Ulysses: Book II, Episodes 9-12

As you may remember from my last post, Episodes 4-8 of Book II of Ulysses pushed my patience to the limit. I was very near my breaking point, and was tempted to hurl the novel far into a neighboring yard. The episodes affected me so much that I spent the remainder of the evening in a state of mild depression (as my girlfriend can attest), wanting nothing more than to spend the night alone with a DVD and a six-pack of my favorite beer. Anything to insulate me from the tedium and torture of pages 55-183.

After distancing myself from the novel for a couple of hours, I returned to my reading with renewed determination and an optimistic outlook. I was rewarded with an episode centered around Stephen Dedalus, my favorite character of the novel. Episodes 10-12 , in contrast, proved to be further accounts of the tedious day-to-day interactions of Joyce’s Dublin citizens. However, as a result of these episodes, I am beginning to see Leopold Bloom is a more complex character than I originally thought. Furthermore, he appears to be heading toward a personal victory or revelation of some sort.

Episode 9 (which is really the only episode worth discussing here) opens with Stephen Dedalus at the National Library, presenting his theories on Shakespeare to a consortium of local scholars, including John Eglinton, a critic and essayist A.E., a poet. Dedalus posits the notion that certain mysteries of Shakespearean works, such as the true nature of Hamlet’s ghost, lie in the biological makeup of Shakespeare himself and were further influenced by the alleged extramarital affairs of Anne Hathaway, his wife. The scholars are intrigued by Dedalus’ theories, but are not wholly convinced of their validity.

In Episode 9, we gain more insight into the character of Stephen Dedalus. He is a young man with a philosophical nature, a characteristic made evident by way of several references to Aristotle. Though bright and eloquent, Dedalus lacks the confidence to posit his views and theories outside of a discussion group of his peers. It also becomes clear that a lack of self-confidence is not his only issue. Dedalus is haunted by the loss of his mother and recalls his last memory of her: “Mother’s deathbed. Candle. The sheeted mirror. Who brought me into this world lies there, bronzelidded, under few cheap flowers.”

Dedalus appears to have father issues, as well. “A father,” he states, “is a necessary evil.” Although this is said in response to an opinion made by a fellow scholar regarding familial ties in Shakespearean tragedies, it carries a more personal weight, suggesting Dedalus is vexed by the role his father, Simon Dedalus plays in his life.

In contrast to the dull, static Dubliners often associated with Leo Bloom, the scholars now surrounding Stephen are witty, intelligent, and contemplative. These able-minded men appear capable of offering up theories and opinions ranging from the aesthetics of art to the the mysteries within the works of Shakespeare. Even Buck Mulligan, the boisterous and bawdy medical student we first met in Book I, seems transformed in their presence. Arriving at the library to chide Stephen for not making good on his promise to meet him and Haines for drinks at the pub, Mulligan is soon an active participant in the group’s heady discussions.

Overall, I enjoyed Episodes 9-12 more than I did Episodes 4-8. Though riddled with the “slice of life” episodes of Joyce’s Dubliners, these episodes delve deeper into the inner workings of both Stephen Dedalus and Leopold Bloom and reveal them to be complex and intriguing characters. They are arguably two of the greatest literary characters of the 20th Century, and they are worthy of closer examination.