Sunday, September 19, 2010

Ruby Penelope Ulysses # 22

Last chapter of both Homer's Odyssey and Joyce's Ulysses; Penelope.

Double glassed beach reading.

Odysseus had returned to Ithaca and was recognized both by his swineherd and his faithful dog.
As he entered his castle he had to shuffle out lots of parasitic wooers, who sought to overtake his wife and his throne.
Penelope didn't recognize her long wayward husband at first. It was not until he could identify some secrets about the matrimonial bed, Penelope accepted Odysseus as her husband.

Leopold Bloom's wife Molly, is the Penelope of Ulysses.
We last left them in a narrow, squeaking bed in 7 Eccles Street.
Now it is revealed that Molly in fact did commit adultery with Boylan this very day. Bloom was aware of the fact, and had even helped arrange the situation.

The last chapter is one coherent text without punctuation or paragraphs.
We are let into Molly's head, a stream of thoughts vaulting out, like a barricaded flood let free.
At times, I must admit, I feel Joyce is belittling his wife. The language is vulgar and the detailed descriptions, even worse. No wonder the book landed directly on the feared Index list of the Catholic Church.
Even so, my sympathy is with Molly.
She's mourning over her dead son and is also worried about her young daughter. (The daughter of Nora and James Joyce was diagnosed with schizophrenia and their efforts to get her cured all failed.)

Molly (Nora) is a middle aged, fading singer, who now has to perform in faraway Belfast,- with young Boylan.
She's clinging to memories from her youth, being a celebrated belle at Gibraltar, (Galway, actually).
She has no hopes for a future with Boylan. She knows in her mind, her heart and will are set to stay with Bloom.
She remembers Poldy's proposal on June 16th 1904, now famous as Bloomsday all over the world.



"miss Stack bringing him flowers the worst old ones she could find at the bottom of the basket anything at all to get into a mans bedroom" James Joyce



"he knew the way to take a woman when he sent me the 8 big poppies because mine was the 8th" James Joyce



"
the ships out far like chips that was the Malta boat passing" James Joyce


"coming back on the nightboat from Tarifa the lighthouse at Europa"James Joyce


"I love flowers Id love to have the whole place swimming in roses God of heaven theres nothing like nature the wild mountains then the sea and the waves rushing then the beautiful country with fields of oats and wheat and all kinds of things and all the fine cattle going about that would do your heart good to see rivers and lakes and flowers all sorts of shapes and smells and colours springing up even out of the ditches primroses and violets nature it is as for them saying theres no God I wouldnt give a snap of my two fingers for all their learning" James Joyce


"they might as well try to stop the sun from rising tomorrow the sun shines for you he said the day we were lying among the rhododendrons ", James Joyce


"yes he said I was a flower of the mountain" James Joyce

"
the sea the sea crimson sometimes like fire and the glorious sunsets "James Joyce.



"
then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes." James Joyce


Originated by MaryT, check hers for today

21 comments:

Willa said...

Beautiful sets of photos and I so love the sunset.

Kramer said...

I came around for the pictures and look forward to finally finishing the text, too.

Kim, USA said...

Beautiful photos. And I like most the sky photo.
The cars

Patti said...

Stunning photos, Felisol. I haven't been visiting so I didn't know about your Ulysses' posts. I'm a late bloomer in more ways than one I guess.

The two sunset photos are outstanding. ;-)

A friend of mine who is of Norwegian descent just returned from a visit to Norway. She said your country is beautiful!.
Unfortunately she said it was raining last week for part of the visit.

Lola said...

Great shots & lovely post!

Nora & Lola:9

Amrita said...

Dear Felisol, the adventurer ends his journey and so do we with you as our guide. This has been a phenomenal reading and retelling of the epic by you illustrated so skillfully by your photos.

You must have enjoyed reading by the seaside.


The flowers and countryside look so beautiful''The girl in th e painting looks like Serina!

Patti said...

Hi Felisol,
I just read your comment...Ralph will be happy to know he looks young. ;-)

I'm a late bloomer too..Allegra was born on my 34th birthday.

Liza said...

Wonderful photos for Ruby. The crimson sunset is fantastic. :)

My entries:
Moms... Check Nyo
Yummy-as-can-be

Maria @ LSS said...

Great shots. Happy Ruby!

Cafe au lait said...

Beautiful photos. I love the sky shots.

EG CameraGirl said...

You are amazing, Felisol! You have continued through the story with description and illustrations!

Deb said...

Beautiful photos! And you are reading the classics too?!...just stopped by Amrita's blog and she is there quoting Shakespeare! Makes me want to pick up a classic!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for yet another lovely series.

Meri said...

Lots of beautiful reds in this post, a post so wordly wonderful.

Leora said...

I enjoy reading your posts about Ulysses. I'm glad you feel for Molly and Nora. In general, when a couple suffers a loss of a child or a difficult disability, the relationship can be tested and strained.

You would be such a fun literature teacher - you bring it all so to life! Like the photo with the fence.

Chubskulit Rose said...

Love your rubies this week!

My Ruby Tuesday

John Cowart said...

Hi Felisol,

You have finished a monumental task here! Good for you!

Such heavy reading and your running explanations stay right on target.

Me, yesterday I found a copy of The Gospel According To Peanuts; I'm not reading the text, just looking at the cartoons. That's more my speed.

Felisol said...

Thanks to Leora, who challenged me to write about my reading.
I've had great fun and heavy brain massage this summer.
I actually doubt I would have given myself the time and space needed for
this kind of reading/writing were it not for the challenge.

I guess I still have this weird competitive gen left in me.
For the time being, I'm more into Feldenkrais and T'ai Chi exercises...
However, Finnegan's Wake is lurking behind the scenes.

I feel privileged, having this freedom of choices.
..The Gospel According To Peanuts has been following me from
the seventies. I cherish both the reading and the cartoons of this book, as I also love, yes, love it is, my other Peanuts cartoon
books.

I'm happy we don't have raccoons in Norway. I'd cry like a baby, if my books were destroyed.

Auntie E said...

sounds like a great book to read. Love the photo to go along in your mind. Have a great ruby Day.
My Ruby Tuesday Link for you

Annie Jeffries said...

What a marvelous collection of Ruby Tuesday photos, Elise. I didn't put up even ONE this week. I love the red chainlink fencing. That is a first for me to see. And, the herd in the background blended with the color of the fencing.

Terry said...

dear felisol..i hope that everything is ok..i haven't seen you around.
i think that sonja's book was a god send felisol and i really hope that you will share it with us.
i know that you are so busy though...love terry