Brain Pain discussion

Part I – The Telemachiad

Episode 1, Telemachus, pp 1- 28 new (page 1 old*)

Scene: The Tower
Hour: 8 am
Art: Theology
Symbol: Heir
Technic: Narrative (young)

Stately Buck Mulligan mounts the parapet to lather his face and harass his Jesuit friend, Stephen Dedalus. A quick breakfast with an annoying Brit, then off to the creek for a swim. Haunted by the memory of his mother’s death, Stephen heads to work to earn his daily bread.


NOTE: The descriptive items associated with each episode, “Scene”, “Hour”, “Art”, etc., are derived from what is known as ‘The Gilbert Schema’. These items were produced by Joyce in collaboration with Stuart Gilbert who wrote the book ‘James Joyce’s Ulysses’, the first guidebook to Joyce’s novel. You can see the Gilbert Schema here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_...


*page numbers for the "old" Bodly Head edition are approximate

Ah, that Gilbert Schema is a cool item! Thanks!

Tracy wrote: "Ah, that Gilbert Schema is a cool item! Thanks!"

Some people say Joyce wrote the book with Gilbert to mess with the heads of future academics and critics - but it's still fun to read.

During my first read of Ulysses I followed this regimen:

1. Read an episode cold
2. Read about the episode in the Gilbert book
3. Re-read the same episode

Of course, this means you're reading Ulysses twice, but given the density of the text, it was worth the added time.

I am going to say that there are holes in the Gilbert schema, or maybe there are spots filled in where there should be holes.

Like the "art" for Telemachus being "Theology." (which makes one wonder why "Religion" comes in as an art for a later episode)

And "heir" as the symbol.

I don't find these very helpful. But I do prefer Ellman's ideas about pairing the episodes in threes, so that there is a thesis antithesis, synthesis in each trio.

For instance, Telemachus, the emphasis is on sight (the cracked looking glass, e.g.) and space, whereas in Nestor the emphasis is sound (the boys playing hockey) and time.. Here I think "history" is the art.

Then Proteus unites sight and sound, space and time.

Also water and land.

One other thing is, what about the parallels? Stephen is Telemachus, Mulligan is Antinous, or something? Deasy is Nestor.. so who is Sargent (the backward math kid)?

Christopher wrote: "I am going to say that there are holes in the Gilbert schema, or maybe there are spots filled in where there should be holes.

Like the "art" for Telemachus being "Theology." (which makes one wonde..."

The Gilbert book is controversial, for sure. At the least, it's an interesting artifact of the whole Ulysses phenomenon.

I'd forgotten how quickly and aggressively Joyce goes after the brits, via Stephen and Buck's comments and criticisms of Haines. Nothing nice to say about him, and quick to covet his money.

I think Joyce chose the Odyssey as a model for Ulysses because he liked the way Homer deployed his characters: using a tenor, and a baritone, with a soprano who is almost never on-stage.

How long has Haines been staying in the tower?
Who "tells" the Clive Kempthorpe story?

I like Buck Mulligan ( of the untonsured hair and double dactylic name) offering up his shaving bowl to God. I guess us old Catholics love subverting our sacredities. (It's very hard to write about Joyce without inventing variations on words ).

Might I add--if you want to make Ulysses feel like a light breeze, try reading a piece of FINNEGAN"S WAKE beforehand--it will go down easy ! I mean, it actually says who's in scene, who's talking, etc.

I never noticed! page 10 (probably 2 for others?)--that Buck says "we must go to Athens.." Lovely--let the voyagic allusions begin.

Any thoughts on why Buck calls Stephen "Kinch" the bladeknife? I've never quite made that out. Was Telemachus good with a knife or something? Not remembering the details of the Greek story..

The description of the clive kempthorpe incident felt more like a flashback sequence on film, where there is no perspective from which you observe the incident.

Like joyce speaking directly to the reader.

Avishek wrote: "The description of the clive kempthorpe incident felt more like a flashback sequence on film, where there is no perspective from which you observe the incident.

Like joyce speaking directly to th..."

or like an internal monologue

Is it odd that I picture Graham Chapman from Monty Python as Buck Mulligan? It helps the story go for me.

Tracy wrote: "I like Buck Mulligan ( of the untonsured hair and double dactylic name) offering up his shaving bowl to God. I guess us old Catholics love subverting our sacredities. (It's very hard to write about..."
I think your warming-up on Finnegans Wake to make Ulysses appear so much easier is a great idea!

Kinch... "He fears the lancet of my art, as I his."

Apparently, part of the strained relations between Joyce and Oliver St. John Gogarty was Joyce's satirical poem "The Holy Office," which had spared neither friend not foe.

Ellman says that in real life, "Haynes" (I forget the guy's real name) had started shooting his nightmare panther, but that Gogarty wrested the gun from him, and then took a shot at the pots and pans over Joyce's head.

Christopher wrote: "Kinch... "He fears the lancet of my art, as I his."

Apparently, part of the strained relations between Joyce and Oliver St. John Gogarty was Joyce's satirical poem "The Holy Office," which had spa..."

Buck is also constantly teasing Stephen about being a jesuit, which uses the knife of logic as its main tool - thus taking the fun out of life and pooping the party....

Avishek wrote: "The description of the clive kempthorpe incident felt more like a flashback sequence on film, where there is no perspective from which you observe the incident.

Like joyce speaking directly to th..."
Yes. Very much like a "flashback" and in the voice of an "internal monologue".

The part about Stephen not praying for his mother on her deathbed is a telling moment. He must be carrying a lot of guilt about choosing his intellect over his heart. Something important to highlight in his story.

Jim wrote: "The part about Stephen not praying for his mother on her deathbed is a telling moment. He must be carrying a lot of guilt about choosing his intellect over his heart. Something important to highlig..."

Well, "agenbite of inwit" is a phrase which keeps recurring to him, but I don't think it was head vs. heart so much as a clash of faiths.
To kneel and pray would have been apostasy for Stephen.
Mulligan calls him a Jesuit, but he says he has the Jesuit strain in backwards.

Christopher wrote: "Jim wrote: "The part about Stephen not praying for his mother on her deathbed is a telling moment. He must be carrying a lot of guilt about choosing his intellect over his heart. Something importan... "agenbite of inwit""

Yes, I saw that the phrase is middle English for 'remorse of conscience'. When I say heart, I mean that he wasn't willing to bend his philosophy, or his knees, to give a moment of comfort to his dying mother. That shit's cold!!! or heart-less....

Not only does Stephen's bad response to his mother's dying request haunt him, but it potentially can also stigmatizes him with the reader.

Jim wrote:

Well, he is obviously troubled by it. I think it's Mulligan who seems heartless for teasing him about it.

I'm trying to say he saw it as a test of faith. To kneel down would be submission to the powers of darkness.

Not saying he's right. Bloom quite conspicuously kneels at Dignam's funeral. (he lays the newspaper down to protect his knees, or his trousers, or something...)

Stephen's unwillingness to compromise on any issue, his trademark right now, leaves him alone and isolated. His refusal to go along with his mother's death bed request makes him, as Mulligan says, seem "sinister."
I think Stephen realizes he made a bad choice at his mother's bedside. He should have yeilded but he couldn't.

Cphe wrote: "Re Haines, Dedalus and Mulligan .....

I had the impression that two was company and three was a crowd."
Well, Haines does seem to be the one mooching.

Cphe wrote: "Have to say that I prefer the Stephen in Portrait of the Artist than the Stephen in Ulysses to date."
Stephen for me is more complex now than he was at the end of Portrait, plus his problems remain unsolved.
I like Stephen. I like his uncompromising take no prisoners approach. He won't suffer fools and he won't put-up with insincerity of any kind.

I thought of another thesis-antitheses-synthesis in the first three episodes:
1. personal- Mulligan (friend), mother- "the offense to me."

2. impersonal.. his job as schoolmaster is impersonal (teach boys about Tarrentum and Lycidas), his "beef" with his boss (Deasy) is impersonal. Deasy's advice is impersonal. (What does Shakespeare say? Put money in thy purse)

3. In Proteus, the impersonal becomes personal and the personal becomes impersonal.. "Mother dying" becomes "Nother dying."
Stephen writes a poem, but it is (apparently) about a vampire kiss.

Ellman's chapter is called "Why Stephen Daedelus picks his nose," but I don't yet have the answer to that burning question.

So is Ellmann being ironic or does he really know the answer?

Mark wrote: "So is Ellmann being ironic or does he really know the answer?"

Let me get back to you on that.. I read it 30 years ago, and only just started re-reading it.

Ulysses on the Liffey fwiw.

Christopher wrote: "I thought of another thesis-antitheses-synthesis in the first three episodes:
1. personal- Mulligan (friend), mother- "the offense to me."

2. impersonal.. his job as schoolmaster is impersonal (te..."

re: Y SD picks his Nose--isn't that just about the most visceral, odd thing about this intro? I have this modern gross-out factor with Stephen--why is he so opposed to bathing? Now, I've read all of Frank McCourt's books, and therefore know the issues with availability to practice proper hygiene in early 20th century Ireland , and even experienced this firsthand myself in a 1980's trip around the island--keeping in mind I am 2/5ths Irish meself, and was visiting very distant, irregularly bathing relatives...

But Stephen doesn't exactly have the lack of availability problem--he lives on the sea! Buck practically drags him down to bathe and he refuses. Every time I read this I want him to at very least take that snot-green rag in his pocket and swish it about in the sea for a bit to relieve it of his -em- personal body matter. It's like he wants to befouI Buck's dandyisms. I know it must be cold, but, the hankie won't much feel it. Buck jokes about his monthly bath.

I am amazed that every time I read this, I get a different vibe between the Stephen-Buck relationship. Last time, I distinctly recall being pissed at Buck for using his charm to lord over Stephen and take advantage of him and others monetarily. This time I feel more that SD makes himself into a doormat, resenting Buck's charm and joie d' vivre because he feels an under-appreciated, lesser light. Yet, there's that whole orchestrated conspiracy against Haines to make Stephen some sort of supergenius, esp on the subject of Hamlet and Father-Son relationships. Now I 'm trying to recall if SD ever does give up his theory--I seem to recall he does, rather spectacularly, (in a pub?) but don't remember if Mr Haines witnesses. I'm sure some of you know the answer to this.

Stephen gives his recitation on Shakespeare in the 9th chapter. Haines is not present.

I was rather disoriented to begin with, at first thinking--for some reason--they were on a ship, going above-decks, then I put that error aside to take up another one, assuming they had some kind of military relationship, with that Haines guy being captain or something. Then I reoriented.

I admire Stephen's unbending refusal to pray for his mom, even though I'm probably more of a compromiser myself. Maybe.

Then, after Portait of the Artist, I kind of didn't want to see Dedalus again. One knows that when an idealist enters adulthood it can't result in instant triumph and ultimate fulfillment, but it's painful to see the assaults of humiliation and doubt the idealist is liable to confront. Which I guess is kind of the point of putting me through it.

I'm thinking Stephen's anti-bathing is parallel to his refusal to kneel in prayer for his mother--bathing is related to baptism/ reborn faith?

Mark wrote: "Stephen gives his recitation on Shakespeare in the 9th chapter. Haines is not present."
Yes. Just finished that episode. And it is funny the Dedalus Mulligan dialectic picking up right where it left off.

Speaking of which.. what does S mean by "usurper" at the very end.
Ellman's explanation is that Stephen paid the rent, but this is a mistake.

Stephen says, to himself, right after he accepts a cigarette from Haines, "He wants that key. Its mine. I paid the rent." (20)
What mistake did Ellmann make?
I don't have a extra "S" in my text near "Usurper."

Tracy wrote: "I'm thinking Stephen's anti-bathing is parallel to his refusal to kneel in prayer for his mother--bathing is related to baptism/ reborn faith?"
I know we're suppose to stay within the chapter, but there is this line from Ithaca: "That he (Stephen) was hydrophobe, hating partial contact by immersion or total by submersion in cold water..." (673)
But I'm not sure that Catholics use total submersion in their baptism
rites, I thought it was more a Protestant fundamentalist thing.

"And no more turn aside and brood
Upon love's bitter mystery
For Fergus rules the brazen cars." (9)

Any speculation on what Yeats means by "love's bitter mystery"?

Christopher wrote: "Mark wrote: "Stephen gives his recitation on Shakespeare in the 9th chapter. Haines is not present."
Yes. Just finished that episode. And it is funny the Dedalus Mulligan dialectic picking up right..."

Long ago, and I'm not sure why, I wrote a note to myself under that usurper line that says Buck=Antinous and/or Claudius. Antinous was some beautiful greek boy, favorite of Hadrian and subject of a cult of beauty worship, which is I suppose I've rolled into Buck's preening and care for his appearance. Claudius is of course the usurping king/uncle in Hamlet--and Stephen does often seem to see himself as Hamlet-like. Buck is charming and manipulative like Claudius, (the key episode) and you always sort of wonder what he's reeeeallly up to. Maybe --this is a stretch, but Stephen seems to stretch often, metaphorically--maybe Buck's making light of his mother's death is something like Claudius' defiling of Gertrude, and thus Stephen/Hamlet's innocence. ??

Mark, I think the S Christopher was referring to is just Stephen's initial.

But, the image that caught my eye in this chapter is the thing about the Irish art of a servant viewing his/her image in a cracked mirror--followed by discourse on Wilde. Seems this may be a veiled argument about the purpose of art: the pov that art is an attempt, however imperfect to imitate life, hold the mirror, so to say, vs. Wilde's pov that "All Art is Useless"--and therefore should be artificial, in attempts to heighten beauty.

My take on this may be BM reflects the Wildean view and Stephen the grubbier one, the opposite. Anyone have any ideas on this image? Is it really Irish folklore, for example--I dunno!

Mark wrote: "Stephen says, to himself, right after he accepts a cigarette from Haines, "He wants that key. Its mine. I paid the rent." (20)
What mistake did Ellmann make?
I don't have a extra "S" in my text nea..."

The S was my shorthand for Stephen... what does Stephen mean by "Usurper"?

The passage you quoted.. "He wants that key. It is mine. I paid the rent."-- the last two sentences are what Stephen imagines Mulligan saying to him, or remember him saying to him.

If the rent is "two quid a month," and Stephen's salary is four "shining sovereigns," there is almost no way he COULD have paid the rent, let alone been expected to, wanted to, planned to, felt obliged to...

In fact, the "Coronation Day" binge Mulligan is planning is sort of Stephen's "payment" for living rent-free.

"--Still there? I got a card from Bannon. Says he found a sweet young thing down there. Photo girl he calls her.
--Snapshot, eh? Brief exposure." (21-22)

I've always liked the sort of salacious implication of "brief exposure".

Christopher wrote: "Mark wrote: "Stephen says, to himself, right after he accepts a cigarette from Haines, "He wants that key. Its mine. I paid the rent." (20)
What mistake did Ellmann make?
I don't have a extra "S" i..."

Good, Christopher, because I think my past confusion about the SD/BM monetary relationship is just that sort of fluid wordplay. My new take is Mulligan literally owns or rents(12 quid p. 24) the tower, (he runs the kitchen) likes Stephen's witty, intellectual company, so gives him rent gratis and for the occasional bender. Does Buck come from money? Does he have a job?

There is this exchange when Mulligan is berating Stephen for asking if his writing should be worth money to Haines: Stephen replies
--Well? The problem is to get money. From whom? From the milk woman or him...
Buck replies, -- I blow him out about you then you come along with your lousy leer and gloomy jesuit jibes.
--I see little hope, from her or from him.
BM sighed tragically and laid his hand on Stephen's arm.
--From me, Kinch, he said.

Hmm. Antinous the icon of Hellenic beauty. BM's references to Hellenizing Ireland, becoming pagans. I think perhaps? the answer to the riddle is that Buck possibly has romantic designs on SD, or Stephen is at least worried about this, which may also explain his lack of washing. And why he lives "free". Freedom is never free, haha.

And Buck does seem like a character from a Wilde play.

Christopher wrote: "Mark wrote: "Stephen says, to himself, right after he accepts a cigarette from Haines, "He wants that key. Its mine. I paid the rent." (20)
What mistake did Ellmann make?
I don't have a extra "S" i..."
Very interesting reading Christopher. Do you have any other evidence, besides the circumstantial relationship between Stephen's meager salary and the cost of the rent?

Mark wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Mark wrote: "Stephen says, to himself, right after he accepts a cigarette from Haines, "He wants that key. Its mine. I paid the rent." (20)
What mistake did Ellmann make?
I don'..."

My problem is I read a lot ABOUT Ulysses before I read the book. Years before, in fact. I think it was Hugh Kenner who clinched the case that Mulligan pays the rent. I don't know if this will show up as a link:

https://books.google.com/books?id=Ajl...

Anyway, he points out that Stephen has exaggerated his pay- upped it from 3 pounds 12 to 4 pounds. And says it is highly unlikely that Stephen would ever HAVE as much as "12 quid" at any one time. (What is 12 quid? Quarterly? Annually?) He could save 12 quid out of four paydays, but in fact, he has only been paid once before.

PS- but, if that is just re-iterating what I said before.. Stephen COULDN'T have paid the rent, well, what about everything else?

Why does Mulligan lord it over Stephen? Tease him about "eating all we have left," demand a binge on payday, demand the key, even?

eta: But, "freedom is never free," as Tracy says, and maybe that is what "usurper" means... the deal was, we move into the Omphalus and Hellenise Ireland, the cold morning reality is: you (Mulligan) want to play jester to Haines and kick me around.

Christopher wrote: "Mark wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Mark wrote: "Stephen says, to himself, right after he accepts a cigarette from Haines, "He wants that key. Its mine. I paid the rent." (20)
What mistake did Ellmann..."
Very interesting! Thank you for the link. So the evidence remains sort of circumstantial (via Goldman, via Kenner): being based upon Stephen's stated salary vs. the stated rent for the tower, and the corresponding imbalance. I'm assuming when Mulligan says "12 pounds" he means 1 pound a month for a year?
[I just wonder if, "It is mine. I paid the rent." really sounds like something Mulligan would say? Where it is in his voice or not?]

Mark wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Mark wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Mark wrote: "Stephen says, to himself, right after he accepts a cigarette from Haines, "He wants that key. Its mine. I paid the rent." (20)
What..."

All I can say is the whole chapter seems to fall together to me when you read it that way. To Stephen's rejection of Buck's offer of his gray pin-stripes (I know, he wants black for mum), to the fact that he resolves not to sleep in the Tower that night (and he doesn't).

The rent question smells like Joyceturbation* to me. Whoever paid the rent, the power dynamics between extrovert Buck and introvert Stephen are more compelling to watch. Buck as antagonist to reveal Stephen's character.




*Self-abuse indulged in by academics trying to find one more tender morsel on the carcass of Ulysses scholarship - refusing to accept that that carcass was picked clean decades ago....

— You couldn’t manage it under three pints, Kinch, could you ?
— It has waited so long, Stephen said listlessly, it can wait longer.
— You pique my curiosity, Haines said aimiably. Is it some paradox ?
— Pooh! Buck Mulligan said. We have grown out of Wilde and paradoxes. It’s quite simple. He proves by algebra that Hamlet’s grandson is Shakespeare’s grandfather and that he himself is the ghost of his own father.
— What? Haines said, beginning to point at Stephen. He himself?

Haha-- that shows BM and SD indulged in their own analytical diversions

Jim wrote: "The rent question smells like Joyceturbation* to me. Whoever paid the rent, the power dynamics between extrovert Buck and introvert Stephen are more compelling to watch. Buck as antagonist to revea..."
I agree. Whoever paid the rent is not vital to the story.

I'm confused. If Mulligan pays the rent - as Mr. Goldman told Mr. Kenner - then why does Stephen carry the key around? (Is this one of his flunky jobs?) And why, then, if it's MullIgans key, does Stephen have a conversation with himself about it? Why should Stephen care about Mulligan having the key if it is rightfully Mulligan's anyway?

Mark wrote: "I'm confused. If Mulligan pays the rent - as Mr. Goldman told Mr. Kenner - then why does Stephen carry the key around? (Is this one of his flunky jobs?) And why, then, if it's MullIgans key, does S..."

nothing to be confused about. a dead end idea

Lines 23.34 - 24.7 are clearly SD's interior monologue

I think Jims got the right level on this--Buck's mostly a foil for Stephen's character and his development doesn't really continue to this degree in the later parts of the story

Tracy wrote: "I think Jims got the right level on this--Buck's mostly a foil for Stephen's character and his development doesn't really continue to this degree in the later parts of the story"
Agreed.