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Discussion Four - Episode 4, Calypso
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What a fun chapter. Meet the Blooms.New heroes: Molly & Leopold.
A new villain: Boylan.
A new story: Adultery.
What a contrast to Stephen: Bloom: the older, less educated, married, father.
Bloom presents the reader with an entirely new voice and style of interior monologue that dominates the narrative for the next five chapters.
Some argue that Bloom is the most intimately detailed character in the history of the modern novel.
I love the opening scene with Bloom and his cat. The intricate blending of the three types of voices: narration, internal monologue, and direct speech creates an atmosphere both close and vibrant.
A lot goes on in this chapter.
What sort of significance would you (anyone) assign to the fact that Buck Mulligan and Stephen argue over who has the key, and Bloom forgetting his key and never retrieving it? Key(e) comes up later in the book as well, and there may have been more references I didn't catch.Perhaps that whoever holds the key is the control figure in the relationship? I don't know if it's a point worth pursuing much, but it did stick out to me, especially reading some of the comments about the first three chapters.
Stephen not having his key and Bloom not having his key doesn't effect the out come of the story, but it is significant: it links them.
I think the reasons for Molly being treated to breakfast in bed derives from somewhere other than the notion of being the breadwinner. Overall , in this house, Bloom controls the money.Yes. Bloom's relationship to his father's faith and lineage draw attention and comment through the entire book.
Cphe wrote: "I'm wondering if the dynamics of the marriage changed in that Molly is the main breadwinner and hence the breakfast in bed. Being the early 1900's I thought it was the male who was still the head..."
Cphe, I think it is revealed later that Bloom is not "even" circumcised. Also, in this episode, Bloom realizes that Duglasz the pork butcher is Jewish (when he sees the flyer about Palestinian orange groves).
As far as 'breadwinner,' I think any money made on the concert tours goes to Bloom as manager or partner in the venture.Bryan, I think there are meant to be a couple of "echoes" of the first episode in the fourth.. Bloom becomes a 'tower' to the cat. The cat has emerald eyes, like the emerald in Haines's cigarette case (which, oddly enough, becomes a symbol of Ireland "in the grip of" the English). Bloom pours out milk (like Stephen).
That is interesting that he leaves his key, although somewhat natural, if he is wearing his funeral suit,, and not his regular trousers. Maybe it is also a symbol of his door being unlocked.. open to intruders.. (Blazes Boylan).
How could I forget? Bloom and Stephen- both dressed in black.I think Bloom even thinks of Hamlet.
Bloom introduces, in his thoughts, some rather evocative adjectives that repeat through-out the story. Words like warm when thinking about Molly; or first when recalling certain traumas or thrills; and the curious seaside when thinking about girls.Love Molly's, oneliner: "Who's he when he's at home?" (64)
It seems to foreshadow so much of the book.
Bloom makes three questionable remarks about his daughter: He thinks: Pert little piece she was. (63) And then a few pages later he calls her: Saucebox. and A wild piece of goods. (66) This seems to fall in with Bloom's mild addiction to voyeurism.
Mark wrote: "Bloom makes three questionable remarks about his daughter: He thinks: Pert little piece she was. (63) And then a few pages later he calls her: Saucebox. and A wild piece of goods. (66) This seems t..."Speaking of which- one of those incidents.. she (Milly) finds a mirror in a guy's hat... ye olde pencil drop..
Another potential parallel between the heroes might be Mulligan's line to Stephen: We must go to Athens. (4) And Bloom's line to Molly: It's Greek: from the Greek. (64)
Already a hint of Bloom's masochism...thinking of the cat... "Cruel. Her nature."
That's just a natural sort of moderation. He sees both sides of everything.
Then, he likes to see the servant girl whacking the carpets.
Bryan wrote: "What sort of significance would you (anyone) assign to the fact that Buck Mulligan and Stephen argue over who has the key, and Bloom forgetting his key and never retrieving it? Key(e) comes up late..."Molly's in charge.
It is interesting to see how less dense the Bloom narration is, more in the moment, and whatever memories float up. I think the dynamics with his wife mostly illustrate that she knows he loves her, maybe more than she him. That's where the power dynamic is, I think--he's constantly thinking about her comfort, her wants. I was initially told about this book, before I read it, it's every thought a man has in a day--why we have to accompany him to the jakes, etc.
I don't think it's too important that Leopold notices his daughter's attributes--these are his thoughts and thoughts just pop up. It's not what he's saying out loud. What he says isn't even necessarily sexual, but perhaps shows she has some of her mother in her. Saucy to me here means something like smart alecky, extroverted, the kind of kid who exposes adults' faults without being concerned for consequences. She's coming of age, he's trying to picture her experiences the change that will bring. What kind of woman she'll be.
Funny, though that Bloom repeats the thought about girls' gluey mouths. I wonder how many parallels there are like this? Is it just foreshadowing of L & S getting along? Or is it intended to be something else--hah! metempsychosis!! (Just kidding).
Anyone have an idea why this is Calypso?She's a sea nymph, (Leo's attraction to sea girls), there's the painting above their bed which Bloom compares to Molly. Odysseus was captured by her, by her singing, Molly is a singer.
This from wikipedia:
Calypso is remembered the most for her role in Homer's Odyssey, in which she attempts to keep the fabled Greek hero Odysseus on her island to make him her immortal husband. According to Homer, Calypso kept Odysseus prisoner at Ogygia for seven years,[6] while Apollodorus says five years[7] and Hyginus says one.[8] Calypso enchants Odysseus with her singing as she moves to and from, weaving on her loom with a golden shuttle. During this time they have sex together, although Odysseus soon comes to wish for circumstances to change.
Tracy wrote: "It is interesting to see how less dense the Bloom narration is, more in the moment, and whatever memories float up. I think the dynamics with his wife mostly illustrate that she knows he loves her,..."I like very much your de-sexualizing Bloom's thoughts about Milly.
And Yes! For sure the daughter reminds the father of the mother.
(I do not mean to be obtuse but who are L & S?)
Mark wrote: "Tracy wrote: "It is interesting to see how less dense the Bloom narration is, more in the moment, and whatever memories float up. I think the dynamics with his wife mostly illustrate that she knows..."Oh, sorry, sometimes I'm a lazy typist! (L)eopold B and (S)tephen D.
Tracy wrote: "It is interesting to see how less dense the Bloom narration is, more in the moment, and whatever memories float up. I think the dynamics with his wife mostly illustrate that she knows he loves her,..."Yes! Metempsychosis! - )
I agree. Bloom is very much a family man.
I wonder why Joyce chose to follow Bloom over the story more than Stephen--is he what Stephen is to become??
Yes. Maybe an aspect. Bloom's unique perspective is as a married family man.The artist as husband and father.
Cphe wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Already a hint of Bloom's masochism...thinking of the cat... "Cruel. Her nature."
That's just a natural sort of moderation. He sees both sides of everything.
Then, he likes to ..."
When he goes into the butchers shop and is noticing the woman ahead of him, he thinks (among other things) :
"Strong pair of arms. Whacking a carpet on the clothesline. She does whack it, by George. The way her crooked skirt swings at each whack."
Further examples of hinted masochism
Further on, near the end of the chapter, at the beginning of Bloom's outdoor scene there is a short paragraph, recalling the butcher's scene, which ends, "Now, my miss. Enthusiast." (68)Might this be another example?
No great hurry. Keep it a bit.Bloom's bathroom scene at the end of Calypso has always been a point of controversy. Along with Stephen's rambling babble on the beach in the previous episode, the two scenes represent the two primary complaints that have always haunted this book: that Stephen's mind is too obscure; and that Bloom's is too dirty. But is it really the dirt in the bathroom scene that disturbs the reader, or is it something else?
I vote for something else. I vote for intimacy. The graphic details presented by the narrator - restraining himself...yielding but restraining and his last resistance yielding - of Bloom's particularly weird(?) creative "play" with his poo, before "he allowed" - what an incredible verb: implying as it does an sense of ownership - it to go. Actions intended it seems to enhance and prolong the pleasure in the anticipation of such a release: culminating in Bloom's self-satisfied exclamation: Ah!. Pretty strong stuff for someone we've just met. But there is no denying the closeness.
Mark wrote: "No great hurry. Keep it a bit.Bloom's bathroom scene at the end of Calypso has always been a point of controversy. Along with Stephen's rambling babble on the beach in the previous episode, the tw..."
Yes, that. But I also just wonder, in the days this was written, things like bathroom scenes just had never been seen before, and therefore were like--What? Is this story really going there? And then it was banned for so many years, and by then got a reputation with a self-fulfilling prophecy. I wonder if readers today are as shockable.
I remember, maybe in the early 80s? when movies started to do the same thing--we never went to the bathroom with a character (somehow worse than a sex scene, because the director has to justify why?) Seemed merely gratuitous. Trying to remember what movie it was, but it seems like it was Jane Fonda?? I recall being quite surprised Maybe that like Joyce was actually an attempt at realism , but spawned all the silly stuff of, say JACKASS, or similar childish humour. Later TV went there with bathroom jokes on Seinfeld--Master of the House, etc.. Then we got the Cadillac of all toilet scenes in the movie TRAINSPOTTING.
For some reason the toilet post is focusing me on a recurring thought I have about Bloom--must be nice, to have such a leisurely life: up at 8, walk to the store, make your wife toast, no hurry, take the day off more or less for a funeral. Wish I had that kind of slow purpose in my life.
Yes! I think Bloom's bathroom scene was much more of a shock in 1922 than it is today.Bloom's seems only semi-employed as a canvasser. And he does have a leisurely day. I think that is the pace Joyce needed for his story. - )
Scene: The House
Hour: 8 am
Organ: Kidney
Art: Economics
Symbol: Nymph
Technic: Narrative (mature)
We finally meet our Odysseus, Mr. Leopold Bloom, or ‘Poldy’ as his wife, the veiled nymph, likes to call him when he’s late with her breakfast. We discover Mr. Bloom has a way with the pussens and a big appetite for organ meats and the neighbor’s hams. The missus receives a letter from her lover and Mr. B. has a moment of cuckold’s remorse, though it all seems to pass in the jakes…