CerebralMix 2015-02-01: Ulysses Episode 5

This is the fifth episode in our twenty-three part series exploring Ulysses in the context of an eclectic mix of music. On this week’s show we to the complete Lestrygonians episode, in three parts with interludes of musical selections to enhance the listening experience.

You can pick up on any number of themes in this extremely well-woven narrative recounting the afternoon of Bloom. As he was introduced previously, he is a man who loves meat, and has a relationship with food on many levels. He is repulsed by the way others eat when he goes to the Burton restaurant, and finds himself going to Davy Byrne’s instead. He recalls making love to Molly while eating seedcake from her mouth. He produces Banbury cakes to feed the seagulls. And on and on, in fact, the theme of food pervades many of Bloom’s thoughts about politics, religion, home, and other social aspects.

This portion of Ulysses parallels the visit to the island of cannibals in The Odyssey. Bloom appears to be the subject of a different kind of cannibalism: the man that is being eaten by society and by those around him. Take the conversation about him that happens while he is visiting the outhouse at Davy Byrne’s. Or the way his suggestions for advertising placement were dismissed out of hand — a way of cutting off a piece of his man-hood.

There are, of course, other ways in which this section, and others can be seen in Ulysses. And, in fact, just such a difference in perception is introduced by the thought that Bloom has regarding the concept of a parallax. Onwards we go into a novel that has so many different possibilities for interpretation.

Readings

In the past I’ve actually included the text of the poems or stories as part of the show notes. In the case of Ulysses that would be a bit on the incredibly heavy side. Instead I have produced a guide: CerebralMix Ulysses Series that provides the references that I am using, along with a show guide to the whole broadcast of this series.