We reached the end of the seventh stream of Molly's interior monologue, stopping at "... what am I going to do about him though" (Penguin 923.32), (Gabler 18.1367)
This means that we have just one more stream of thoughts to read, and shall be finishing this round of reading Ulysses next week on 13th December, about 2.5 years after we started with the book on 27 May 2014. After the book is closed, it is planned to lift a glass in honour of James Joyce at the James Joyce Pub, Pelikanstrasse 8. Hope many of the members of the reading group will join!
Before looking at what all went through Molly's mind on these pages, it is interesting to read what Judge John M Woolsey said in his judgement on December 6, 1933 in New York. Richard Ellman* writes in his biography of Joyce, that Judge Woolsey put his view neatly and pungently:
I am quite aware that owing to some of its scenes 'Ulysses' is a rather strong draught to ask some sensitive, though normal, persons to take. But my considered opinion, after long reflection, is that whilst in many places the effect of 'Ulysses' on the reader undoubtedly is somewhat emetic, nowhere does it tend to be aphrodisiac.
'Ulysses' may, therefore, be admitted into the United States."
The rest, as we all know, is history!
Last week, we had left Molly reminiscing about her visit to that dry old stick Dr. Collins for women diseases on Pembroke road. She had not liked him much, neither had she understood his words, though she thought she liked him when he sat down to write the thing out frowning so severe his nose intelligent like. He was also clever enough to spot that. Whatever that 'that' was, Molly knew that it was due to thinking of him (Bloom). During their courtship, Bloom had written to her quite mad crazy letters, had quoted from Keats. Molly, who remembers this as a thing of beauty and of joy for ever, does not of course know that it was from Keats. Thinking of Bloom's letters, Molly realises that she is still sitting on the chamber pot. Bloom is sleeping at the foot of the bed**, with his hand on his nose like that Indian god... all yellow in a pinafore lying on his side on his hand with his ten toes sticking out.
(Joyce has built in many songs on these pages too: O beau pays de la Touraine from Meyerbeer's opera Les Huguenots (listen here), Bill Bailey won't you please come home, a ragtime song by H Cannon (listen here), Phoebe dearest by Bellamy and Hatton (listen here), goodbye sweetheart by J. Williams and J. L. Hatton... / listen here.)
* James Joyce by Richard Ellman, p. 667, 1983, OUP, ISBN 0-19-281465-6
** The bed connects Joyce's Ulysses to Homer's Odysseus. Bloom did not know much about the bed (... he thinks father bought it from Lord Napier...). Odysseus knew everything about it 'among men there is no one living... for built into the well-constructed bedstead is a great symbol which I made myself with no one else...'
This means that we have just one more stream of thoughts to read, and shall be finishing this round of reading Ulysses next week on 13th December, about 2.5 years after we started with the book on 27 May 2014. After the book is closed, it is planned to lift a glass in honour of James Joyce at the James Joyce Pub, Pelikanstrasse 8. Hope many of the members of the reading group will join!
Before looking at what all went through Molly's mind on these pages, it is interesting to read what Judge John M Woolsey said in his judgement on December 6, 1933 in New York. Richard Ellman* writes in his biography of Joyce, that Judge Woolsey put his view neatly and pungently:
I am quite aware that owing to some of its scenes 'Ulysses' is a rather strong draught to ask some sensitive, though normal, persons to take. But my considered opinion, after long reflection, is that whilst in many places the effect of 'Ulysses' on the reader undoubtedly is somewhat emetic, nowhere does it tend to be aphrodisiac.
'Ulysses' may, therefore, be admitted into the United States."
The rest, as we all know, is history!
 |
| Judge Woolsey |
 |
| Is Buddha, that Indian god with his ten toes sticking out? Note Buddha is not a god, and is never pictured in yellow (pinafore) unlike Krishna, another Indian God! |
Molly suspects that Bloom has been with some other woman. (I wonder was it her Josie.... but knows that he'd never have the courage with a married woman.) She is used to his throwing his sheeps eyes at those in skirts. She thinks of the various friends of Bloom, of Fanny MCoy who aspires to be a singer like herself (shed want to be born all over again), of poor Paddy Dignam (... what are his wife and 5 children going to do...). She is afraid that Bloom will lose his job (coming home with the sack soon... on account of those Sinner Fein or the freemasons.) She thinks of another book he had given her, Aristocrats Masterpiece (rather, Aristotle's Masterpiece!)
Molly then thinks of Stephen, whom Bloom had brought home in the night, whom she had seen eleven years ago as a eleven year old boy. (... a darling little fellow in his lord Fauntleroy suit...). She reads new meanings in the cards she had laid the previous morning (... he was on the cards this morning...). Molly fantasises about Stephen (... Im not too old for him if hes 23 or 24...). Asking herself why arent all men like that (young, like gods), she is reminded of the lovely little statue of Narcissus that Bloom had bought. That statue, not Stephen hopefully, must be on Molly's mind, when she thinks: I could look at him all day long curly head ... often felt I wanted to kiss him all over also his lovely young cock.... I wouldn't mind taking him in my mouth ... (Think of Judge Woolsey's final words ;-))
Her thoughts clearly do return to Stephen. She wants to lay the cards again in the morning. Decides, 'Ill read and study all I can find or learn a bit off by heart ... so he (Stephen) won't think me stupid.'. As she day dreams about Stephen, she becomes aware of Boylan (what am I going to do about him though....)
* James Joyce by Richard Ellman, p. 667, 1983, OUP, ISBN 0-19-281465-6
** The bed connects Joyce's Ulysses to Homer's Odysseus. Bloom did not know much about the bed (... he thinks father bought it from Lord Napier...). Odysseus knew everything about it 'among men there is no one living... for built into the well-constructed bedstead is a great symbol which I made myself with no one else...'
