Irish literature
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Decoding Dedalus: Glorious, Pious and Immortal Memory
This is a post in a series called Decoding Dedalus where I take a paragraph of Ulysses and break it down line by line. The passage below comes from “Nestor,” the second episode of Ulysses. It appears on page 31 in my copy (1990 Vintage International). Glorious, pious and immortal memory. The lodge of Diamond……
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Ep. 7 – In Defense of Dorkiness
Kelly and Dermot discuss Stephen’s tower-mate, the Englishman Haines. Haines was based on a real-life roommate of James Joyce’s – Dermot Chenevix Trench. Did Joyce’s personal dislike of Trench color his characterization in the novel? What’s up with that black panther mentioned in ‘Telemachus?’ Why does Dermot (our host) have bad memories of learning Irish…
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Deasy of West Britain
Horn of a bull, hoof of a horse, smile of a Saxon. To listen to a discussion of this topic, check out the podcast episode here. For all posts on Mr. Deasy, click here. The conversation between Stephen and Mr. Deasy in “Nestor” rings familiar to anyone who’s ever had to sit across from, let’s…
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Ulysses CCD: St. Columbanus
His mother’s prostrate body the fiery Columbanus in holy zeal bestrode. Part of an occasional series on Catholicism in Ulysses. The line above appears on page 27 of ‘Nestor’ in the midst of Stephen’s musings on young Sargent, the student receiving the young Artist’s tutelage in algebra. It’s a random line in the midst of…
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Ep. 6 – Tea for the Tower-Men
Hell is breakfast with Buck Mulligan.Kelly and Dermot talk about the allegory of the old milk woman who visits Stephen and the boys in the Martello Tower. Topics covered include Hiberno-English, the importance of tea in Irish culture and who the hell Mother Grogan was. On the Blog: The Women of Ulysses: Mother Grogan and…
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Poetry in Ulysses: Lycidas
—Tell us a story, sir.—O, do, sir. A ghoststory. For all posts on music and poetry in Ulysses, visit this page. Did you ever have a teacher in school who had a tenuous-at-best grip on their lessons? They were easily distracted or maybe a little too much of a hippie. Maybe they were a substitute…
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Ep. 5 – Sweny’s Pharmacy
Kelly and Dermot sit down with P.J. Murphy and Jack Walsh, two volunteers who are keeping the legacy of Sweny’s Pharmacy alive. Sweny’s, of course, is the location where Leopold Bloom bought his lemon soap. We talk the history of Sweny’s, their Joyce connection and the challenges of preserving Joycean landmarks in 21st century Dublin.…
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Pyrrhus: A Disappointed Bridge
To listen to a discussion of this topic, check out the podcast episode here. In the Gilbert schema, the art of “Nestor” is listed as history, so it is fitting that the episode opens with Stephen delivering a history lesson. The topic is Pyrrhus, an ancient Greek king mostly remembered by the phrase “Pyrrhic victory.”…
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Ep. 4 – Introibo Ad Altare Dei
Kelly and Dermot talk about page #1 of Ulysses, taking a deep dive into the symbolism of the Catholic Mass in the opening scene. There’s lots of talk about blasphemy, transubstantiation, saints and why Kelly was a terrible altar server back in the day. We finish off with wild speculation about why kids don’t learn…
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Ulysses & The Odyssey: Nestor
Mulligan will dub me a new name: the bullockbefriending bard. Part of an occasional series on the Homeric parallels in James Joyce’s Ulysses. To listen to a discussion of this topic, check out the podcast episode here. The Odyssey, Book 3: Telemachus and Mentor (Athena in disguise) find themselves in Pylos to meet Nestor,…