alex marshall's thoughts (cont'd)
Trying to follow Stephen along Sandymount strand, I'm reminded of Philip Pullman's advice to first-time readers of Paradise Lost, which is basically "Just bomb on through, enjoy the ride and the view, and worry about the meaning later."
PL readers can be pretty sure that Milton had a narrative in mind, and that once they'd decoded all the references they'd be left with a richer, deeper understanding of that narrative.
With Joyce, not so much. What pops into his head seems to be pretty random, triggered by what he was supposed to be doing (going to his aunt's) what he'd decided to do (skip it) what came into his field of view (a dog lolloping along the beach) and so on.
The relevant book of the Odyssey gives some clues-- but then there are for example the blue-footed Egyptians. (Or does he have blue feet?) OK, "Egyptians" means "gypsies", and the various apparently nonsense words that follow are Romany and thieves' slang from the 18-19C. So far so good. The question is -- why? What is Joyce trying to do here and at any one of a dozen other places in this chapter? It's fun, and he plays with language like a juggler producing footballs and fireworks from his back pocket. But is that all? Is it enough? I found myself getting annoyed, like Robert's Cyclops.
More and deeper? Or just bomb on through and let the meaning take care of itself? Wd that be to miss 90 per cent of what's in there, or simply avoid running up a bunch of dead ends and into brick walls? My head hurts.
PL readers can be pretty sure that Milton had a narrative in mind, and that once they'd decoded all the references they'd be left with a richer, deeper understanding of that narrative.
With Joyce, not so much. What pops into his head seems to be pretty random, triggered by what he was supposed to be doing (going to his aunt's) what he'd decided to do (skip it) what came into his field of view (a dog lolloping along the beach) and so on.
The relevant book of the Odyssey gives some clues-- but then there are for example the blue-footed Egyptians. (Or does he have blue feet?) OK, "Egyptians" means "gypsies", and the various apparently nonsense words that follow are Romany and thieves' slang from the 18-19C. So far so good. The question is -- why? What is Joyce trying to do here and at any one of a dozen other places in this chapter? It's fun, and he plays with language like a juggler producing footballs and fireworks from his back pocket. But is that all? Is it enough? I found myself getting annoyed, like Robert's Cyclops.
More and deeper? Or just bomb on through and let the meaning take care of itself? Wd that be to miss 90 per cent of what's in there, or simply avoid running up a bunch of dead ends and into brick walls? My head hurts.
posted by Robert Frumkin at 8:30 AM
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