SLSL: Herbert Gold/Nabokov
Joanne Manees
jmanees at law.miami.edu
Wed Nov 20 09:10:20 CST 2002
I found this while looking for "kinch;" is this Our Quail?
> The cracked mirror, etc
>
> One of my first diffculties when i first picked up
> Ulysses (after reading completely none related
> material) was visualising the scene. It was only after
> being told that it begins in a tower (i was rather
> confused to why there was a gunrest in their home . .
> .) could i begin to make sense of it. Does anyone
> know the precise history of Martello Tower? Joyce
> was there for some time, wasn't he.
>
> On re-reading this first chapter, i am surprised that
> we get such a complete picture of Stephen (and also
> Buck Mulligan). Who was it that wrote about
> understanding the whole of Ulysses from the first
> opening sentence? It is certainly true we get a
> surprisingly complete portrait of Buck. His
> mock-introit satirirses Joyce's mock-heroic. As
> Joyce substitutes Bloom for Odysseues, Buck is
> substituted for the Priest. And of course, it is comic.
> He is mocking Buck's imitation just as he is mocking
> his own.
>
> For me, the image of the razor blade and the mirror
> crossed, lying on a bowl of lather is so powerful and
> essential to the whole idea of Ulysses. (i fear i am
> going to overstrech these opening lines) A razor and
> a mirror. Obviously this is a symbolic Christian cross
> over the Communion bowl (dont know the technical
> name, anyone help me?). A bowl of lather would be
> white, almost like crushed Communion bread
> (symbolic). THe mirror: Mulligan quotes Wilde from
> preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray about the rage
> of Caliban not seeing his face in the mirror (from The
> Tempest). His quote is quite useful if we look at
> Wilde's preface. It asserts several things about the
> nature of Art (rather too dogmatically):
>
> "The 19th Century dislike of Realism is the rage of
> Caliban seeing his own face in a glass."
>
> "The 19th Century dislike of Romanticism is the rage
> of Caliban not seeing his own face in a glass."
>
> Buck's quotation seems like an attempt to reach the
> intellectual level of Stephen, as i suspect that Buck
> will not be aware that the rage of not seeing hios own
> face in a "glass" (not a "mirror") is a comparison to
> the 19thC dislike of Romanticism. Stephen's "symbol
> of Irish art" is "the cracked looking-glass of a
> servant". Stephen, the well-read intellectual will be
> well aware of his statement in reference to Wilde,
> and to me, is inferring that Irish art seems to be a
> combination of Realism and Romanticism.
>
> ALthough Caliban can see his faced in a cracked
> glass, it is distorted in such a way that it is somehow
> more Romantic, less real. Buck's statement was a
> passing, blase joke to Stephen whose retort is angry
> with "bitterness" and takes his art seriously. He
> thinks:
>
> "Parried again. He fears the lancet of my art as i do
> that of his. The cold steelpen."
>
> Could say lots more will leave it at that for now. . .
>
> Be good to hear some of your opinions of the mirror
> and razor, of course there's Kinch, the knife blade,
> the mirror setting humans from animals, etc..
>
> Thanks,
>
> bod
>
> Getting up at 06.00h on a Sunday meant for me half
> an hour of reading of Ulysses. Even though Bod said
> (and I saw a book by Hugh Kenner) that Ulysses is a
> book of comics, the mood in the first 25 pages is one
> of 'moody brooding' (page 9.) Stephen is a very
> sensitive person, his moodiness is not much offset for
> all Buck's gaity. And since I read the sentences 'It is
> a symbol of Irish art. The cracked looking glass of a
> servant', they have not left me.
>
> Bod, you said:
>
> "Buck's quotation seems like an attempt to reach the
> intellectual level of Stephen, as i suspect that Buck
> will not be aware that the rage of not seeing hios own
> face in a "glass" (not a "mirror") is a comparison to
> the 19thC dislike of Romanticism. Stephen's "symbol
> of Irish art" is "the cracked looking-glass of a
> servant". Stephen, the well-read intellectual will be
> well aware of his statement in reference to Wilde,
> and to me, is inferring that Irish art seems to be a
> combination of Realism and Romanticism. ALthough
> Caliban can see his faced in a cracked glass, it is
> distorted in such a way that it is somehow more
> Romantic, less real. Buck's statement was a passing,
> blase joke to Stephen whose retort is angry with
> "bitterness" and takes his art seriously."
>
> Here are my thoughts:
>
> I look at stephen's sentences as reflecting his deep
> sadness at what Irish art has become - that they
> cannot even see themselves, cannot recognise
> themselves because they do not even KNOW the real
> state of affairs - not that the image is romantic and
> somehow unreal. I know little of Irish history, and
> what I know is based on what little I have read. Joyce
> did not like the images Yeats was projecting and the
> road he wanted Irland to take. For Joyce did not like
> thinking in such heroic manner, held nothing of
> nationlistic feelings. I had asked myself when I
> started reading Ulysses what has this novel to do
> with Odysseus. The answer given in the introduction
> to the penguin edition we are using is that 'Bloom is a
> standing reproach to the myth of ancient military
> heroism.' Further on it is said that 'Joyce was
> reaching against the cult of Cuchulainn'.
>
> So the cracked mirror is symbolising this state of
> affairs. The reflection is so poor that one does not
> see what is being reflected. That it is the cracked
> looking glass of the servant could reflect the
> condition to which Irish art had sunk to at the hands
> of the British. And Irland as such. This conflict is
> seen by what happens at the breakfast table. When
> the old lady comes bringing milk, Buck says referring
> to Haines, 'He's English, ... and he thinks we ought to
> speak Irish in Iceland.'
>
> 'Sure we ought to, the old woman said, and I'm
> ashamed I don't speak the language myself. I'm told
> it's a grand language by them that knows.'
>
> Assuming that she was irish, she should have been
> able to speak the Irish language. But ... And the
> condenscending attitude of Haines (British) is pointed
> at when he says, 'I intend to make a collection of
> your sayings if you will let me.' And what does
> Stephen answer: 'Would I make money by it?' Speaks
> volumes about the condition of Irish art.
>
> And, I would like to second what Bod said:
>
> "Be good to hear some of your opinions of the mirror
> and razor, of course there's Kinch, the knife blade,
> the mirror setting humans from animals, etc..."
>
> And do tell me too the meanings of the word
> omphalos and Sassenach. (The Sassenach wants his
> morning rashers.) Also why does not Stephen like to
> wear grey? (Page 5)
>
> Finally, those of you who are well versed in Ulysses,
> would you please write what one should pay attention
> to when one reads the next 20 pages?
>
> Thanks
>
> Have a nice Sunday
>
> Chandra
>
> 1.176 Omphalos- "Navel" In the Odyssey, one of
> Homer's epithets for Ogygia, Calypso's island where
> Odysseus is stalled (navel of the sea). . . The Oracle
> at Delphi was also an omphalos(navel of the earth). In
> the late nineteenth century the Omphalos/navel was
> seen as the astral soul of man.
>
> 1.120 6:11 I can't wear them if they are grey
> Stephen= Hamlet's insistences on dressing in black
> after his fathers death. Historically one would wear
> black for one year and a day. by 1904 this rule way
> relaxed. If the period between his mothers death and
> burial was the traditional three days . . .she must of
> died June 23 1903. Stephen would be free to go into
> second mourning in eight days. At this point grey
> would be acceptable.
>
> mike
>
>
>
> I do not think Mike Quest answered your question on
> the meaning of "Sassenach". I believe it is an old
> English word for an "Englishman". It is used rather
> pejoratively in Ireland, I am told.
>
> Your thoughts on the subject of art in Ireland, or
> Joyce's or Steven's views on it are interesting.
>
> Caliban of course is the savage on the island
> Prospero has "colonized" in 'The Tempest' and utters
> the famous line:
>
> "You taught me language and my profit on it is, I
> know how to curse".
>
> - Rasik Shah
>
>
>
> Rasik said:
>
> "I do not think Mike Quest answered your question on
> the meaning of "Sassenach". I believe it is an old
> English word for an "Englishman". It is used rather
> pejoratively in Ireland, I am told."
>
> It is actually Gaelic, not old English; and it means
> "Saxon." And as you say, it is generally used as a
> pejorative reference to the gentlemen of Perfidious
> Albion, especially in regards to them being
> conquerors. It has a wonderfully invidious sound to it
> as well, with the hiss and the final rasp at the end....
>
> Best,
>
> --Quail
Mark Wright AIA wrote:
>
> Howdy
> "Kinch, the jejune jesuit" sez stately plump Buck Mulligan...
> What does Stephen's nickname "Kinch" mean? Anybody know?
> Mark
>
> --- Mutualcode at aol.com wrote:
> >
> > In a message dated 11/19/02 9:16:32 PM, MalignD at aol.com writes:
> >
> > << VN: The literary parodies in the Maternal Hospital chapter are on
> > the
> > whole
> > jejunish. >>
> >
> > Interesting term "jejune- ish." Joyce uses the word *jejune*
> > himself in the course of the novel. I forget exactly where,
> > but remember being struck by it, and its multiple possibilities
> > (contexts?), e.g., *je* as in "je ne sais quoi" and june, as in
> > the month of the day of Bloom, and JeJune, as in J.J. himself,
> > and, including, but not limited to, Juno, and the original latin
> > "dryness" or "meager." I think it was used in relation to Stephen,
> > somehow.
> >
> > repectfully
>
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