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chamomiledaydreams 's review for:
Ulysses
by James Joyce
challenging
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
I never read "Ulysses" in college, even though I was an English major. Instead, one of my professors covered Virginia Woolf's book "Mrs. Dalloway," telling us that it was similar in terms of publication date and experimentalism. Most importantly, it was much easier to cover as one book of many in a ten-week course.
I decided to read "Ulysses" on my own, because I have been listening to "Epic the Musical" lately, which led to a reread of Homer's "The Odyssey" a couple of months ago. I figured, if there is any time in my life when I will be able to understand and appreciate the references to "The Odyssey" found in "Ulysses," that time is now.
I was daunted when I discovered that my library has a 1,000-page book of annotations for "Ulysses." Just the annotations. The book is another 783 pages on its own. Because I hesitated, the book of annotations ended up being placed on hold by someone else, and I decided to start the novel without it.
I wound up using minimal outside materials: an online resource called The Joyce Project that labeled each section with its "Odyssey" reference (Circe, Telemachus, Nestor, etc), and a WikiHow article listed the gimmick in each section (making fun of literary theorists, in the style of a catechism, an emphasis on sound, etc).
These resources helped immensely, and while I can't say that I understood "Ulysses" in its entirety, I am satisfied with the extent to which I feel that I understood it. I could explain the book to someone who's never heard of it, for example, and I can say what I find most interesting about each character and what I wish Joyce had expanded upon more clearly.
However, I can't say that I especially liked the book, even if I enjoyed the challenge of reading it. On the one hand, I respect what "Ulysses" is trying to do, and in some ways, it made me feel inspired about the potential for experimentation in literature and the ability of writers to try out various styles and flourishes just because they can.
On the other hand, I found this passage in an article I was reading after finishing the novel, and I am simultaneously annoyed by Joyce's obnoxious intentions and impressed by his sense of self-confidence and -importance: "James Joyce famously said that he ‘put so many enigmas and puzzles [into Ulysses] that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant, and that’s the only way of insuring one’s immortality.’"
"Ulysses" is definitely pretentious, and it sounds grueling to read in a classroom setting, especially if you feel as though you should be better at understanding such a famous work of literature. Embracing that it doesn't always make sense is probably essential to getting through the book without driving yourself up the wall in frustration.
All in all, I'm glad that I took the time to read "Ulysses," even though I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it to others. It doesn't have to be essential reading, but if you'd get a kick out of trying it, then by all means, be brave, and give it your best shot.
I decided to read "Ulysses" on my own, because I have been listening to "Epic the Musical" lately, which led to a reread of Homer's "The Odyssey" a couple of months ago. I figured, if there is any time in my life when I will be able to understand and appreciate the references to "The Odyssey" found in "Ulysses," that time is now.
I was daunted when I discovered that my library has a 1,000-page book of annotations for "Ulysses." Just the annotations. The book is another 783 pages on its own. Because I hesitated, the book of annotations ended up being placed on hold by someone else, and I decided to start the novel without it.
I wound up using minimal outside materials: an online resource called The Joyce Project that labeled each section with its "Odyssey" reference (Circe, Telemachus, Nestor, etc), and a WikiHow article listed the gimmick in each section (making fun of literary theorists, in the style of a catechism, an emphasis on sound, etc).
These resources helped immensely, and while I can't say that I understood "Ulysses" in its entirety, I am satisfied with the extent to which I feel that I understood it. I could explain the book to someone who's never heard of it, for example, and I can say what I find most interesting about each character and what I wish Joyce had expanded upon more clearly.
However, I can't say that I especially liked the book, even if I enjoyed the challenge of reading it. On the one hand, I respect what "Ulysses" is trying to do, and in some ways, it made me feel inspired about the potential for experimentation in literature and the ability of writers to try out various styles and flourishes just because they can.
On the other hand, I found this passage in an article I was reading after finishing the novel, and I am simultaneously annoyed by Joyce's obnoxious intentions and impressed by his sense of self-confidence and -importance: "James Joyce famously said that he ‘put so many enigmas and puzzles [into Ulysses] that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant, and that’s the only way of insuring one’s immortality.’"
"Ulysses" is definitely pretentious, and it sounds grueling to read in a classroom setting, especially if you feel as though you should be better at understanding such a famous work of literature. Embracing that it doesn't always make sense is probably essential to getting through the book without driving yourself up the wall in frustration.
All in all, I'm glad that I took the time to read "Ulysses," even though I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it to others. It doesn't have to be essential reading, but if you'd get a kick out of trying it, then by all means, be brave, and give it your best shot.