to test and push the boundaries of established norms, uses his first published work to challenge the authority of the church and its traditional beliefs, revealing his view that such beliefs can constrain both individuals and society.
Haines
“We are introduced to a third character, Haines, Haines, when Stephen asks Buck, ‘How long is Haines going to stay in this tower?’ Haines is described as ‘a ponderous Saxon’ and ‘bloody English,’ marking him as an Englishman. All three characters—Stephen, Buck, and Haines—are staying together in the tower. There is underlying political tension between the Irish and the English, as England is seen as the usurper of Ireland. Stephen harbors discomfort with Haines’s presence in the tower, particularly due to an incident where Haines was ‘raving all night about a black panther,’ which makes Stephen uneasy about living with him.
As He and Others See Me
Now that we’ve introduced all three characters in this section, let’s focus on Stephen. He appears to be the central character, as his inner thoughts dominate multiple passages. We can observe Stephen’s growing self-doubt. First, Stephen states that he isn’t a hero: ‘You saved men from drowning. I’m not a hero, however.’ This implies that Buck once saved someone’s life, but Stephen doesn’t see himself as heroic or confident. Secondly, could Buck be a usurper of Stephen? Buck, without asking, stuffs his hand into Stephen’s pocket and removes his handkerchief for his own use. He also later takes the mirror away from Stephen’s gaze, symbolically taking something from him once again. Is Stephen afraid of Buck?
The Father - Son Relationship
Another question arises: does Stephen radiate a need for guidance and support in life? Does he crave that father-son relationship often used by Joyceans to describe him? Buck asks Stephen how his secondhand breeks are, adding that he (Buck) must give him a shirt and more handkerchiefs. This suggests that Buck sees Stephen as someone who needs help, someone to take care of. Buck then links his arm with Stephen’s, guiding him around the tower, directing him as he sees fit. Later, ‘Stephen freed his arm quietly.’ Is this a hint at Stephen’s internal struggle? Does he need guidance, or can he be an independent man? Where is Stephen’s father and family?
I Can’t Wear Them If They Are Grey
Yet, there is the pervasive mystery of Joyce: ‘The aunt thinks you killed your mother.’ From this, we can deduce that Stephen’s mother has passed away. Her dying wish was for him to kneel and pray for her, but he refused. Earlier, Buck called Stephen a ‘fearful Jesuit,’ but now Stephen won’t even kneel for his dying mother. Where does this put him on the faith scale? When Stephen says, ‘Someone killed her,’ could he be referring to God? Later, Buck offers Stephen grey pants, but Stephen refuses to wear them. What does this reveal about his conviction? Wearing grey to mourn a death is not standard; traditionally, mourning attire is black. We see that Stephen refused to kneel and pray for his mother, yet insists on wearing black because he is in mourning. This suggests that Stephen is a conflicted and troubled spirit.
Who Chose This Face For Me?
Through more of Stephen’s inner dialogue, we gain a deeper understanding of who he is and where he stands in his life. As he looks at himself in the mirror and asks, ‘Who chose this face for me?’ we see his lack of confidence in his appearance and identity. His intellectual depth surfaces again as he analyzes the mirror, referring to his reflection as ‘the cracked looking glass of a servant.’ But a servant to whom? To Buck? To God? To Ireland? Or England? He also reflects, ‘He fears the lancet of my art as I fear that of his. The cold steel pen.’ What is the nature of this dynamic between Buck and Stephen? It’s complex and layered.
Give Up On The Moody Brooding
There are other notable events in this section, though they didn’t align with my main interests. One flashback involves Buck and Stephen recalling a school fight. Another moment occurs when Stephen opens up to Buck, revealing why he’s upset with him—Buck had offended him by mentioning that his mother is ‘beastly dead.’
Stephen Freed His Arm Quietly
What I find particularly interesting is Joyce’s use of the environment, especially in this first episode, to control the mood of the scene. For instance, ‘A light wind passed his brow’ occurs right after Stephen removes his arm from Buck’s, suggesting a moment of majestic individuality as Stephen starts to gain confidence. Similarly, when ‘the sea and headland now grew dim,’ it coincides with Stephen’s frustration, as his ‘pulses were beating in his eyes, veiling their sight, and he felt the fever on his cheeks.’ Later, as Stephen begins to calm down after their heated exchange, ‘a cloud began to cover the sun slowly, shadowing the bay in deeper green.’ This beautiful imagery reflects the emotional shifts within the scene. Near the end of this passage, after Buck goes back down the stairhead, we delve into Stephen’s inner thoughts as he reflects on his mother’s death and a recent dream where she visits him, waking him, and he cries out, ‘No, mother. Let me be and let me live.’ What is he struggling with?
I See Them Pop Off Everyday
During Stephen’s frustrated exchange with Buck, we begin to see Buck’s intellectual level, though his traits are less sensitive compared to Stephen’s. This is evident when he asks, ‘What is death?’ while discussing Stephen’s mother. Buck philosophizes about the nature of death, questioning why one should be offended by it. After all, it’s something that will happen to all of us. Why get upset about it? It’s a profound question worth pondering.
The Scrotumtightening Sea
Finally, let’s touch on one more aspect in this section: the recurring use of the color green. Joyce often employs symbolism throughout this story, and green appears to be significant. What does green represent? Ireland, for one. Perhaps money as well. These could be key themes in the book, so keep an eye out for them. Buck refers to the sea as ‘snotgreen,’ and the deep green of the bay reflects the shift in tone with Stephen’s emotions. When Stephen recalls his dying mother, he sees a dull green mass of liquid and the sluggish green bile. Yuck.
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Linguistic Diversity
We’ll conclude our main section recaps by exploring Joyce’s use of languages in Ulysses, which is particularly fascinating to me. Joyce incorporates a multitude of languages throughout the book, using them to convey different feelings, situations, and cultural nuances. This multilingual approach adds a rich layer to the narrative, making it all the more intriguing.
Introibo ad altare Dei (Latin) (I will go up to the alter of god). This seems to be a common saying during a Catholic Mass, but I love the way Joyce uses multiple languages in his work. Bringing all of the world, all of the people into his work. Unifying us as one.
Chrysostomos (Greek) - Golden Mouthed - this is a common saying for one who is eloquent public speakers.
Epioinopa ponton (Greek) - Upon the wine colored sea. I soft nod to Homer’s Odyssey.
Thalatta! Thalatta! (Greek) - The Sea! The Sea!
Liliata rutilantium, Thurma circumdet, Jubilantium te virginium (Latin) - May the troop of confessors, glowing like lilies surround you. May choir of virgins , jubilant take you in.
Bonus: Two hidden linguistic messages:
Malachi (Hebrew) - my messenger
Haines (French) - La Haine = Hate
References:
“The Priest Chalice: A Short Guide to a Conscious Choice.” Holyart.com Blog, 12 May 2021, https://www.holyart.com/blog/religious-items/the-priest-chalice-short-guide-to-conscious-choice/.
Sector, C. (n.d.). Reading the Colors of the Vatican. ABC News. Retrieved February 2, 2022, from https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Pope/story?id=640088&page=1
Gifford, Don, and Robert J Seidman. Ulysses Annotated. Univ. California P., 1992
“The Joyce Project : Ulysses : Telemachus:. M.Joyceproject.Com, http://m.joyceproject.com/chatpers/telem.html.
1937 Version of Ulysses by Bodley Head London
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