Thursday, 24 November 2022 (2.414)

The last reading stopped at: “I know two editors slightly.” (2.414)

This is several lines below the rhyme: 

For Ulster will fight

And Ulster will be right.

With thanks to Pino Aschwanden

Reading cancelled (Nov 17)

Please note that the reading of Thursday, 17 November 2022 had to cancelled at short notice. 

The next reading is scheduled for Thursday, 24 November.

Thursday, 10 November 2022 (2.117)

The last reading stopped at: “to which their cries echoed dismay.” (2.117)

The numbers 1.576 refer to the place in the text edited by Hans Walter Gabler (1 = chapter number; 576 = line number.

With thanks to Pino Aschwanden

Thursday, 3 November 2022 (1.576)

The last reading stopped at: “a sail tacking by the Muglins.” (1.576)

The numbers 1.576 refer to the place in the text edited by Hans Walter Gabler (1 = chapter number; 576 = line number.

With thanks to Pino Aschwanden

Thursday, 27 October 2022 (1.236)

A new round of Ulysses readings has begun at the Zurich James Joyce Foundation (Augustinergasse 9, Zurich). 

The readings are free of charge and suited to both beginners and returners. All you need is a basic knowledge of English and your curiosity. If you have a copy of the book, please take it with you. New readers are always welcome.

The last reading stopped at: “moody brooding” (1.236)

The numbers 236 refer to the place in the text edited by Hans Walter Gabler (1 = chapter number; 236 = line number.

Online reading on Thursday, 25 March 2021 (10.1236)

The last reading stopped mid-paragraph at: “made haste to reply.” (10.1236) 

Please note that the reading will continue over Easter: The group is convening as usual on April 1, Maundy Thursday (Gründonnerstag).

Online reading on Thursday, 11 March 2021 (10.716)

The last reading stopped at: “sister Monica!” (10.716)

Online reading on Thursday, 4 March 2021 (10.396)

The last reading stopped at: “after five.” (10.396)

 

Online reading on Thursday, 25 February 2021 (10.127)

The last reading stopped at: “smiled tinily, sweetly.” (10.127) 

Online reading on Thursday, 18 February 2021 (9.1124)

The last reading stopped at: “smoothsliding Mincius.” (9.1124)  

Online reading of Thursday, 4 February 2021 (9.566)

The last joint reading stopped at: “for a pussful.” (9.566)

If you have any questions regarding the readings, please contact the Zurich James Joyce Foundation: info@joycefoundation.ch

Online reading of Thursday, 28 January 2021 (9.313)

The joint online reading of Ulysses held on Thursday, 28 January stopped at: “becoming important. It seems.” (9.313)

If you have any questions regarding the online readings, please contact the Zurich James Joyce Foundation: info@joycefoundation.ch 

 

Online reading of Thursday, 21 January 2021 (9.71)

The joint online reading of Ulysses held on Thursday, 21 January 2021 stopped at: “H. P. B.'s elemental.” (9.71)

If you have any questions regarding the online readings, please contact the Zurich James Joyce Foundation: info@joycefoundation.ch 

Online reading of Thursday, 14 January 2021 (8.1027)

The joint online reading of Ulysses held on Thursday, 14 January 2021 stopped at: “for the baby.” (8.1027)

If you have any questions regarding the online readings, please get in touch with the Zurich James Joyce Foundation by writing to: info@joycefoundation.ch

Online reading of Thursday, 7 January 2021 (8.740)

The joint online reading of Ulysses held on Thursday, 7 January 2021 stopped at: “let me see.” (8.740)

Online reading of Thursday, 17 December 2020 (8.532)

The joint online readings of Ulysses held on Thursday, 17 December stopped at: “literary work.” (8.532)

The next reading will take place on 7 January 2021.

For more information about the online readings, please see the blog entry titled “All Readings Online” (30 Oct. 2020). 

Online reading of Thursday, 10 December 2020 (8.322)

The joint online readings of Ulysses held on Thursday, 10 December stopped at: “feast for the gods.” (8.322)

For more information about the online readings, please see the blog entry titled “All Readings Online” (30 Oct. 2020)

Online reading of Thursday, 3 December 2020 (8.50)

Note: The Ulysses readings have been moved to an online platform. Please see the blog entry titled “All Readings Online” (30 Oct. 2020) for more information.

The joint online reading held on Thursday, 3 December stopped at: “knew all the things.” (8.50)

Online reading of Thursday, 26 November 2020 (7.1041)

Note: For the time being, the Ulysses readings have been moved to an online platform. Please see the blog entry titled “All Readings Online” (30 October 2020) for further information.

The joint online reading held on Thursday, 26 November stopped at: “O'Connell street.” (7.1041)

Online reading of Thursday, 19 November 2020 (7.765)

Note: For the time being, the Ulysses readings have been moved to an online platform. Please see the blog entry titled “All Readings Online” (30 October 2020) for further information.

The joint online reading held on Thursday, 19 November 2020 stopped at: “both our lives” (7.765)

 

Online reading of Thursday, 12 November 2020 (7.576)

For the time being, all readings of Ulysses have been moved to an online platform. For more details, please see the blog entry titled “All Readings Online” (30 October 2020).

The joint online reading held on Thursday, 12 November 2020 stopped at: “Stephen's ear” (7.576)

Online reading of Thursday, 5 November 2020 (7.290)

The last online reading stopped at: “shook his head.” (7.290)

For the time being, all readings of Ulysses have been moved to an online platform. For more details, please see the blog entry titled “All Readings Online” (30 October 2020).

All Readings Online

Since the current pandemic has been worsening again, on-site readings are being suspended. 

Instead, the Foundation is providing online readings. All current Tuesday and Thursday groups are merged into one and will start gathering online on 

Thursday, 5 November, at 4.30 p.m. 

The online group begins with episode 7, “Aeolus”. Updates about the group's progress continue to be given on this site. 

Every Thursday morning, readers will receive an email with a link to log into Zoom. 

For those who are using Zoom for the first time: You will need to download the software from zoom.us if you're using a computer, the Zoom app from the Apple store if you're using an iPhone or iPad, or the Zoom app from Google Play if your device is an Android.

If you encounter difficulties or have any questions, please get in touch with the Foundation at info@joycefoundation.ch.

Let's stay connected in the best way we can.

Thursday, 22 (8.26) & 29 (...) October 2020

The reading group has been split into two halves.

The first half gathered on Oct. 22. It finished episode 7 (“Aeolus”) and started episode 8 (“Lestrygonians”), stopping at: “the brain” (8.26).

The second half will come together on Oct. 29 and the place at which it stops will be indicated here. 

Thursday, 8 (7.840) & 15 (7.869) October 2020

The reading group, now split into two halves (cf. post Sept. 29), is progressing as follows: 

The first half gathered on Oct 8 and stopped at: “revealed to me” (7.840).

The second half came together on Oct 15 and read as far as: “outlaw” (7.869).

PLEASE NOTE

The Ulysses readings are taking place on site again. The group has been split into two halves to ensure more space for readers. The two halves alternate and convene fortnightly.

Updates about the group's progress continue to be given on this site.

Please note that the Foundation is asking participants to sign up in order to be able to adhere to the necessary safety measures. If you would like to join or re-join a group, it will be best to check beforehand if it is possible and advisable to do so.

Contact:

Email:     info@joycefoundation.ch

Phone:     044 211 83 01

For more information please visit the Foundation's website.

Thursday, 24 Sept (7.558) & 1 Oct 2020 (7.602)

The reading group has been split into two halves. 

The first half gathered on Sept 24 and stopped at: “But the Greek!” (7.558). 

The second half came together on Oct 1 and read as far as “General Bobrikoff” (7.602).

Thursday, 10 & 17 September 2020 (7.271) – Aeolus

The reading group has been split into two halves. The first half gathered on Sept. 10, the second on Sept. 17. Both groups stopped at: “Our lovely land.” (7.271)

Bloomsday 2020

16 June 2020

Today is Bloomsday! Today marks 116 years of the publication of James Joyce's Ulysses!

The event is being marked by celebrations in many major cities of the world.

See for example - Dublin, New York,  Toronto ... . 

Our own Zurich James Joyce Foundation is offering an apero in the evening (Registration required). There will also be a reading.

Read more about various events here!

If you are an absolute novice regarding Ulysses, below are some links that help you to start discovering this great novel!

- Watch Sam Slote's video, "Why should you read James Joyce's Ulysses" on YouTube here!

- Listen to the complete reading of Ulysses produced by RTE Radio here!

- Get and read the book, Ulysses for the Uninitiated

 (Reading James Joyce Ulysses with Fritz Senn)

More about the book here!
More about Fritz Senn here! (In German)

Enjoy reading one of the masterpieces of English literature!

IMPORTANT NOTE

Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, all reading groups are suspended until further notice.

Thursday, 12 March 2020, Episode 7 (7.313 - 7. 603)

The reading stopped with ". . . Stephen said." (7.603)

As Bloom waits in the offices of The Telegraph to go inside the inner office of Myles Crawford to make a phone call, Simon Dedalus and Ned Lambert leave to have a drink. Professor MacHugh is still there. He is joined by Lenehan who brings Sport's tissues (racing forms by a weekly paper, Sport). He tosses them on to the table which get caught in the draught caused by the opening of the door and fall down to the floor. As Lenehan bends down to pick them up, Bloom comes out after making the phone call, bumps against Lenehan. He hurries out after apologising for hurting Lenehan's knee.

Soon Stephen comes in with Mr O'Madden Burke. Stephen has brought the letter on the foot and mouth disease that Mr Deasy had given him that morning. Both Professor MacHugh and the editor, Myles Crawford, know Mr Deasy and his wife. They start talking about Mrs Deasy's wife. Stephen's mind wanders off. He recalls what Mr Deasy had said that morning: "A woman brought sin into the world." Meanwhile Professor MacHugh discourses on the Greeks, Lenehan recites a limerick on MacHugh, and poses a riddle: What opera is like a railway line?, giving its answer himself when nobody pays any attention to it.

Their attention then turns to the loose ties worn by Stephen and Mr O'Madden Burke. 

Thursday, 5 March 2020, Episode 7 (7.1 - 7.312)

The reading stopped at "Hail fellow well met the next moment." (7.312)

Summary:

Book 10 of Homer's Odyssey describes the visit of Odysseus and his crew to the island of Aeolus, the keeper (god) of winds. In Joyce's Ulysses, Aeolus is the unofficial name given to episode 7. This episode is quite windy with words, often hollow words. Joyce has assigned the office of the newspaper Freeman's Journal, the oldest newspaper of Dublin, as its location. Its various sections/paragraphs have titles just like the headings of topics in a newspaper.

The episode starts in the heart of Dublin, before Nelson's pillar with the clanking of trams on their way. It is 12 noon. Bloom has come to the newspaper office with the intention of getting an extension for an advertisement from Alexander Keys. He talks to Red Murray, watches William Brayden the editor [passing] statelily up the staircase, goes inside, talks to Nannetti (a master-printer) about the advertisement, . . . He stands by, hearing the loud throbs of cranks, watching the silent typesetters at their cases.

Bloom then walks into the office of the Telegraph which is in the same building. Simon Dedalus, Ned Lambert and professor MacHugh are there. Bloom is noticed only by MacHugh. The other two do not pay any attention to him. They are too busy having fun, reading a passage in that day's newspaper.

(Summarized from the book, Ulysses for the Uninitiated.)

Thursday, 27 February 2020, End of episode 6

We completed the episode 6.

Summary:

Bloom moves away as the gravediggers start to fill the grave with heavy clods of clay. He notices that Hynes is writing in his notebook. Assuming that he is noting down the names of people who were at the funeral, Bloom tries to move away, as he [Hynes] knows them all. That does not turn out to be the truth as Hynes - though he does know the name of many who had come - calls back Bloom and asks him after his first name. Another proof that Bloom is an outsider in Dublin's society.

The mourners slowly move away. Hynes, Mr Power and others walk by the chief's grave (Parnell's grave). Bloom follows noticing the various ornaments put on the gates, various quotations on the grave stones. He is not much impressed by what he sees. "More sensible to spend the money on some charity for the living." The quotations remind him of Thomas Gray's poem, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. Typical of Bloom, he thinks of it as Eulogy in a country churchyard . . . [by] Wordswoth or Thomas Campbell. 

He sees an obese grey rat [toddling] along the side of the crypt. This makes him muse about what happens to the buried body, and about various ways of disposing of the dead: cremation, quicklime feverpits, sea burial, Parsee tower of silence . . .

Thursday, 20 February 2020, Episode 6 (6.543 - 6.871)

The reading stopped at ". . . as you are sure there's no." (6.871)

Bloom and others have arrived at the Prospect cemetery. Among the many mourners we meet here are - apart from Dignam's elder son, brother in law - Ned Lambert, Corny Kelleher (who works for an undertaker), Father Coffey (Bloom recalls that he knew his name was like a coffin), Tom Kernan (a tea merchant), John Henry Menton (a solicitor for whom Dignam used to work), John O'Connell (superintendent of the cemetery), and a chap in the macintosh, etc.

These funeral service and burial are interspersed with Bloom's internal monologues. (One of the signature features of Ulysses is the use of internal monologue. Of Bloom, of Stephen, and most famously of Molly in the final episode.) While the other mourners are busy with small talk, Bloom is occupied with his own thoughts. Of widowhood (of Victoria and Albert), about how Dignam's wife and children would manage their life now, about the cause of the swollen belly of the priest, of the rituals of the funeral service, of the effect of reading the prayer in Latin, of none of it mattering to the person who is dead, about the superintendent's life, about the economy of using a separate coffin for every dead person, about what happens to the body that is buried and the soil in which it is buried, about the organ called the heart (A pump after all, pumping thousands of gallons of blood every day. One fine day it gets bunged up: and there you are) . . . He is also disturbed when the gravediggers [take] up their spades and [fling] heavy clods of clay in on the coffin, wondering how to make sure that the person in the coffin is really dead . . .

(Summarized from the book, Ulysses for the Uninitiated.)

Thursday, 13 February 2020, Episode 6 (6.242 - 6.542)

The reading stopped at ". . . Mr Bloom agreed." (6.542)

Mr Bloom, Martin Cunningaham, Simon Dedalus and Mr Power are traveling in a creaking carriage to the funeral of Patrick Dignam. Bloom tries often to make conversation. He starts telling the awfully good one about Reuben J and the son. But everybody in the carriage already knows about that story. Anyway this leads to the topic of death, to committing suicide, ... Martin Cunningham tries to stop others expressing their opinions about suicidal death as he knows that Bloom's father had taken his own life. Bloom is grateful to Cunningham. Seeing a tiny coffin passing by, Bloom is once again reminded of his son, Rudy, who did not live long after birth.
After passing the statue of the hugecloaked Liberator (statue of Daniel O'Connell), Nelson's pillar, after coming to a temporary halt because of a herd of cattle being driven, and passing again the stonecutter's yard, the house where Samuel Childs was murdered, they finally reach the cemetery. While getting down from the carriage, Bloom manages to move the soap from his hip pocket to the inner pocket. They enter the gates of the cemetery making small talk.

(Summarized from the book, Ulysses for the Uninitiated.)

Statue of Daniel O'Connell

Thursday, 6 February 2020, Episode 6 (6.1 - 6.241)

The reading stopped at ". . . throstle that expresses that." (6.241)

Summary:

It is finally time to leave for Patrick Dignam's funeral. Bloom enters the creaking carriage that was to take him, Martin Cunningham, Mr Power and Mr Dedalus after he is told, "Come along, Bloom. (6.08)" There are many hints in this episode to underline the fact that Bloom is an outsider in the Dublin society.
They all attempt to make conversation during the ride to the Prospect cemetery. But whatever Bloom says does not seem to interest the others. There is also little seriousness in the carriage. For instance, Mr Dedalus gets quite angry just by being told that his son and heir (6.43) was passing by because he imagines his son, Stephen, in the company of Buck Mulligan, whom he refers to as a contaminated bloody double dyed ruffian by all accounts (6.64). Bloom, who witnesses this outburst, feels that he understands the feeling of the father as he himself had a son Rudy, who unfortunately lived only for a few days. The thought of his death makes Bloom think of the moment of conception of his son. Must have been that morning in Raymond terrace she was at the window watching the two dogs at it by the wall of the cease to do evil (6.77).
Just when Bloom thinks, he's coming in the afternoon (6.190), the others see and greet Blazes Boylan whom they pass. This leads to Mr Power enquiring Bloom about the concert tour. They talk about the singers (Louis Werner, J. C. Doyle, John MacCormack) who are to participate in the tour. (Interestingly, on 27 August 1904, James Joyce had sung with John MacCormack, J. C. Doyle and others in Dublin.)
The carriage moves on.

Thursday, 30 January 2020, End of Episode 5

We completed episode 5.

Summary:

Feeling that it is a pity that right then no music was being sung in the church, Bloom thinks of some of the old sacred music (5.403) and musicians/composers such as Mercadante (1795-1870), Mozart (1756-91), Palestrina (1525-94) . . . He watches the rituals that are being carried out. He too stands up when the priest kisses the altar and turning blesses the people, who crossing themselves stand up, and sits down when they kneel again. He muses upon the power of the church, of religion. Wonderful organisation certainly, goes like clockwork (5.424). When the mass is finished, Bloom decides to leave before a person comes around with the collection plate.

Outside, noticing that there is still enough time before Dignam's funeral starts, Bloom decides to go to the pharmacy, Sweny's in Lincoln place (5.463) to get a lotion Molly wants. He has forgotten the recipe of the lotion (along with his key) in his other trousers, but he knows that the pharmacist can look it up in the prescriptions book (5.471). In the pharmacy, Bloom places his orders, watches the pharmacist, looks around, inhaling slowly the keen reek of drugs (5.487). As he had not bought a bottle with him, Bloom tells the pharmacist to make up the recipe and that he will collect it later in the day. After agreeing to pay for the lotion and the soap (sweet lemony smelling one) which he also takes when he returns, Bloom goes out of the pharmacy.

As he comes out, he hears the voice of Bantam Lyons hailing him. Obviously Bloom is not much impressed by Bantam Lyons, who has yellow blackmailed fingers (5.523) and dandruff on his shoulders (5.525). Lyons wants to have a look at the newspaper Bloom is carrying. Looking through it he murmurs, "Ascot. Gold cup" (5.532). When Bloom tells him to keep the newspaper as he was going to throw it away that moment (5.537), Bantam Lyons leers, thrusts the newspaper back at Bloom and rushes off. Bloom does not understand his behaviour. Neither do we at this moment. But it will help not to forget this incidence.

Bloom walks with his soap to the baths around the corner from Lincoln Place. He wants to enjoy a bath now: clean trough of water, cool enamel, the gentle tepid stream (5.565).

Good morning, have you used Pears' soap? (5.524)
(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pears_(soap)#/media/File:Pears'_Soap_advertisement_1886.jpg)

Thursday, 23 January 2020, Episode 5 (5.138 - 5.402)

The reading stopped at "Quis est homo." (5.402)

Summary:

M'Coy finally moves away after telling Bloom, "My missus has just got an engagement. At least it's not settled yet" (5.148) and asking him to put down his name at Patty Dignam's funeral if he is not there because the drowning case at Sandycove may turn up (5.171). We had heard of the drowning case in episode 1.
Bloom is finally left in peace. He strolls towards Brunswick street. His eyes wander over the multicoloured hoardings (5.192) at the corner of Westland Row and Great Brunswick street. One of them is the playbill of the play Leah with Mrs Bandmann Palmer. (Mrs Bandmann Palmer (1845-1926) was a famous English actress.) Bloom recollects that she had played Hamlet the previous night. That a woman had played Hamlet, makes him wonder at first whether Hamlet was a woman. (Perhaps he was a woman. (5.196)) This thought leads to the next whether that was the reason that Ophelia committed suicide. Thinking of 'suicide' naturally makes Bloom remember his father, who had committed suicide.
Walking on, Bloom comes to a secluded spot near the Westland Row railway station, where he opens the letter he had collected earlier at the post office. The letter addressed to Henry Flower by Martha has a flower pinned to it. Now it is clear that Bloom is carrying on an affair under the assumed name of Henry Flower with Martha, whom he is yet to meet! Could meet one Sunday after the rosary (5.270). The pin which Martha has used brings back to his memory a song he had once heard, O, Mairy lost the pin of her drawers. . . (5.281)
This song resurfaces again in Bloom's thoughts - suppose he [the priest] lost the pin of his. He wouldn't know what to do to. (5.372) - once he comes near the open backdoor of All Hallows (5.318) and enters the church. (All Hallows aka St. Andrew's is a Roman Catholic church on Westland Row.) The paragraphs that follow describing Bloom's observing the rituals which are being conducted involving members of a sodality, and his reactions to what he sees are some of the most hilarious paragraphs in Ulysses.

Thursday, 16 January 2020, Episode 5 (5.1 - 5.137)

We completed episode 4, and started episode 5, stopping at "One of the best, M'Coy said." (5.137)

Summary of the beginning of episode 5:

After completing his business asquat on the cuckstool (4.500), while he read the story, Matcham's Masterstroke (4.502), by Mr Philip Beaufoy published in an old number of Titbits (4.467), and while he thought that he himself might manage (such) a sketch (4.518), Bloom [tears] away half the prize story sharply and [wipes] himself with it (4.537), pulls up his pants and [comes] forth from the gloom into the air (4.539) as the bells of George's church (4.544) toll Heigho! Heigho! (4.506) . . .

Mr Bloom leaves his house, and goes out. He is to attend Patty Dignam's funeral at quarter to (4.549) that morning which means that he has enough time to do other things before going to the funeral. He is no hurry. Sauntering along, he passes John Rogerson's quay, Windmill Lane, Lime street, Westland row etc. His mind is occupied by the things he sees, the shops such as the Belfast and Oriental Tea Company (5.19) he passes by, the people - for example, the boy and the girl near Brady's cottages (5.5) - he sees/meets on the way. He goes into a post office and produces a card on which his name is given as Henry Flower (5.62) - Bloom/Flower -, and gets a letter waiting for him. Obviously he is carrying on some kind of an affair with somebody. Before he could open the letter outside the post office, M'Coy hails him. Bloom has no interest in stopping and exchanging small talk with M'Coy but cannot get rid of him. As M'Coy stays on to chat, Bloom's attention is distracted by two people waiting near an outsider (a two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage) drawn up before the door of the Grosvenor (5.98) hotel. While Bloom is busy observing and admiring the rich silk stockings (5.122) of the woman and wondering from which side she will get into the carriage, M'Coy continues to talk explaining how he heard of Dignam's passing away. If she would in fact get into the carriage from the side he can see, Bloom would get to see her ankles as she would have to lift her skirt up to get into the carriage! But that does not happen as a heavy tramcar (5.131) goes by blocking his view just as she gets into the carriage! 

Thursday, 9 January 2020, Episode 4 (4.201 - 4.446)

The reading stopped at " . . . braiding." (4.446)

Apologies for not being able to post any summary of this week's reading.

Thursday, 19 December 2019, Episode 4 (4.1 - 4.200)

We stopped the reading with "Still an idea behind it." (4.200)

Note:
This is our last meeting in 2019. Our reading continues on Thursday, 9 January, at the regular time.

Summary:

We meet Mr Bloom for the first time in this episode. It is 8 am. Bloom is in his kitchen preparing breakfast. He is also putting her breakfast things on the humpy tray (4.7).
In the very first paragraph we come to know about the kind of food he relishes. (Most of all he like[s] grilled mutton kidneys which [give] to his palate a fine tang of faintly scented urine; 4.3). A cat is keeping his company, mewing Mkgnao, Mrkgnao, and then Mrkrgnao, asking for milk in the cat's language! After pouring some milk in a saucer for the cat, and watching her shining whiskers as she licks, and wondering whether the whiskers are a kind of feelers, Bloom moves his attention to the breakfast tray he is preparing.
He knows that she [doesn't] like her plate full (4.11). Deciding against ham and eggs, he decides to walk to the butcher, Dlugacz, to buy pork kidney. He calls out softly by the bedroom door whether she wants anything for breakfast. He hears a 'Mn' in answer, and the jingling of the loose brass quoits of the bedstead (4.59).
He steps out after just pulling the door after him, without locking it, as he does not find the latchkey in his pocket. In the sunny morning, he walks in happy warmth, imagining some other place where it would be early morning as described in one of his books, in the track of the sun depicting a sunburst on the title page, then of the headpiece over the Freeman (a newspaper) leader of the homerule sun rising up in the northwest (4.103).
At the butcher's, he has to wait as the nextdoor girl gets served first. When it is his turn, Bloom wants to buy what he wants quickly so that he can catch up and walk behind her . . . , behind her moving hams (4.171). But outside, there is no sign of her. She is gone.
Walking back along Dorset street, he reads the flyer of Agendath Netaim, planters' company, whose offices are at Bleibtreustrasse 34, Berlin, W.15.

Thursday, 12 December 2019, End of episode 3

Today we finished reading the third episode.

Summary:
The two people Stephen sees walking shoreward are a woman and a man (3.331). The dog is their's. As the dog suddenly runs off, the man whistles calling the dog back.  The two are cocklepickers (cocklers gather shellfish (cockles) from the sand at low tide; Oxford Reference Dictionary). They wade into the water, dip their bags in, before lifting them again and wading out.

Stephen is sitting on a stool of rock watching the cocklepickers and their dog. (Joyce's description of their actions and of the dog's (running around, sniffing the carcass, etc., are very picturesque.) His mind is busy with thoughts. Biblical episodes, words from the Bible, from Aristotle, from Oscar Wilde, from Yeats, from Ibsen, from Shakespeare and others are swirling around in his mind. Watching the two people walking on the clammy sand, with the woman following the man, Stephen fantasises about the two, about how her fancyman* [treats] two Royal Dblins in O'Loughlinis of Blackpitts**. These thoughts lead to Adam and Eve and their being banished from the Garden of Eden,  followed by the sun's flaming sword (3.391).

Amidst all these thoughts, Stephen tries to jot down a poem he has been composing. Not having any paper at hand, he tears of a piece from the letter Mr. Deasy had given him to get published in a newspaper. 

The tide comes in. The water reminds Stephen of the drowned man he had heard about that morning. He pictures to himself how the corpse [rises] saltwhite from the undertow, bobbling a pace a pace a porpoise landward (3.472). Imagining how a quiver of minnows (3.476) will be swimming around the corpse, Stephen tells himself God becomes man becomes fish becomes barnacle goose becomes featherbed mountain (3.477). In this one sentence God, Jesus, the Featherbed Mountain south of Dublin are brought together explaining the name Proteus, Joyce gave to this episode. 

Still thoughts of Mulligan are not far from Stephen's mind. He searches for the handkerchief Mulligan had taken that morning to wipe his razor blade. Not finding it, Stephen places the snot he had picked from his nostril on a rock, and gets ready to move. Because all days make their end. By the way . . . Tuesday will be the longest day*** (3.490).

* a man who lives on the income of a prostitute (Gifford, 3.377)

** apparently an unlicensed bar or public house (Gifford, 3.377)

*** The longest day in Dublin is the 21st June. This day being a Thursday - according to the Schema Joyce had put together - the date of the novel is 16th.

Thursday, 5 December 2019, Episode 3 (3.146 - 3.331)

Reading was stopped at "Pinned up, I bet." (3.331)

Summary:

Immersed in his own thoughts while walking on Sandymount Strand, Stephen, realises that the grainy sand had gone from under his feet (3.147). The strand there is highly polluted, smelling of sewage. When he understands that he had passed the way to his aunt's house, Stephen turns and walks towards the Pigeonhouse (a power station). The name makes him think of not only the book La Vie de Jesus by M. Leo Taxil (3.167) in which Joseph asks Mary who put her in that state, and gets the answer, "It was the pigeon, Joseph" (3.162) - after all according to the Ballad of the Joking Jesus, his father was a bird - , but also of Kevin Egan and his son, Patrice as well as of his own days in Paris. Stephen recalls his returning from Paris after getting a telegram from his father that said, Nother dying come home father (3.199). This thought inevitably leads to memories again of his mother's death.

Paris, Rodot's (a patisserie), Kevin Egan sipping his green fairy (absinthe), having food, their conversation, his words ("You're your father's son", 3.229), Irish history, his own thoughts that they have forgotten Kevin Egan, not he them (3.263) - all these pictures tumble around in Stephen's mind. Without his realising it, Stephen [has] come nearer the edge of the sea and wet sand [slaps] his boots, (3.265). He turns back, climbs over sedge and sits on a stool of rock (3.284). He sees a dog's carcass, a real dog running across the sweep of sand (3.294), then two people walking towards the shore. (Just as Joyce was, Stephen is also scared of dogs but he decides to sit tight.) This sight triggers in his mind pictures of the Norwegian invaders (Lochlanns), of Dubliners running to the strand to hack the green blubbery whalemeat (3.305) in what would have been a time of famine in Ireland . . . Similarly the dog's bark running towards him (3.310) makes him aware of his fear of dogs, when he (Mulligan) saved men from drowning (3.317) and then the thought of the drowned man takes his mind back to his mother's death (I could not save her; 3.329).

Thursday, 28 November 2019, Episode 3 (3.10 - 3.145)

We read as far as "... at one with one who once." (3.145)

Summary:

Thinking of Aristotle's theory of vision, of bodies and their forms, colours, Stephen closes his eyes and walks a few steps on the Sandymount Strand. He is aware that he is keeping steps one after the other (Nacheinander, 3.13). He is also aware that he is wearing borrowed pants and shoes, giveaways from Mulligan. (My two feet in his boots are at the ends of his legs, 3. 16). He opens his eyes and sees that everything around him is still there, his thoughts echoing Gloria Patri (There all the time without you: and ever shall be. world without end, 3.27).
Stephen sees two women coming down the steps of Leahy's terrace. He imagines that there is a navelcord in the midwife's bag, one of them is carrying. Stephen thinks of navelcords going back to the first of its kind. Could he use it to connect to Edenville (the place of Adam and Eve) by giving the operator the number as aleph, alpha, nought, nought, one (3.39)? There is much of Biblical thinking in this thought, and the ones that follow.
Soon he is close to his aunt Sara's place. Should he go visit her? What would be the reaction of his father if he hears of the visit? Aunt Sara is not rich. Uncle Richie is a clerk. He drafts bills of costs for Goff and Tandy (3.80). It is a far cry from Stephen's boasting that one of his uncles was a judge and an uncle a general in the army (3.106). Houses of decay, mine, his and all (3.105). This awareness of poverty make Stephan recall his dreams when he was young: Books you were going to write with letters for titles (3.139) . . .  Someone was to read them there after a few thousand years, a mahamanvantara (3. 143). 

Thursday, 21 November 2019, Episode 3 (3.1 - 3.9)

We completed reading episode 2, and started with episode 3 (Proteus), stopping at
"Shut your eyes and see." (3.9)


Summary of the last part of episode 2:

After handing over Stephen his salary, and advising him to get a savingsbox and to save (his earnings),  Mr Deasy tries to impress on Stephen the value of money. He asks him, "Do you know what is the proudest word you will ever hear from an Englishman's mouth?(2.243)" Mr Deasy himself provides the answer: "I paid my way (2.253)." A short discussion of the political leanings of Mr Deasy follows, at the end of which he asks Stephen for a favour. He has written a letter for the press (2.290) on the foot and mouth disease (2.321), and wants that Stephen helps him to get it printed and read before the next outbreak. He mentions that his cousin, Blackwood Price*, who has written to him that this disease is regularly treated and cured in Austria (2.340). While Mr Deasy finishes the letter on his typewriter, Stephen sits down and looks at the images of race horses hanging on the walls of the office and mulling over many things. At that time the English had imposed an embargo on Irish cattle. Perhaps trying to find a scapegoat for the embargo, Mr Deasy declares, "England is in the hands of the jews (2.346). . . . And they are the signs of a nation's decay (2.347)." He expresses more antisemitic views, harbinger of the coming times.

*Henry Blackwood Price was a friend of Joyce, and had corresponded with him about this topic. At that time the disease was spread in Ireland and England had imposed an embargo on Irish cattle. (Source: James Joyce by Richard Ellmann, p. 325.)

Summary of the beginning of episode 3:

After leaving the school, Stephen is walking along the Sandymount Strand. His mind is full of philosophical thoughts, of ideas (for example, on the form and colour of substances) he has read from philosophers such as Jakob Böhme, Aristotle, Dante Alighieri, . . . He recalls Dante's referring to Aristotle in his Divine Comedy as maestro di color che sanno (3.6) that means master of those who know. 

Thursday, 14 November 2019, Episode 2 (2.1 - 2.276)

We started with episode 2, Nestor, and read as far as "Croppies lie down." (2.276)

Summary:

After handing over the key of the tower to Mulligan, Stephen has come to the school where he is a teacher. During the course of the morning, he teaches history and literature, and even devotes some time to teach Cyril Sargent, one of the pupils, some algebra. (After all, according to Mulligan, Stephen can prove by algebra that Shakespeare's ghost is Hamlet's grandfather. (2.151)) Even as he poses questions on history to the class, part of his mind is busy with his own thoughts, among others, of William Blake, Aristotle, Shakespeare, Church, Bible, his mother's deathbed, etc. When the students disappear to play hockey and after Stephen shows Cyril Sargent how to solve an algebraic sum, he walks to Mr Deasy's office. It is the pay day. Mr Deasy, the headmaster, pays Stephen his salary of £3, s12. Stephen puts it all in a pocket of his trousers (2.224). On Mr Deasy's advice that he buy a savingsbox to store the money, Stephen answers, "Mine would be often empty. (2.232)." Mr Deasy says, "Money is power (2.237)", and extols the virtue of paying for one's way, for not owing anybody anything. This results in Stephen recalling in his mind the money he owes to various people. Mr Deasy continues his arguments, Stephen continues mulling over his thoughts. There is much reference to Irish history here.

Thursday, 7 November 2019, Episode 1 (1.523 - 1.744)

We have reached the end of Telemachus, episode 1, with the word 'Usurper'.

Summary:
At the end of our last reading we had left Buck Mulligan, Stephen and Haines going down for a swim in the fortyfoot hole (1.600), a bathing place in the Dublin bay. Mulligan is his usual self, joking and cheerful. Haines, who seems to be impressed by the lofty statements of Stephen, asks for his opinion of Hamlet, to be informed by Mulligan that he (Stephen) proves by algebra that Hamlet's grandson is Shakespeare's grandfather and that he himself is the ghost of his own father (1.555). And he recites the poem,  I'm the queerest young fellow that ever you heard. My mother's a jew, my father's a bird. . . (1. 584). (Here Joyce has made liberal use of the poem, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Song_of_the_Cheerful_(but_slightly_Sarcastic)_Jesus, by his friend Oliver St. John Gogarty.)
Steven too is his usual self, morose and serious. On being told my Haines, "You are your own master, . . . (1.636) ", he replies, "I am a servant of two masters (1.638) . . . And a third (1.641). . . " referring to the Imperial British state, the holy Roman catholic and apostolic church, (1.643) and Ireland.
Mulligan jumps into the water. Haines does not want to go swimming so soon after breakfast. Stephen leaves for his school. Before he leaves, Mulligan asks him to give him the key to the tower which Stephen had brought along after he had locked the door. Stephen does so. After all he had expected that Mulligan will want the key, had imagined that he will say, "It is mine. I paid the rent. (1.631)" This is one of the reasons that at the end of the episode, Stephen refers to Mulligan as the usurper.

Thursday, 31 October 2019, Episode 1 (1.177 - 1.522)

We read as far as "Are you coming, you fellows?" (1.522)

Summary:
Buck Mulligan who has noticed Stephen is brooding (1.235) over something wants to know the reason. He asks, "Why don't you trust me more? What have you up your nose against me?" (1.161) Stephen replies that when he had visited Mulligan the first time after his (Stephen's) mother had passed away, Mulligan had told his mother, who had asked who had come, "O, it's only Dedalus whose mother is beastly dead." (1.198) This saying of Mulligan had deeply hurt Stephen as he had found it deeply offensive to himself. When Mulligan realises this, he gives up trying to cheer Stephen up, starts going down the stairs to prepare breakfast, after he tells Stephen, "Look at the sea. What does it care about offences?" (1.231)
Eventually Stephen follows Mulligan down to the kitchen carrying the bowl of lather that Mulligan had forgotten on the parapet of the tower. He remembers carrying a boat of incense at Clongowes (Stephen was a student there in The Portrait. Joyce too was a student of Clongowes Wood College.)
Breakfast is bread, butter, honey, fry and black tea. Black because the milk woman has not yet come. An old woman does appear soon bringing rich white milk (1.397). She reminds Stephen of the allegoric names given to Ireland: Silk of the kine [the most beautiful cattle] and poor old woman (1.403). Haines, the Englishman, starts to talk to her in Irish which she does not recognise. (I'm ashamed I don't speak the language myself. I'm told it's a grand language by them that knows. 1.433) Haines brings up the subject of paying her. Mulligan after much searching his pockets produces a florin (a two-shilling coin). 
Meanwhile, Mulligan has praised Stephen in front of Haines, who is impressed by Stephen's sayings such as all Ireland is washed by the gulfstream (1.476), and wants to collect them if allowed. Mulligan has found out that it was pay day for Stephen. 
Breakfast is over, and the three young men decide to go for a swim in the sea.

One of the special features on these pages are the songs that Joyce has included. They are, (1) W. B. Yeats's Who goes with Fergus? (1.239), (2) A song from Turko the Terrible (1.260), (3) a coronation day song (1.300), and (4) For old Mary Ann, an anonymous Irish song (1.282).

Thursday, 24 October 2019, Episode 1 (1.1 - 1.176)

In the first reading session, we started with Telemachus, episode 1, and read as far as
"To ourselves ... new paganism ... omphalos." (1.176)

(Welcome to all those who have joined the new reading group that started on Thursday, 24th November. Information will be posted here each week on where the reading stopped that week and a short summary of what was covered at least occassionally.

The references given are from the version of Ulysses edited by Hans Walter Gabler, published by Vintage Books in 1986.

Key:
If the reference given says, for example, 1.20, it means that the content referred to is in episode 1, line 20 of the Gabler edition.)

Summary:
James Joyce's Ulysses starts with the Stately, plump Buck Mulligan coming up the stair case carrying a bowl of lather, a mirror and a razor. We soon understand that he is a very exuberant person who more often than not jokes about things. He jokes even about the Catholic religion, about the holy mass. He is soon joined by Stephen, who is quite opposite to Mulligan in character. Stephen's dress shows his poverty. Though he is displeased and sleepy (1.13), he comes up and sits down on the edge of the gunrest (1.37).
Mulligan shaves, and pulls out of Stephen's pocket a handkerchief (the bard's noserag, 1.73) to wipe his razor. Perhaps Stephen is displeased because of Haines, a visiting Englishman, who is staying with Mulligan, and who, the previous night in his sleep, was raving and moaning to himself about shooting a black panther (1.61).

The special features we come across on these pages: reference to other writers (Mulligan quotes from Algernon Charles Swinburne, Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde) and  passages of interior monologue, a technique for which this work is famous for.

New round of Ulysses starting in October

A new round of reading Ulysses with Fritz Senn is starting on

Thursday, 24 October 2019

4.30 - 6.00 p.m.

at the Zurich James Joyce Foundation, Augustinergasse 9, 8001 Zurich (2nd floor)

Please join us, everyone is welcome. You need no preparation, no special skills, just a basic knowledge of English and enough curiosity to want to give the novel a try. If you can, please bring your own copy of the book.

To give us a sense of how many participants to expect, please get in touch if you'd like to join the group, whether permanently or just tentatively.

Email: info@joycefoundation.ch
Phone: 044 211 83 01

Note that the Foundation has a second (independent) Ulysses reading group on Tuesday 5.30 - 7.00 p.m., which is also starting a new round of the book on 19 November 2019.

For more information about the Zurich James Joyce Foundation please visit its website.

Thursday, 25 July 2019 (end of book)

The last reading reached the end of the novel.

Please note: A new round will begin in autumn 2019 (probably in September), when the book will be picked up again from its beginning. We will post an announcement here as early as possible.

If you wish to engage in an alternative group-reading activity while you're waiting for Ulysses to restart, why not graduate temporarily or permanently to one of the Foundation's Finnegans Wake groups, either on Mondays (3 – 4.30 p.m.) or on Thursdays (7 – 8.30 p.m.)?

The groups' “online bookmarks” can be found by clicking on Monday FW blog and on Thursday FW blog.

You can also check the Zurich James Joyce Foundation website for further information.

Looking forward to another reading adventure with all of you.

Thursday, 18 July 2019 (18.1438)

The last reading stopped at:

          “losing it on horses”

                    (Penelope U18.1438)

Thursday, 11 July 2019 (18.1231)

The last reading stopped at:

          “I saw on him”

                    (Penelope U18.1231)

Thursday, 20 June 2019 (18.1037)

Please note: There will be no reading over the coming two weeks. The next reading will be held on Thursday, 11 July 2019.

The last reading stopped at:

          “looks well on you then”

                    (Penelope U18.1037)

Thursday, 13 June 2019 (18.840)

The last reading stopped at:

          “more money”

                    (Penelope U18.840)

Thursday, 6 June 2019 (18.623)

The last reading stopped at:

          “x x x x x”

                    (Penelope U18.623)

Thursday, 23 May 2019 (18.411)

Please note: There will be no Ulysses reading next Thursday, 30 May (Ascension Day).

The last reading stopped at:

          “fat lot I care”

                    (Penelope U18.411)

Thursday, 16 May 2019 (18.225)

The last reading saw the end of episode 17 (“Ithaca”) and started episode 18 (“Penelope”), stopping at:

          “everyone goes mad”

                    (Penelope U18.225)

Thursday, 2 May 2019 (17.2125)

The last reading stopped at:

          “which he removed.”

                    (Ithaca U17.2125)


Note: If you have the time, do stay on after the reading next week. Our resident scholar, Akram Pedramnia, is giving a presentation about her ongoing research on Thursday, 9 May at 7 p.m. Below are more details:

Thursday, 25 April 2019 (17.1886)

The last reading stopped at:

          “... Gott ... dein ...”

                    (Ithaca U17.1886)

Thursday, 18 April 2019 (17.1633)

The last reading stopped at:

          “connubiality.”

                    (Ithaca U17.1633)

Thursday, 11 April 2019 (17.1260)

Note: The reading group will be held as usual this coming Thursday, 18 April.



The last reading stopped at:

          “bookshelves opposite.”

                    (Ithaca U17.1260)

Thursday, 4 April 2019 (17.1150)

The last reading stopped at:

          “their planet.”

                    (Ithaca U17.1150)

Thursday, 28 March 2019 (17.894)

The last reading stopped at:

          “Unexpectedness.”

                  (Ithaca U17.894)

Thursday, 21 March 2019 (U17.656)

The last reading stopped at:

          “sunset 8.29 p.m.”

                    (Ithaca U17.656)

Thursday, 14 March 2019 (U17.416)

The last session stopped with Bloom's acrostic poem, written on 14 February 1888, the last line reading:

          “The world is mine.”

                    (Ithaca U17.416)

Thursday, 7 March 2019 (U17.182)

The last reading stopped at:

          “solvent, sound.”

                    (Ithaca U17.182)