Guide to support Ulysses.
Notes:
Red = Various Language Used and It’s Translation
Orange = Word Description
- = Guided Plot
Noted Characters:
Thomas William Lyster: Director of National Library of Dublin 1895-1920 regarded as the “quaker librarian”. He was known for being the editor of the translation of “Life of Goethe”.
John Eglinton: Pseudonym for William Kirkpatrick MaGee - was influential in the Dublin library scene. “The bard’s (Haines) fellowcountrymen”. Mr Magee - Dublin Native
(Richard Irvine) Mr. Best - Assistant Director of The National Library and Translator
AE Russell: Influential Dublin literary figure and met James Joyce when he was young. He published some of Joyce’s first stories, that would later become Dubliners.
Location: 2pm - Stephen at The National Library
Odyssey:
Book 12 of Odyssey they return from the land of the dead, Hades, to Circe’s island and bury Elpenor’s body. Circe gives Odysseus directions and tells him about the sirens. She gives him 2 routes: Wandering Rocks or Scylla and Charybdis. They choose the Scylla and Charybdis route. This is a six headed monster that lives on the mountain peak. To let them pass, they need to either sacrifice 1 man per every head (six) or pick the other side where they risk being wrecked by a whirlpool. He ends up trying to fight Scylla against Circe’s advice. During the attack the men are distracted by the “yawning mouth” of Charybdis.
Themes:
Organ: The Brain
Art: Literature
Color: None
Symbol: Stratford, London + Hamlet, Shakespeare
Technique: Dialectic
The Peat Smoke Has Gone To His Head - 235-242
Urbane = Courteous/refined manner
Librarian (Thomas William Lyster) kicks off this episode speaking around “Wilhelm Meister” by Johann Goethe.
Ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta = And of his arse he made a trumpet (it)
Stephen, Librarian, and John Englinton takes turns reflecting on literary works, views, interviews, and thoughts are literary masters of the past and discuss them.
Heisos Kristos = Jesus Christ (Greek)
Pfuiteufel = Shame - Devil (German)
(Richard Irvine) Mr. Best enters.
Mr Best walks up to the trio and tell them “Haines is gone”. That he left to buy a copy of “Hyde’s Lovesongs of Connacht” at Gils. He must have been so excited to immediately left to buy the book during their conversation.
John Englinton & Stephen thinks of Haines:
“The peatsmoke is going to his head.” (Ireland was full of peat that was used as kindling. This reference is that since he is English he is not used to Ireland, an outsider.)
“Penitent thief.” (Since England ruled over Ireland, a wise thief.)
“I smoked his baccy” (Stephen is smoking Haines tobacco.)
Stephen dives into what living on the earth means. Supported by Russell. Earth is not an exploitable ground, but a living mother.
il se promène, lisant au livre de lui-même - He walks in a leisurely fashion, reading the book of himself (Fr)
Ou - Le Distrait = Or - The Distracted One (Fr)
Continued discussion around Shakespeare and Hamlet.
Agenbite Of Inwit- 242-243
Agenbite of Inwit - Guilt when Stephen spent most of money on a prostitute.
This brings up Stephens thoughts of debt and comments from Deasy: “I paid my war”.
Also he thinks he is a different person now, so does he really need to pay it back? “Wait. Five Months. Molecules all change. I am other I now.” + “But I, entelechy, form of forms, am I by memory because under ever-changing forms.” + "I, I and I. I.”
A.E.I.O.U. - Stephen owes George Russell $.
Liliana rutilantium - “May the troop of confessors, glowing like Lillies, surround you.”
A Man Of Genius Makes No Mistakes. His Errors Are Volitional And Are The Portals Of Discovery - 243-253
Stephen mentions this quote when Englinton states that Shakespeare makes a mistake. He gets defensive and calls out Englinton as “softcreekfooted, bald, eared, and assiduous.”
Absit nomen - Let The Name Be Absent - (Latin)
Paris is punned as “The Wellpleased Pleaser”. Paris pleased Aphrodite, awarded beauty contest price and in turn he was awarded him the Len of Troy
AE George William Russell enters the room. Englinton asked if he will see AE at George Moores tonight. AE has committed to meeting with the Hermetic society.
Mahamahatma - Great Soul / Wise (Sanskrit)
Caubeen - Old shabby hat
Argal = Ergo = Therefore (Latin)
Mulligan is going to come to the Hermetic Society meeting at Moore’s and he is asked to bring Haines.
Nookshotten = Pushed into a corner (Archaic)
Stephen asks AE Russell to give Mr. Deasy’s letter to Henry Felix Norman, Editor of the Irish Homestead.
The group feels the push of Irish literature and feel they are going to be heard. Stephen’s views are enchanting to the librarian. Has Stephen made it in the elite literary circle in Dublin?
Ta an bad ar an tir. Taim imo shagart. = The boart is on land. I am a priest. (Irish)
E quando vede l’uomo l’attosca = King of Serpents - when it look seaman, it poisons him.
L’art d’être grand = The Art of being great… grandfather (Fr)
“The quaker librarian” hoped that Stephen will eventually work out and share is theory on Hamlet to share with the public.
Buonaroba = A common place thing
The Odyssey & Charybdis is referenced: “A like fate awaits him and the two rages commingle in a whirlpool”
Entr’acte = Interval between acts. (Fr)
Was Du verlachst wirst Du noch dienen = What you laugh at, you will nevertheless serve (Ger) Proverb
Haines Missed You - 253-265
Mulligan Enters.
Buck starts to read a telegraph and creates his own parody of Synge Plays.
Mavrone = My love, my darling (Irish)
Palabras = Words (Spanish)
C’est vendredi saint = It’s good friday (Fr)
An attendant opens the door and announcing that a gentlemen is here “From the Freeman” (Bloom).
Bloom and Stephen revolving around each other, but yet to talk/meet.
Mulligan announces he knows who it is: “The sheeny” = (Jew)/ “Bloom”.
Mulligan turns to Stephen and tell him Bloom knows him, knows his old fellow. And he is also “Greeker than the Greeks”
Venus Kallipyge = Beautiful Buttocks (Greek)
Gombeen woman = Wheeler dealer - always trying to make a quick profit
Encore vingt sous. Nous ferons de petites cochonneries. Minette? Tu veux? = Another twenty sous (1 Franc). Will you indulge in little nasty things. Pussy darling. Do you wish it?
They continue their conversation around Shakespeare with Mulligan.
Punkt = Period/Stop/Dot (Ger)
Englinton - “As they have still if our peasant plays are true to type” - Yeats, Lady Gregory argued for + created plays about peasant life. Research more on this topic.
Separatio a Mensa et a thalamo - Separation from the bed and bedchamber (latin)
Mingo, minxi, mictum, mingere - Conjunction of the verb to make water - to urinate - Latin)
Sufflaminandus sum = I out to be repressed (Latin)
Amplius. In Societate humana hoc est maxime necessarium ut sit amicita inter multos = A Broad asserition in human society it is of the upmost importance that there be amicable relations among the many.
Pro nobis - Pray for us
Prague mahone! Accushla machree! - Kiss my arse! Pulse of my heart!
Requiescat = May He/She rest in peace
Agenbite Of Inwit / May Be The Only True Think In Life- 265-267
They continue their conversation around Shakespeare and get into talks about Jews.
Inquit Englintonus Chronolclogos = Cited Eglinton, the chronologist (Latinized Greek)
John Englinton (Mr. MaGee) father arrives to visit him.
John Englinton mentions Stephens Dad, Simon: “Your own? He knows your old fellow. The widower”. Thinking of fathers, a theme in the book. “A father, battling against hopelessness, is a necessary evil.
Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita = In the middle of the journey of our life (it)
Calandrino = “Level Protractor” (it)
Stephen argues the Italian priesthood substitute the “easy emotional” worship of Virgin Mary for the different intellectual concept of the consubstantiality of Father & Son. “Madonna which the cunning Italian intellect flung to the mob of Europe”
Amor matris = Mother Love (latin)
“Upon incertitude (lack of certainty), upon unlikelihood (improbable). Amor matrix, subjective and objective genitive (Love is complex and multifaceted), may be the only true think in life.” - A mother love is the only real and true thing in life. Paternity is only a legal function. Thinks Stephen.
“Who is the father of any son that any son should love him or he any son?” (Stephen)
Amplius. Adhuc. Iterum. Postea. = Furthermore. Heretofore. Once again. Hercules (latin) (rhetorical terms associated with various phases of scholastic argument.
He Is Male: His Growth Is His Father’s Decline, His Youth His Father’s Envy, His Friend, His Fathers Enemy - 267-272
More discussions around the father-son relationship.
Thomas Lyster has comes back in. And the episode transitions to a new format; a play script.
This format change can be looked at as a nod to Shakespeare on Joyce. This is to emphasize the theatrical nature of the discussion. By adopting the format of a play, Joyce underscores the idea that life itself is a kind of performance, with individuals assuming different roles and playing out their lives on a stage.
During this play, a combinations of people are used as characters. This is fictional representation in the play modeled from Mr. Mcgee and John Eglinton, who is one in the same. (Pseudonym)
Honorificabilitudinitatibus - In the condition of being loaded with honors (latin) (longest Latin word)
Autontimerumenos - Self Tormentor (Greek)
Bous Stephanoumenos - Ox or Bull soul of Stephen (Schoolboy Greek)
Sua Donna. Giá: di lui. Galindo risolve di non amor S.D. = His Woman. Oh sure his. Galindo resolves not to love SD (Stephen Dedalus) (Stephanos = Greek - crown or garland)
John Eglinton describes Stephen as having “fantastical humor”
Pater, ait = Father, He Cries
Eglinton asks Stephen what he has to say about “Richard and Edmund” (Richard III = Play, Edmund = In King Lear Tragedy)
Que voulez-vous = What do you wish? (Fr)
Stephen goes into Usurpation in Shakespeare plays. A theme in Ulysses as well. In Shakespeare's works, where characters experience banishment, betrayal, and usurpation by a brother or someone close. Examples of this theme can be found in plays like "The Two Gentlemen of Verona," "King Lear," and "The Tempest," where characters face exile, deception, or betrayal by a sibling.
After God Shakespeare Has Created Most - 273-278
The phrase “After God Shakespeare has created most” is the perfect phrase for this chapter. This groups love of Shakespeare and in-depth contemplation of his works, is like modern day celebrity knowledge most have in current society.
John Eglinton announces how much he loves Iago from “Othello”
Dio Boia = Cruel God (it)
Eureka! =cound (Greek)
Eglinton announces his fondness of Stephens mind. “You are a delusion” “You have Brough us all this way to show us a French Triangle”
They try to convince Stephen to write about his theory. But Stephen says he doesn’t believe in his theory.
Stephen wants to get paid for his contribution for his writings. The men tell him he is the only contributor to ask for money for being published in “Dana” (Joyce had a poem published in Dana 4th Issues)
Egomen = I on the one hand (Greek)
Mulligan decides they have milked this conversation dry and they must go get drinks.
They run into a view of Cashel Boyle… in the library practicing his long words.
Stephen mentions a “Blueribboned hat…” this is a reference to a character in Stephens Hero, to Emma Clery.
Femme de trente ans - Woman 30 years old (Fr)
Afterwit - Obsolete for wisdom of perception that comes too late to be useful.
Buck mentions of Stephen. A woman named “Longworth” is sick over what Stephen wrote on the paper of “old hake Gregory. O you inquisitional drunken jew jesuit” Sounds like he compared her nonsense to “Jaysus” (Jesus) And wanted him to use the Yeats touch. Explore more into this. What is Yeats approach.
The Most Beautiful Book That Has Come Out Of Your Country In My Time. One Thinks Of Homer - 278 -
There is a reference to Homer in this section, mentioning “The most beautiful book that comes out of your country in my time.”
Buck playfully acts once again; and plays the role of Moses who has returned from Mt. Sanai.
Marcato - In a marked emphatic manner (it) (music)
Stephen’s inner dialogue kicks in and these appears to be the first time we see a direct thought from Stephen of Bloom. “My will: his will that fronts me. Seas Between” Is this suggesting that Stephen and Mulligan are Scylla + Charybdis, and that Bloom is Odysseus passing between them?
Bloom passes between Stephen and Mulligan as they exit the library. Mulligan says “Good Day Again” and whispers to Stephen “The wandering jew” “Did you see his eye? He looked upon to lust after you.” Hinting that Bloom has his eye on Stephen. The connection is there.
Scylla & Charybdis Reflections:
This episode can be a lot to take and understand. The quantity of literary references is astounding and I am sure we haven’t discovered all of them. An absorbent amount of time could be spent studying and refereeing the works and politics discussed in this episode. While some of the works enticed further ivestigation, It’s important to stay on course around what is pertinent to the story. Stephen is being accepted into the literary circle of Dublin and they find his witticisms and ideals quite good. This is showing the growth of Stephen, his thoughts, and communicating them with the world. In this episode we start to see Stephen and Bloom revolve around each other like an asteroid to the sun. We first hear of Bloom entering the very library that Stephen is in. Mulligan is there to make note of this to Stephen and also make commenets to plant thoughts of Bloom in Stephens mind. “He looked upon to lust after you.” This introduction begins to evolve thoughts in your own mind, assuming what this could mean. Does this mean since Bloom’s son died, Stephen’s Dad doesn’t take care of him, that he sees a boy in need, a need which he wants to give?
Referenced Works:
George Brandes - “William Shakespeare” - (1898)
Frank Harris - “The Man Shakespeare and His Tragic Lifestory” - (1909)
Sidney Lee - “A Life of William Shakespeare” - (1909)
Johann Goethe - “Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship and Travels” - (1796)
William Shakespeare - “Julius Cesar” - (1599)
William Shakespeare - “Twelfth Night” - (1602)
William Blake - “Milton” - (1810)
Marie Corelli - “The Sorrows of Satan” - (1895)
John Milton - “Paradise Lost” - (1667)
Oliver St. John Gogarty - “Medical Dick and Medical Davy” - (1902)
WB Yeats - “Cradle Song” - (1895)
WB Yeats - “Cathleen mi Houlihan” - (1902)
Edmund Spenser - “The Mutabilitie Cantos” - (1609)
Aristotle - “Posterior Analytics” - (50)
Douglas Hyde - “The Story of Early Gaelic Literature” - (1894)
Dante Alighieri - “Inferno” - (1314)
Douglas Hyde - “Lovesongs of Connacht” - (1893)
John Philpot Curran - “Cushla Ma Chree” - (1790)
AE George Russell - “Nationality & Imperialism” - (1901)
St. Ignatius Loyola - “Spiritual Exercises” - (1548)
AE George William Russell - “Deirdre” - (1902)
William Shakespeare - “Love Labours Lost” - (1597)
Plato - “Lesser Hippias” - (1895)
Douglas Jeraold - “Curtain Lectures” - (1846)
Percy Bysshe Shelly - “Soul Meets Soul On A Lover’s Lips’” - (1819)
Robert Greene - “A Groats Worth Of Witte Bought With A Million repentance” - (1592)
Samuel Lover - “The Girl I Left Behind Me” - (1758)
William Shakespeare - “The Taming of A Shrew” - (1590)
Blavatsky H.P. - “A Master Key To The Mysteries of Ancient and Modern Science & Theology” - (1876)
George Fox - “Inward Light” (Doctrine) - (1904)
Father Eugene O’Growney - “Simple Lessons in Irish” - (1897)
Walter Pater - “The Renaissance” - (1873)
AE George Russell - “Daniel” - (1926)
Percy Bysshe Shelley - “A Defense of Poetry” - (1821)
William Drummond - “Flower of Sin” - (1630)
Tennyson - “To Virgil” - (1882)
Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher - “Love Lies A Bleeding” - (1609)
Country Men - “Gas From A Burner” - (1912)
WB Yeats - “The Wanderings of Oisin” - (1889)
Percy Bysshe Shelley - “Prometheus Unbound” (1820)
Algernon Charles Swinburne - “Hymn To Proserpine” - (1866)
Algernon Charles Swinburne Play - “Atlanta in Calydon” - (1865)
Giovanni Boccaccio - “Decameron” - (1620)
Geoffrey Chaucer - “The Canterbury Tales” - (1392)
Walt Whitman - “November Boughs” - (1888)
Emmanuel Swedenborg - “Delights of Wisdom Concerning Conjugal Love” - (1794)
William Shakespeare - “Much Ado About Nothing” - (1599)
Alfred Lord Tennyson - “The Princess: A Medley” - (1847)
John Gerald - “The Herbal of General History of Plants” - (1597)
William Shakespeare - “The Winters Tale” - (1623)
William Shakespeare - “Merchant of Venice” - (1598)
Christopher Marlowe - “Jew of Malta” - (1590)
John Aubrey - “Brief Lives” - (1696)
Francis Mere Maifter - “Wits Treasury” - (1598)
James VI & I - “Daemonologie” - (1597)
Samuel Taylor Coleridge - “Biographia Literaria” - (1817)
John Millington Synge - “Riders To The Sea” - (1904)
AE George Russell - “Sung on a By-way”
Robert Burns - “The Unco Guild” - (1786)
John Eglinton - “Two Essays on the Remnant” - (1896)
WB Yeats - “The Countess Cathleen” - (1895)
William Wadsworth - “Two April Mornings” - (1799)
“Coriolanus”
Robert Browning - “Fra Lippo Lippi” - (1855)
George Bizets - “Carmen” - (1857)
Thomas Aquinas - “The Summa Contra Gentiles” - (1265)
Patrick McCall - “The Fenian Nights Entertainments” - (1897)
WB Yeats - “Baile + Tallinn” - (1903)
References:
Gifford, Don, and Robert J. Seidman. Ulysses Annotated: Notes for James Joyce's Ulysses. Univ. of California Press, 2009.
ChatGPT, personal communication, November 9, 2023
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