literature
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The Women of Ulysses: Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne, beautiful woman, La Patrie, M. Millevoye, Felix Faure, know how he died? Maud Gonne’s name appears in Ulysses’ third episode, “Proteus”, as Stephen rummages through his recollections of his brief sojourn in Paris. Though Gonne did reside in Paris in the early 1900’s, she never met James Joyce (or Stephen Dedalus), but their non-meeting…
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Ep. 17 – Averroes and Moses Maimonides
Kelly and Dermot tackle the reference to Averroes and Maimonides in “Nestor.” Not only does this episode cover these two philosophers and their connection to Aristotle, there’s also plenty of discussion on Morris dance, Giordano Bruno and the thematic importance of goth kids.
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Decoding Dedalus: Latin Quarter Hat
He dressed in black, a Hamlet without a wicked uncle…. – Richard Ellmann This is a post in a series called Decoding Dedalus where I take a passage of Ulysses and break it down line by line.The passage below comes from “Proteus,” the third episode of Ulysses. It appears on pages 41-42 in my copy…
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Decoding Dedalus: Wild Geese
In gay Paree he hides, Egan of Paris, unsought by any save by me. This is a post in a series called Decoding Dedalus where I take a passage of Ulysses and break it down line by line. The passage below comes from “Proteus,” the third episode of Ulysses. It appears on pages 42 44…
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La Vie de Léo Taxil
—Qui vous a mis dans cette fichue position? —C’est le pigeon, Joseph. To listen to a discussion of this topic, check out the podcast episode here. Midway though “Proteus,” Stephen reminisces on his time as a medical student in Paris. Amongst those reminiscences, two names are nestled. First, on page 41 (Vintage International Edition): But…
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Ep. 15 – Begrudgery
While begrudge as a verb exists throughout the English speaking world, begrudgery as a noun is peculiar to Ireland. Dermot and Kelly discuss what makes Irish begrudgery a unique phenomena, how it affected Dermot growing up in Ireland, and, of course, how begrudgery influenced James Joyce’s life and writing. Sweny’s Patreon helps keep this marvelous Dublin…
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Mahamanvantara
“I wouldn’t be [Joyce’s] Messiah for a thousand million pounds. He would always be criticising the bad taste of his deity.” – AE Russell To listen to a discussion of this topic, check out the podcast episode here. Hello, dear readers. Let’s have some fun with Sanskrit today. We’re in the thick of it now,…
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Ep. 14 – A Fox Burying His Grandmother
Dermot and Kelly take on a point of vexation and consternation for any Ulysses fan: what the actual heck does Stephen’s riddle mean? What symbolism lies within? Does he just like torturing children? We throw in some extra John Milton for good measure. Sweny’s Patreon helps keep this marvelous Dublin landmark alive. Please subscribe! On the…
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Houses of Decay
The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and…