George AE Russell

  • Weggebobbles and Fruit: Vegetarianism in Ulysses

    “Joyce pretended to take an interest in fine dishes, but food meant nothing to him, unless it was something to do with his art…. He himself scarcely ate anything.” – Sylvia Beach As Leopold Bloom approaches Nassau St. on his journey to lunch in “Lestrygonians”, Ulysses’ eighth episode, he is passed from behind by two…

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  • The Women of Ulysses: Lizzie Twigg

    “Everybody who met her liked her – because she was warm and outgoing. Here I am saying good things about Lizzie. Poor Liz – nobody remembers her now.” – Padraic Colum, 1969 As Leopold Bloom passes the offices of the Irish Times in “Lestrygonians”, Ulysses’ eighth episode, he can’t help but think about all the…

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  • Decoding Dedalus: The Opal Hush Poets

    “The first spectre of the new generation has appeared. His name is Joyce. I have suffered from him and I would like you to suffer.” – Æ to W.B. Yeats, 1902 This is a post in a series called Decoding Dedalus where I take a passage of Ulysses and  break it down line by line.…

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  • Decoding Bloom: The Lotus Eaters Sutra

    “Buddha their god lying on his side in the museum. Taking it easy with hand under his cheek.” — Ulysses, p. 80 This is a post in a series called Decoding Bloom where I take a paragraph of Ulysses and  break it down line by line.  The passage below comes from “Lotus Eaters,” the fifth…

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  • Ep. 38 – Pico della Mirandola like.

    This episode of Blooms & Barnacles takes an esoteric twist as we continue deeper into “Proteus”, Ulysses‘ third episode. Topics include: why Dermot is not impressed with the Library of Alexandria, the length of a mahamanvantara, what the heck a mahamanvantara is, Joyce’s youthful rage put into poetry, Joyce’s youthful interest in theosophy, Pico della…

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  • Decoding Dedalus: A Dedalus Never Pays His Debts

    —I will tell you, he said solemnly, what is his proudest boast. I paid my way. … I never borrowed a shilling in my life. Can you feel that? I owe nothing. Can you? This is a post in a series called Decoding Dedalus where I take a paragraph of Ulysses and  break it down…

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