James Joyces Ulysses - Essay Example

?Joyce's Ulysses Introduction Literary critics have remarked that James Joyce’s Ulysses offers a challenging effort to the readers to understand its content and meaning. One can consider that the novel stretches the form, structure and content of the sort of which it is a part. Therefore, many argue that the novel at once a masterpiece and an incongruity. The novel consumes Homer’s Odyssey as a major referent; the novel harbingers the end of the 19th century novel as it was commonly accepted. Author uses literary devices like stream of consciousness and dramatic monologues to portray the inner realms of human consciousness. Homer’s Odyssey portrays the life of the protagonist Odysseus who encounters with many hazards such as giants, monsters and angry Gods- during his adventurous journey to his native country Ithaca. In his novel Ulysses, James Joyce presents life as a long voyage through various events. Author James Joyce pictures the eventful life of the protagonists Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus which constitutes hackneyed, uneventful and dreary. Joyce uses classical names for each chapter and provides his literary craftsmanship in the process of characterization. The novel keeps its difference and novelty indifferent ways such as themes, title of the episodes, characterization and literary techniques. The thirteenth section of the novel is presented under the title of ‘Nausicaa’ which describes the encounter between Lepold Bloom and Gerty MacDowell. The thirteenth section is widely accepted by literary critics because of its use of Homeric parallels. A deep analysis of the story permits the reader to understand that the use of Homeric parallels provides a perfect organization for various events of the novel. As an eminent writer in English literature, James Joyce portrays a serious and complex story with the structural backgrounds of Greek mythology through various literary techniques like stream of consciousness and interactive monologue. Use of Homeric parallels in James Joyce’s Ulysses A detailed analysis of James Joyce’s Ulysses inspires the reader to identify the resemblances in theme, plot and characterization with Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. Like Homer’s The Odyssey, Joyce’s Ulysses enhances the quest for a father and the intervention of Gods and sexuality as its major themes. The thirteenth section of the novel entitled Nausicaa describes the eventful life of Lepold Bloom and the lame young girl Gerty MacDowell. Gerty MacDowell’s character offers some resemblances with the character of Nausicaa in Homer’s The Odyssey who escorts Ulysses in the court of her father. In this thirteenth section, reader can find that this is the inauguration of final episode of Joyce’s novel Ulysses. Joyce presents the story through the heartbeats of a modern society having considerable allusions related with political and social happenings of the time. “Therefore, by reading Ulysses, we are able to see into the psyche and interactions of its characters and construct a concept of the Dublin identity" (Murphy). Because of its complexities and depth, the novel absolutely changed the comprehension of literature and language of an average reader. In its initial reading, “Nausicaa” episode of James Joyce’s Ulysses forces the reader to accept the character of Gerty as simple and too static and or an isolated character with common chestnut. But a deep observation of the novel allows the reader to reach the conclusion that Gerty’s character enhances the modern perspective about female sexuality and the character is essential for a reader to understand the text at it maximum level. In addition, the comparison of the characters Gerty and Nausicaa reveals author’s intelligent use of modernist language and his harsh criticism against the Victorian society. Novelist made a conscious effort to portray his characters as powerful and self reliant in their thoughts and actions. Therefore, the character of Gerty MacDowell in Ulysses keeps her own identity through her attitudes. As Mariah Sondergard comments, “Gerty seeks a husband, not to validate herself or fulfil her girlish daydreams, but to replace what her alcoholic and abusive father has failed to provide: financial and emotional security” (Sondergard). Gerty’s calculated appearance demonstrates that the character is not simply bowing Bloom’s sexual desires but laze around his approbation and get hold of his potential opportunities to triumph her prize. James Joyce consumes the literary techniques like interactive monologue. As the counterpart to male hero Stephen Daedalus, Gerty offers some significant feminine perspective on the sufferings of receiving adulthood in modern times. It is a striking piece of information is that Joyce made a deliberate attempt to find new meanings and psychological interpretations in the relationship between Bloom and Gerty through the parallels of Odyssey and Nausicaa. As a result of this successful execution, author presents the character as pleasurable and passionate. Lauren Miskin has made some relevant observation in the field of Homeric parallels in James Joyce’s Ulysses. Even though reader may feel some resemblances in the relationship between Odysseus – Nausicaa in Odyssey and Gerty-Bloom in Joyce’s Ulysses, he or she often fails to consider this similarities as a part of imitation. It is significant to mention that author use Homeric parallels as an effective literary technique to convey his ideas to the readers. Novelist permits the reader to think about female sexuality and how Irish community accept sexual relations through the relations of Gerty and Bloom. Lauren Miskin observes that “Additionally, the comparison of Nausicaa and Gerty emphasizes the importance of their interactions with Odysseus and Bloom” (Miskin). At this time, a reader may feel enough comfort in accepting Joyce’s use of Homeric parallels as an effective literary technique that provides a serious and though provoking subject related with modern life. Literary techniques and strategies practiced by James Joyce in Ulysses James Joyce uses Homeric parallels not only for creating the backdrops of a mock-epic, but also transforming the themes in to the background of a modern world. For that purpose, author used a variety of devices such as stream of consciousness, interactive monologue and foreshadowing. It provides a realistic picture of the life of common people living in the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is crystal clear that the use of Homeric parallels largely helps the author to create an atmosphere of Ulysses and it makes available a perfect organization of the novel. Regarding Homer’s work, reader can appreciate that Homer observes human psyche in its maximum level. Similarly, James Joyce examines the psychological backdrops of his characters. Odysseus’s quest for his father arise strong emotions to the mind of the readers. In the same way, Joyce portrays number of occasions which arouse emotional vibrations among the readers. These structural similarities often strengthen the communication between the author and his readers. In this respect, Juliane Unganz examines that “These parallels serve the function to organize the novel, to establish a direct communication between author and reader, and they provide the atmosphere of Ulysses” (Unganz 26). Therefore, Joyce’s use of characterization, themes and allusions related with Greek mythology largely helps the author to express his literary experiments. Another startling piece of information is that the Greek subtitles of each section provide a previous notion about the novel and its characters. James Joyce successfully transforms the story in to modern times and author’s literary craftsmanship is visible in the use of Homeric parallels. In Homer’s work Nausicaa awaked Odysseus by foul throwing a ball at the same time as he was naked behind the bushes. When other girls ran with fear and frustration, Nausicaa stand there with courage and she decided to assist Odysseus. In the same way, Gerty MacDowell helps Bloom by performing him into masturbation. Joyce creates Gerty’s character with a lot of emotional conflicts. Her day dreams about the young man named Reggy Wylie reveals her prospectus about future life. In her imagination, Gerty see how her husband will look like and their life in a little house. In this juncture, one can simply notice that the use of Homeric parallels never hold back Joyce’s character formation. Each and every character has its own personality and Joyce successfully connects each and every character in to their social and gender backgrounds. Both Nausicaa and Gerty have kept some imaginations about marriage and sexuality. So it is Worthing note that “Gerty also parallels Nausicaa by fantasizing about marriage, which the unwed Nausicaa alludes to” (Thinkquest.com). Joyce’s female characters never act as the counterparts of male characters. Gerty MacDowell assists Lepold Bloom and leads him to the final destination. Even though Gerty is received as an instrument of sexual appetites, her character often enhances her own thoughts and imagination about love, marriage and sexuality. As a powerful characters in the world of literature, Leopold Bloom, Stephen Dedalus Gerty MacDowell keep depth and identity throughout the. Bloom made a conscious effort to avoid the meeting with his wife and he wandered and finally met near closing the day in the brothel house. Character of Leopold Bloom explores the attitude of modern man towards female sexuality and his mannerisms always underline a sense of humanity. Author uses classical myths for the background of the story and he thought that these backgrounds provide curiosity and seriousness among the readers who connect literature in to life realities. As William Fisher suggest “Joyce endows these characters with a strong sense of humanity, describing the most intimate details of their fictional lives—thinking, eating, urinating, defecating, masturbating and copulating” (Fisher). As a serious observer of 17th and 18th century European life, Joyce made his characters having some popular attitudes and mannerisms. In case of Gerty, reader cannot reach the conclusion of Gerty’s personality without considering her efforts to maintain her personality. Gerty’s character often tries to recreate conventional aspects about female sexuality. Therefore, Joyce’s work is not only an imitation but a kind of transplantation. Literary critics have widely accepted the use of Homeric parallels as Joyce’s experimentation through a modern perspective. As James Topham explains; Ulysses is often published with a table of parallels between the novel and the classical poem; and, the scheme also offers insight into Joyce's experimental use of the literary form, as well as some understanding of how much planning and concentration went into the construction of Ulysses (About.com.). Gerty’s perspectives and attitude towards the society reveals author’s sincere observation among the life of Victorian people. Effective planning and hardworking of the novelist paved the way for the formation of a great literary work. Even though it keeps some structural resemblances with Homer’s The Odessey, James Joyce’s Ulysses keeps some relevant differences. Reader can feel the presence of a different societal conventions and social standards in both works. In Homer’s work Odysseus and the princess speak directly to one another in the end. But Gerty amd Bloom never speak because of good manners. In the end Odysseus literally reaches on his native land, while Gerty and Bloom in Joyce’s Ulysses face a different experience. Bernard McKenna clearly underlines that “Stephan does not appear ready to fully accept Bloom’s intimacy, although he significantly, does not pull away from Bloom at the chapter” (McKenna 152). Stephan and Bloom accept their own identity through different experiences and reader can find Bloom drop his disguises and reveal himself to Stephan. Conclusion In the absolute examination, it is evident that James Joyce’s masterpiece Ulysses brilliantly consumes Homeric parallels and reader can consider author’s act as a considerable effort to demonstrate his literary techniques. The thirteenth episode of the novel entitled Nausicaa is portrayed the life journey of Gerty MacDowell who made her own perspective in sexuality and marriage. The use of Homeric parallels promotes a perfect organization for the novel and it strengthens the relationship between the author and the readers. In addition, these parallels offer insight into Joyce’s experiential use of new literary techniques. After the close reading of the thirteenth section of the novel, reader can understand that author’s use of Homeric parallels exposes Joyce’s efficiency in literary techniques. Through the use of literary devices like stream of conscious and interactive monologue, Joyce portrays his characters powerful and self governed. It is also important to identify that author keeps his careful observation in presenting conclusion. It is possible to find some relevant resemblances as well differences between Homer’s The Odyssey and Joyce’s Ulysses Works cited Fisher, William. The Eyes Have It: Ocular Imagery and Allusions in James Joyce’s Ulysses. toto.lib.unca.edu.2009. Web. 20 Feb.2012. http://toto.lib.unca.edu/sr_papers/literature_sr/srliterature_2009/fisher_william.pdf. James Joyce’s Ulysses. Thinkquest.com. web. 20 Feb.2012. http://library.thinkquest.org/19300/data/CompMyth/ulysses.htm . Miskin, Lauren. A “greekly perfect” heroine: James Joyce’s Gerty MacDowell and Homer’s Nausicaa. TCNJ journal of student scholarship volume ix. April, 2007. Web. 20 Feb.2012. http://www.tcnj.edu/~joss/2007articles/Miskin-James%20Joyce.pdf . Murphy, Corey. Homeric Parallels in Joyce's Ulysses and Their Philosophical Context. Yahoo! Inc. 2012. Web. 20 Feb.2012. http://voices.yahoo.com/homeric-parallels-joyces-ulysses-5453093.html?cat=38 McKenna, Bernard. James Joyce's Ulysses: a reference guide. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002. Print. Sondergard, Mariah. Identity in Ulysses: Sexuality of Gerty MacDowell and Molly Bloom. bu.edu. 20 Feb.2012 http://www.bu.edu/writingprogram/files/2009/11/wrjournal1sondergard.pdf Unganz, Juliane. TELEMACHUS - An Analysis of the First Chapter of James Joyce's 'Ulysses.' GRIN Verlag, 2008. Print. Ulysses. About.com. Web. 20 Feb.2012. http://classiclit.about.com/od/joycejames9/fr/aa_ulysses.htm . Read More