The reading stopped at ". . . postcreation." (14.294)
Summary:
As noted earlier, this episode goes through the history of the style of English literature by showing stylistic progression in parallel to that of the embryo. Joyce does this by starting the episode using phrases of 3 words repeated 3 times (starting with Deshil Holles Eamus) in the manner often associated with ceremonies and incantations. He follows this by adapting the style of the Roman historians, Sallust and Tacitus in the section starting with "Universally that person's acumen is esteemed ... "(14.7). The following section - starting with "It is not why therefore ... " (14.33) is in the style of Medieval Latin prose. Soon the style changes to that of Anglo-Saxon prose, the 10th century style, attributed to Aelfric. Today's reading also encompassed sections written in the style of the 14th century writer, Sir John Mandeville and 15th century writer, Sir Thomas Malory.
Joyce narrates, within this framework, how Bloom comes to the hospital to enquire about Mrs Purefoy who has been in labour for three days. He encounters in the hall, a nurse, whom he had known earlier, and Dr. Dixon, who had once treated him for a bee sting, and meets a group of medical students and Stephen, drinking ale and making merry in a room of the hospital. They are busy discussing very hot topics. Stephen is his usual self, talking in enigmatic terms. Of course, all these happenings are often very difficult to decipher and understand in the medley of styles encountered.
And it is here that Bloom meets Stephen!
(Excerpted from Ulysses for the Uninitiated)
