"Before my patience are exhausted." is where we stopped today. (Penguin 114.4), Gabler (6.170)
So we started Hades, episode 6. In the Greek mythology, Hades has come to mean the abode of the dead. In Homer's Odysseus, Hades is written about in the books 11 (in which Odysseus makes an offer of blood to summon ghosts) and 24 (where the passage of souls led by Hermes to Hades is described). Joyce's Ulysses does not describe any such bloody ritual, and Bloom, the protagonist of the novel, accompanies, almost as an outsider, a group of mourners (there is no question of his leading them) to the funeral of Dignam. This episode describes how this group consisting of Martin Cunningham, Mr. Power, Simon Dedalus and Mr. Bloom travel in a creaking carriage as part of a procession of carriages through Dublin to the Prospect Cemetery where Dignam is to be buried.
In the first couple of pages, the characters of the people in this particular carriage are well developed: Simon Dedalus (father of Stephen) comes across as a bit pompous, temperamental, noisy selfwilled. He takes off in anger about Buck Mulligan, forgetting that he is in a funeral carriage. Martin Cunningham comes across as a gentleman, one who tries his best not to ruffle feathers of others. Bloom's endearing character becomes clear in the polite manner in which he waits to get into the carriage till the others have got in. He remains an outsider in this group despite his efforts to contribute to the conversation that goes on. All that we come to know of Mr. Power is that he has a mild face (110.20). Finally what is interesting in the pages we read today is the fact how little the 'friends' going to the funeral really 'care' for the death of Dignam.
Bloom's thoughts are mainly reactions to what he sees on the way, to what he hears from his fellow travelers. As he sees an old woman peeping out, dragging aside lowered blinds, he thinks of how it is women who dress corpses. When he witnesses the ranting of Simon Dedalus about Buck Mulligan, he does not judge him because he understands what a son could mean to a father, thinking of his own son Rudy, who had died just 11 days old. Bloom is still mourning the death of his son. (If little Rudy had lived. See him grow up. Hear his voice in the house. ... My son. Me in his eyes.) Thinking of Rudy, Bloom recalls the incidence leading up to the conceivement of Rudy, and he thinks of his daughter Milly, who is like Molly, just the same thing watered down. Seeing the Dogs' home on Grand Canal Quay, Bloom thinks of poor old Athos*, his father's faithful dog. His father had left a note before he committed suicide saying "Be good to Athos, Leopold,..."
Going through the obituary notes in the newspaper he comes across the words '... dear Henry...' in a poem accompanying one of the death notices. These words make him wonder where he put the letter from Martha after he read it in the bath. (Martha knows him only as Henry Flower, has addressed him as 'Dear Henry' in her letter.) He patted his waistcoat pocket. There all right. Some words from Martha's letter come back to him: "Henry dear, do not deny my request before my patience are exhausted". Perhaps Bloom recalls this particular sentence because of the wrong grammar! ... are ... indeed!
* The name of Odysseus's dog is Argos.
Of interest: The Boston College Guide to Ulysses offers a google map which one can use to follow the meanderings of Bloom through Dublin. Perhaps it will inspire us to make a trip to Dublin!
So we started Hades, episode 6. In the Greek mythology, Hades has come to mean the abode of the dead. In Homer's Odysseus, Hades is written about in the books 11 (in which Odysseus makes an offer of blood to summon ghosts) and 24 (where the passage of souls led by Hermes to Hades is described). Joyce's Ulysses does not describe any such bloody ritual, and Bloom, the protagonist of the novel, accompanies, almost as an outsider, a group of mourners (there is no question of his leading them) to the funeral of Dignam. This episode describes how this group consisting of Martin Cunningham, Mr. Power, Simon Dedalus and Mr. Bloom travel in a creaking carriage as part of a procession of carriages through Dublin to the Prospect Cemetery where Dignam is to be buried.
(Source: http://www.joyceimages.com/chapter/6/)
Already at the beginning of the episode we are given ample opportunity to feel the outsiderness of Bloom. We also act as participants to the various thoughts fleeting through Bloom's mind. As the episode deals with death, with funeral, it is interesting to spot all those words and phrases which Joyce uses in this episode to hint at death and decay.In the first couple of pages, the characters of the people in this particular carriage are well developed: Simon Dedalus (father of Stephen) comes across as a bit pompous, temperamental, noisy selfwilled. He takes off in anger about Buck Mulligan, forgetting that he is in a funeral carriage. Martin Cunningham comes across as a gentleman, one who tries his best not to ruffle feathers of others. Bloom's endearing character becomes clear in the polite manner in which he waits to get into the carriage till the others have got in. He remains an outsider in this group despite his efforts to contribute to the conversation that goes on. All that we come to know of Mr. Power is that he has a mild face (110.20). Finally what is interesting in the pages we read today is the fact how little the 'friends' going to the funeral really 'care' for the death of Dignam.
Bloom's thoughts are mainly reactions to what he sees on the way, to what he hears from his fellow travelers. As he sees an old woman peeping out, dragging aside lowered blinds, he thinks of how it is women who dress corpses. When he witnesses the ranting of Simon Dedalus about Buck Mulligan, he does not judge him because he understands what a son could mean to a father, thinking of his own son Rudy, who had died just 11 days old. Bloom is still mourning the death of his son. (If little Rudy had lived. See him grow up. Hear his voice in the house. ... My son. Me in his eyes.) Thinking of Rudy, Bloom recalls the incidence leading up to the conceivement of Rudy, and he thinks of his daughter Milly, who is like Molly, just the same thing watered down. Seeing the Dogs' home on Grand Canal Quay, Bloom thinks of poor old Athos*, his father's faithful dog. His father had left a note before he committed suicide saying "Be good to Athos, Leopold,..."
Going through the obituary notes in the newspaper he comes across the words '... dear Henry...' in a poem accompanying one of the death notices. These words make him wonder where he put the letter from Martha after he read it in the bath. (Martha knows him only as Henry Flower, has addressed him as 'Dear Henry' in her letter.) He patted his waistcoat pocket. There all right. Some words from Martha's letter come back to him: "Henry dear, do not deny my request before my patience are exhausted". Perhaps Bloom recalls this particular sentence because of the wrong grammar! ... are ... indeed!
* The name of Odysseus's dog is Argos.
Of interest: The Boston College Guide to Ulysses offers a google map which one can use to follow the meanderings of Bloom through Dublin. Perhaps it will inspire us to make a trip to Dublin!
