What do they be thinking about?
My general rule when writing a blog entry is when all else fails try to anticipate what the reader, i.e. you, might be thinking about, struggling with, puzzling over etc, while reading Ulysses. I do this by trying to put myself back into my own mindset during my first reading of Ulysses, looking for things that caused great confusion for me. But at this point in the book I have to presume that because you have had the benefit of topnotch guidance from yours truly*, you are beginning to find certain things less challenging than I did.
*I will now finish the rest of this blog entry typing with one hand, having broken my arm patting myself on the back
With this in mind, as I read through episode seven, "Hades", I am finding very little that should give you trouble. Relative to the experience you have gained reading up to this point, and taking into account the content and style of the episode, I reckon "Hades" is one of the easiest episodes to get through. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in my assumption.
"Hades" is heavy on dialogue (which is the easiest narrative element in Ulysses to navigate), and their are no new narrative curveballs thrown in. Considering the book in question, this is a very straightforward episode. There are, of course, plenty of Bloomian IM/SOC to untangle, but you're well practiced at this by now, so no problem right? Right!
I guess what I'm trying to say is that while I would love to ramble on and on like I usually do, I really don't have much to give you by way of instruction or help here. My only real worry for you at this point is that you may be getting impatient with the slow pace of the text. A friend of mine who was part of my Ulysses book group back in the day crapped out at this point in the book, unable to withstand Bloom's dense monologues and the lack of action. The fact is that while you are likely getting the hang of reading Joyce you are nonetheless still in the dark as to what is going on. As I have said before, ignore the minor inconvenience of your ignorance. Or better yet, accept it as part of the fun. It's like making your way through a darkened haunted house! (with very apathetic monsters).
And like any good haunted house, Ulysses is full of ghosts. Especially here in Hades, house of the dead. Just as we discussed Homeric episode title correspondences in "Proteus" I will again make brief mention here. I don't think I'm divulging any grand secrets by pointing out that "Hades" takes place in a graveyard. Duh! And of course, this being a James Joyce joint, there is lots of clever, subtle symbolism and allusion to the Homeric original. See if you can spot a few. They're not easy to find, but once they're pointed out, you either slap your palm against your forehead and say "how did I miss that?!" or you just shake your head at the genius of the man (the man being Joyce, of course).
As usual, there are also the thematic threads and motifs that wend there way relentlessly through each episode. Plenty to find here, but no shame if you miss some (or many). But please don't miss all of them. Ulysses is the proverbial 'forest for the trees' experience, and you should know that the forest remains dense throughout the journey. But don't despair, because the trees are marvelous!
Questions for you (from me -- with love <3):
"Hades" is the first look we get at Bloom in the extended company of is Dublin peers. Instead of passing comment on this or making some kind of interpretation, I will instead pose a few questions to you about this. What are your impressions of Bloom's relationship with the other Dublin males? How would you characterize the interaction? How do you feel that he fits into this group? Also, while I'm putting questions out there, can anyone point out the albatross following Bloom? You know, that now familiar, all important issue that defines Bloom's day.
My favorite line:
"Thank you. How grand we are this morning!"
Raw notes:
• "Mr Bloom at gaze saw a lithe young man, clad in mourning, a wide hat. -- There’s a friend of yours gone by, Dedalus, he said. -- Who is that? Your son and heir."
• "He doesn’t see us, Mr Power said. Yes, he does. How do you do? Who? Mr Dedalus asked. Blazes Boylan, Mr Power said. There he is airing his quiff. (Bloom) Just that moment I was thinking."
• "He's coming in the afternoon"
• "... White disk of a straw hat"
• "Is there anything more in him that they she sees?"
• "Of the tribe of Ruben, he said -- The devil break the hasp of your back!"
• "We have all been there, Martin Cunningham said broadly. His eyes met Mr Bloom’s eyes. He caressed his beard, adding: Well, nearly all of us."
• "Martin Cunningham thwarted his speech rudely:"
• "If it’s healthy it’s from the mother. If not from the man."
• "Coffin now. Got here before us, dead as he is."
• "...a face with dark thinking eyes..."
• "She would marry another. Him? No."
• John O'Connell, cemetery caretaker -- "Saluting Ned Lambert and John Henry Menton he walked on at Martin Cunningham’s side puzzling two long keys at his back."
• "Now who is that lanky looking galoot over there in the macintosh? Now who is he I’d like to know? Now I’d give a trifle to know who he is. Always someone turns up you never dreamt of."
• "I'm thirteen. No. The chap in the macintosh is thirteen. Death's number."
• "If we were all suddenly somebody else."
• (Hynes to Bloom): "What is your christian name?"
• Bloom re: the man in the macintosh: "What? Where has he disappeared to? Not a sign. Well of all the. Has anybody here seen? Kay ee double ell. Become invisible. Good Lord, what became of him?"
• "I will appear to you after death. You will see my ghost after death. My ghost will haunt you after death."
• "The gates glimmered in front: still open. Back to the world again."
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