Comments on: The Siren Call of Song http://ulyssesseen.com/landing/2009/12/the-siren-call-of-song/ Online graphic adaptation of the 1922 edition of James Joyce's ULYSSES Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:43:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Josh http://ulyssesseen.com/landing/2009/12/the-siren-call-of-song/comment-page-1/#comment-1594 Josh Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:11:24 +0000 http://ulyssesseen.com/landing/?p=2735#comment-1594 I think Mike's point about the temptation to stop Boylan is a good one. I'll also throw this idea in: If Odysseus' (Bloom's) objective is to get home to banish Penelope's suitors (Boylan), the music, the food and drink (provided by Bronze and Gold), the warm atmosphere, and the letter to Martha Clifford are the sirens' song. I think Mike’s point about the temptation to stop Boylan is a good one.

I’ll also throw this idea in: If Odysseus’ (Bloom’s) objective is to get home to banish Penelope’s suitors (Boylan), the music, the food and drink (provided by Bronze and Gold), the warm atmosphere, and the letter to Martha Clifford are the sirens’ song.

]]> By: Mike http://ulyssesseen.com/landing/2009/12/the-siren-call-of-song/comment-page-1/#comment-1591 Mike Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:13:16 +0000 http://ulyssesseen.com/landing/?p=2735#comment-1591 ...this is sort of a backwards way to read the book, but in the case of "Sirens" I often ask myself--if Bloom is Odysseus, what temptation is calling out to him? What does he have to be lashed to the mast to resist? I suppose the barmaids themselves are sirens on some level, but I also think that Boylan's presence is a kind of temptation. Bloom knows that Boylan's next stop after the hotel bar is the assignation with Molly. He could do something, he could interfere, but he chooses not to--partly because he knows there's nothing he can do, of course. I've also always thought it was funny that Bloom chooses this moment to write back to Martha Clifford--he has many other opportunities, but chooses to write her when he's having lunch with Richie Goulding. It's as if he wants to be caught... …this is sort of a backwards way to read the book, but in the case of “Sirens” I often ask myself–if Bloom is Odysseus, what temptation is calling out to him? What does he have to be lashed to the mast to resist? I suppose the barmaids themselves are sirens on some level, but I also think that Boylan’s presence is a kind of temptation. Bloom knows that Boylan’s next stop after the hotel bar is the assignation with Molly. He could do something, he could interfere, but he chooses not to–partly because he knows there’s nothing he can do, of course. I’ve also always thought it was funny that Bloom chooses this moment to write back to Martha Clifford–he has many other opportunities, but chooses to write her when he’s having lunch with Richie Goulding. It’s as if he wants to be caught…

]]> By: Josh http://ulyssesseen.com/landing/2009/12/the-siren-call-of-song/comment-page-1/#comment-1500 Josh Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:44:07 +0000 http://ulyssesseen.com/landing/?p=2735#comment-1500 "Sirens" does read differently. As with most pieces of music, it has verses refrains. In some cases, Joyce varies the refrain each time it comes around - which leads me to Boylan. Bloom knows that Boylan is on his way to his (Bloom's) house as he is sitting in the Ormond, and Boylan does in fact arrive (in more than one sense) during this chapter. With a cock carra carra... “Sirens” does read differently. As with most pieces of music, it has verses refrains. In some cases, Joyce varies the refrain each time it comes around – which leads me to Boylan. Bloom knows that Boylan is on his way to his (Bloom’s) house as he is sitting in the Ormond, and Boylan does in fact arrive (in more than one sense) during this chapter. With a cock carra carra…

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