"Ulysses" is a novel published by Irish writer James Joyce in 1922.
The novel follows chronological order and describes the protagonist Leopold Bloom’s experience in Dublin on June 16, 1904. Joyce arranged it this way because it was the day he and his wife went on their first date. The title of the novel comes from the Latin translation of the hero Odysseus in ancient Greek mythology.
Bloom is troubled by the indiscretions of his wife, Molly, whose lover Boylan is. At 10 o'clock in the morning, Bloom received a love letter from a female typist. After reading it, he tore the letter into pieces and went to the church to attend mass. At 11 o'clock, Bloom rode a carriage to the cemetery to attend Dignam's funeral. He recalled his son who died in infancy and his father who committed suicide. He reflected on death and believed that it was best to be cremated or buried at sea after death. He thought again that he was just an advertising agent, a wandering Jew. He couldn't help but feel desolate in his heart, and even thought of death, but he immediately returned to reality.
At noon, Bloom went to the "Free Press" to explain the advertising plan he had hired to the editor-in-chief. Then he rushed to the "Evening Telegraph" newspaper office and met the young poet Stephen. On the way home, Bloom saw Stephen's sister preparing to sell old furniture at an auction house next to a monument, and suddenly felt emotional. At 1 o'clock in the afternoon, Bloom went to a cheap little restaurant where people were devouring food and making ugly appearances. So he went to a more upscale restaurant, where he met Flynn, an acquaintance. During the conversation, Flynn asked about his wife, which reminded him that his wife was going on a date with Boylan at 4 p.m., and he felt unhappy.
At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, Stephen made a discussion about Shakespeare in the library. At 5 p.m., Bloom arranged to meet a friend at a bar. Bloom simply couldn't stand a scoundrel who was attacking the Jews. At 8pm, Bloom is attracted to the girl Gertie, but later discovers that she is lame. At 10 o'clock in the evening, Bloom went to the maternity hospital to visit Mrs. Maina who was having difficulty giving birth. In a society with declining morals, divided families, and lost traditional values, Bloom hallucinates and regards Stephen as his poor son.
At dawn, Bloom returned home and found that the indoor furnishings had changed. He fantasized about the tryst between Molly and Boylan, but he felt that this could not be entirely to blame on Molly. He himself He didn't meet her request, so he was willing to make another effort. Molly was half asleep, and her husband Bloom, Boylan, first love and Stephen appeared in her dream. She felt vaguely a maternal satisfaction and an impulse towards young men. However, what she thinks about most is her husband, who has lived with her for 10 years. She thinks he is a good husband and is determined to give him another chance. Expand knowledge
"Ulysses" is a representative work of stream-of-consciousness novels. The novel uses extensive detailed description and stream-of-consciousness techniques to construct an intertwined time and space, with a unique language style.
Reference: Ulysses_Baidu Encyclopedia