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THE CEA

CRITICVOLUME 63 (WINTER/SPRING 2001 )NUMBER2ISSN: 0007-8069

Table of Contents

Escaping the Prison of Singularity: The Behavioral Axis 1of the Narrative

Transaction Marshall GregorY;

Le Grand Mort: Edgarln Poe's "The Black Cat" 26Stephen L. Van Scoyoc

Pedagogy and the Shakespearean Critique 34of Vocation

Niels Herold

Bloom's Drunk: A Rereading of the "Eumaeus" 56Episode in James Joyce's Ulysses

John Cussen

Notes on Contributors 75

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g's1:6ri .(ate Univesity ·. ..'-:· .' .:..:';).-'' . ·- ' ,' '·' - ··. ·,_ , '--

' .R,oyve

CEA Conference 2002, Calls for Papers 76

National News and Announcements 80

Robert Hacke Scholar-Teacher Award 83

CEA Critic Special Issue Announcement 84

CEAMembership Form 86

Make plans to attend the CEA Conference April 4-6, 2002, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

John Cussen

Bloom's Drunk: A Rereading ofthe "Eumaeus" Episode in James

Joyce's Ulysses

John Cussen

WHEN I READ THE "EUMAEUS" CHAPTER OF JAMESJOYCE'SUlysses; I hear Bloom's voice. He sounds drunk. Inidentifying the voice as Bloom's, I join thecritical consensus of those who likewise hear inthe "Eumaeus" narrative.(clumsy, tedious, slow-paced, deferential, zig-zagging, inaugural, andcliche-ridden) precisely the voice Bloom himselfwould affect were he to compose a magazine storyabout the chapter's events:"a miniature cameo ofthe world we live in. . . . My Experiences, let ussay, in a Cabman's Shelter" Qoyce 528; 16.1225,1231).1The narrative voice-avuncu lar, prudent,fastidious, and more than faintly pompous-whichis taking this whole comic sketch seriously, mostcommentators agree, is asimulacrum of Bloom'smind in motion.2 When, however, I say that thevoice is a drunkard's, I don't know of anycritics who join me. Indeed, most of thecriticalcommentarysees (and thinks itimportant tosee) Bloom sober, "never more so, in factdisgustingly sober" (502; 16.62). It is Stephen,as the story has it, who is three sheets to thewind, not Bloom. And isn't this chapter anaccount of Bloom's effort to lecture the youngDedalus against "swell mobsmen" ( 16.63-64) and"drinking habits under the influence ofliquor"(16.66-67)?

The answer, of course, is yes. Infact, weresubtitles to be appended to the Odyssean chaptertitles, the sixteenth might be called "Eumaeus: Inwhich 'a too much feted prince of good fellows[Stephen]' (542; 16.1859) gets the lecture from a

'stickinthemud[Bloom]'(359;15.330)." Inthenovel'sfirstfifteenchapters,fewprincipleshavegovernedthetextasfirmlyasthenotionofBloom'scannysobrietyinthe

midst of his heavy-drinking compatriots. Tocitejust one example, in Barney Kiernan' s, whenBloom is offered a drink, he works hard atrefusing graciously: "[H]e wouldn't and hecouldn't and excuse him no offence and all tothat and then he said well he'd Just take acigar" (249; 12.435-37). But hard-drinking Dublinis not appeased. Abstention disqualifies Bloomfrom his city's camaraderie. It, more than hispolitics or his attenuated Jewishness, places himunder suspicion, a character to be held at a longarm's length by Dublin's drinking populace.Bloom, over the novel's long course, is the city'sSober One, and moderation in drink is his cautionto Stephen in the "Eumaeus" chapter.

Tl then beca Bloc by w up a qua) Bloc appterr. exci witc con

Blolonchaepi"flc14!olcUrplcthem

Es.JovemQ:"Ew

eral

Sl"c tr 0

tch ti a

56

Critic 63.2

:he"Eumaeus"Ulysses=

OF JAMES JOYCE'Sidentifying thevoice as10 likewisehear in the:leferential,zig-zagging,· Bloomhimself wouldthe chapter'sevents "aperiences, let ussay, in a3.rrative voice-avuncu llpous-which is takings agree, is asimulacrum saythat the voiceis a ie.Indeed, most ofthe ee) Bloomsober, "never isStephen, as thestory i1d isn'tthis chapter anDedalus against"swell theinfluenceofliquor"

s to beappended to thed "Eumaeus: Inwhich (542;

16.1859) gets the 30)." In the novel's first ct as firmlyas the notion·inkingcompatriots. To oom is offered a drink, i' t andhecouldn't and tid well he'djust take a blin is notappeased. clerie. It, more than his n under suspicion, all's drinking populace.r One, and moderation " chapter.

Nevertheless,for oneoverwhelmingreason Ithink itnecessary toread thenovel'scriticalchapterin suchawaythatitisBloomwho isseen asdrunk:becausethe textitselfpromotes"drunkenness" astheobjectivecorrelative ofBloom'scircumspectexaltation ofspirits inStephen'scompany. It doesso 'by wayof thenovel'scountlessreferences toalcoholanddrinking

, by lining up a gallery of drunken precursorsand foils against which to measure the qualityof Bloom's intoxication, and by so insisting onsobriety as the flag of Bloom's character inthe early chapters that intoxication becomesthe appropriate diagnosis for his fond behaviorin the later. AJl hough-Other terms might beused to describe the tenor of the hero'sflusfied moment excited, well-intentioned,paternal, solicitous, benevolent, Christian, bewitched, and "orthodox Samaritan" (501; 16.3)-none is as thoroughly contextualized by thelarger novel as is "drunk."

l'.urthermore, several interpretive pluses comewith the recognition of Bloom's intoxication.First, fresh and timely insights arebrought tobear on longstanding thematic and stylisticcomplaints against the "Eumaeus" chapter.Regarding style, important critics have spokenout against the episode's orotund language-whatStanislaus Joyce once described as "flabbyDublinjournalese, with its weak effort to bewitty" (qtd. in Lawrence 148), and what D. H.Lawrence called an '"olla putrida"' and "[n]othingbut old fags and cabbage-stumps of quotation . .." (qtd. in Levine 95). Unfortunately, too manyrecent responses to the stylistic complaints haveplayed up the idea that in "Eumaeus" Joycedeliberately wrote badly. Such is the premise thatdrives three of the core Ulysses essays selected forPrentice Hall's 1993 edition of Joyce criticism, ]ames]oyce: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Mary T.Reynolds. The authors of these essays claim thatJoyce willfully piled on the faded words andphrases of the half-educated's vernacular to makean epistemological statement (Lawrence 152), ametafictional claim (Maddox 144), and to dramatizea societal observationOameson 157). Damning defenses these, implying asthey do that the hapless "Eumaeus" narration isnotjust deceptively awfulbut genuinely so Oamesonuses the word "arid").

More accurate than these defenses, it wouldseem to me, are those that credit the text forits remarkably subtle and nuanced descriptionsof scene and character and that imagine theauthor in "pursuit of possibilities whichsurpass the morality of communication" (Donoghue31). In general, most "ese"-based explanationsof the chapter Oournalese, novelese,

advertisese,travelnarrativese)takethispositiveview of

the prose. However pretentious or obfuscatorythese professional pseudolanguages,J oyce employsthem not to deplore their ineffectuality but todelight in their power for having and holding.Drunkenness is connected to this feature of thetext's richness in that it is Bloom's tendencywhen drunk, like his author's when writing, toappropriate banalliterary styles. Moreover, Bloomalso shares this proclivity

john Cussen

for verbal mimicry with the majority of Dublin's drunkards. However, whereas they mimic consciously, Bloom does so obliviously. His "sincere" adoption of these trite rhetorical styles, along with their concomitant sentiments, allow him to feel and say those things his sober heart cannot . broach. As a result, one answer to the often-put challenge to the novel "What big thing happens during Bloomsday that Bloom should go to bed so obviously purged of his problems and restored of his dignity?"-is that Bloom gets drunk and achieves catharsis on the basis of remembered phrases.

The notion of Bloom's drunkenness also helpsanswer the thematic complaint most often raisedagainst the novel: lack of intellectual content.What, in the end, hard-thinking readers ask,does surrogate father and self anointed teacherBloom give to Stephen or get from him? Areamiability and resignation the tepid coffee andcocoa that Bloom puts into the young man's cup?If so, the novel's entanglements aren't worthstraightening out; its vision is soft-headed;its hero, a namby-pamby; and the novel,"anilliterate, underbred book," as VirginiaWoolf wrote in her diary (qtd. in Segall 47).Fortunately, another school of Joycean criticismoffers itself. 'Instead of reviling Bloom'ssimplicity, these critics see him as a school-of-hard- knocks humanist whose definitionoflove-"theopposite of hatred"-is marvelous(Kenner 34). They are unapologetic in admittingthatJoyce's philosophy in the book is "sohumanistic [read simple] that he would have beenembar rassed to disclose itout of context"(Ellmann,Joyce 5). However, rather than takingexception to the banality of Bloom's message, these

critics take as giventhe utility andprevalence of moralcommonplaces (farmore people, to besure, guide theirlives with receivedthoughts than withoriginal) andapplaud the emphasisof Bloom'sparticular lifestrategy: Keep yourmouth shut, whileendlessly talking toyourself. Of the sixor eight recommendations that he wouldlike to pass on toStephen, this may bethe mostimportant:Say little; thinkmuch. In "Eumaeus,"when he is mostdrunk, this featureof Bloom's survivalpractice gets itsmost expansivewitnessing. ForBloom is decidedlyof that breedofinebriates whotalk more tothemselves than toothers when drunk.

Last, therecognition ofBloom's drunkenness

yields insight into the quality of Bloom'shumanity. When drunk, Bloom shows himself to beeven better than the"complete man . . . the goodman" thatJoyce labeled him (qtd. in Ellmann, joyce436), better than the "cultured allroundman"Lenehan called him Qoyce 193; 10.581). He iseven superior to all the many good things saidabout him by prominent scholars such as RichardEllmann, Hugh Kenner, and Harold Bloom (Bloom,Introduction 1). He is Saint Leopold, or, ifthe religion is wrong, he is "ben Bloom Elijah"(3). To support this claim, one need onlycompare him with the novel's other Dublindrinkers-bullies, braggarts, bigots, cranks,jingoists, no-counts, cynics,

and disrespecters ofwomen. l\! words anddeeds appear dowrnorder. Neitherobtrusive n01generous, shrewd,decent, an, beliefandkepticism;itleads thhomeless, wards offevil. His di

VB

Drinking fills the pages of [characters who abstain. Mulliga asheshaves. "Ireland,"he tells S do his duty" (13; 1.467-68) novel, most of the Dubliners Wt glass. They pay two pence ap desperate "would suck whisky ' into thetypical Dubliner' sperso whom Bloom attends the Digm beenseriously injured ina fall Martin Cunningham's faceblaze(79; 6. 307). The deceased Pad recently lost his job for the hab 6.573). Others go ona short-te1 to sayordo something or cherche2and streetwalkers andthen the n 98). Chapters eleven and twelve Hotel's and Barney Kiernan's, re students, Stephen included, dr The parade of drinking Dublir itself, to Gumley, reduced by dri Corley, his "breath redolent of re the sailor carries "two flasks

of I each pocket for the private c01 16.925-27). Even Bloom, altho1 "relishe[s] a glass of choice old

bloodmaking" (503; 16.90-91); an idle moment,contemplates th of porter in Ireland. "Good puz2

without passing a pub" (48; 4.12 The point here is

a simple ' frequentlyrecurring motifs, ancbook's most meaningful

moment: to sethimstraight "touching the

1

Critic 63.2

drunkards.However,liviously. His"sincere" 'iththeirconcomitant hissober heartcannot tallengeto the novel.loom shouldgo to bed ifhis dignity?"-is that basisof remembered

s answer thethematic ofintellectualcontent.rrogate fatherand self him?Are amiabilityand 1ts intothe young man's1 straighteningout; its thenovel,"anilliterate,iary (qtd. inSegall 47).)ffers itself.Instead ofschool-of-hard-knocks'hatred"-ismarvelous1tJoyce'sphilosophy inmld have beenembar-1. However,rather thanhese criticstake as given(far morepeople, to be

1an with original) and tegy: Keep your mouth or eight recommenda-1be the most important: tost drunk, this feature witnessing. ForBloom·e to themselves than to

yields insight into the hows himself to be evencJoyce labeled him (qtd.llroundman" Lenehan 1r to all the many good h as Richard Ellmann,duction 1). He is Saint Bloom Elijah" (3). To:henovel's other Dublin ists, no-counts, cynics,

and disrespecters of women. Measured against their boo

rishness, Bloom's words and deeds appeardownright edifying; his inebriation, of thehighest order. Neither obtrusive norimpratical, Bloom's intoxicated way isgenerous, shrewd, decent, and inoffensivelyeloquent; it accommodates belief and skepticism;itleads the blind, protects the vulnerable,shelters the homeless, wards off evil. Hisdrunkenness leaves no empties behind.

UBIQUITOUS DRINK

Drinking fills the pages of Ulysses. Living anddead, few are the novel's characters who abstain.Mulligan, who begins the novel, is thinking ofdrink as he shaves. "Ireland," he tells Stephen,"expects that every man this daywill do his duty"(13; 1.467-68)-that is, drink. Throughout therest of the novel, most of the Dubliners we meetdischarge their responsibility with a glass. Theypay two pence a pint (19; 1.724), or they cadgeit; the most desperate "would suck whisky off asore leg" (146; 8.1007). Drink figures into thetypical Dubliner' spersonal history. For instance,Tom Kernan, with whom Bloom attends the Dignamfuneral, is a habitual drunkard who has beenseriously injured in a fall down the lavatorysteps of a public house. Martin Cunningham'sfaceblazes redhotfrom "[t]oo much John Barleycorn"(79; 6. 307). The deceased Paddy Dignam,according to Simon Dedalus, recently lost his jobfor the habit that is "[m]any a good man's fault"(85; 6.573). Others go on a short-term, "annualbend . . . . They drink in order to say or dosomething or cherchez lafemme. Up in the Coombe withchummies and streetwalkers and then the rest ofthe year sober as ajudge" (137; 8.595- 98).Chapters eleven and twelve are set almost entirelyinbars, the Ormond Hotel's and Barney Kiernan' s,respectively. In chapter fourteen, the medicalstudents, Stephen included, drink to vulgarexcess in a lying-in hospital. The parade ofdrinking Dubliners extends into the "Eumaeus"episode itself, to Gumley, reduced by drink to thestatus of night watchman, and to Corley, his"breath redolent ofrotten cornjuice" (504; 16.129-30). Murphy the sailor carries "two flasks ofpresumably ship's rum sticking one out of eachpocket for the private cohsumption of his burninginterior" (521; 16.925-27). Even Bloom, althoughhe takes neither beer nor hard liquor,"relishe[s] a glass of choice old wine in seasonas both nourishing and bloodmaking" (503; 16.90-91); he advertises for a spirit merchant and, inan idle moment, contemplates the potential for

profit in the.merchandising of porter in Ireland. "Good

puzzle," muses Bloom, "would be cross Dublinwithout passing a pub" (48; 4.129-30).

The point here is a simple one: Drinking isone 'of the novel's most frequently recurringmotifs, and we shouldn't expect it to disappearin the book's most meaningful moments. Stephen'sintoxication and Bloom's effort to sethim straight"touching the much vexed question of stimulants"(Joyce

John Cussen

503; 16.89-90) as the crux of the "Eumaeus" episodesustain the novel's drinking motif. So, also,numerous details of setting and situation in chaptersixteen borrow from drinking contexts established inearlier chapters. "Cyclops" and "Oxen of the Sun,"the two chapters in which drinkers most ostensiblyfigure, take place in "boosingshed[s]" (118; 7 .892);"Eumaeus," instead, is set in a eoffeeshed, a type ofalcohol-free zone for Dublin's overnight coach andtaxi drivers. Tellingly, however, the prohibitiondoes not prevent Murphy from "introducing anatmosphere of drink into the soiree" (523; 16.977-78). Again, several times in the course of his day,Bloom has either pushed liquor away or onlypretended to drink it. At the end of the day,therefore, he is the provider, pouring coffee andcocoafor Stephen. When lubricated, Dublin nativestalk politics; in "Eumaeus," Bloom explains hisunique perception of the Parnell affair. Alsonoteworthy: When Bloom shows Stephen the photo ofhis wife, he repeats the behavior of the tipsyLynch, who passed around the locketed picture of hismistress (331; 14.754-65). Finally, if we considerBloom's behavior in chapters seventeen and eighteenas the aftermath to his drunkenness, then we caninclude in the evidence against Bloom's sobriety hisbringing Stephen to the door of his own house,Molly in bed and Bloom fumbling for the misplaceddoor key. Who can see in this montage anything butthe stock image of the drunk bringing home abarmateafter hours? Even Molly, in "Penelope," attributesBloom's being out all night to his falling in withthe "medicals," who lead him astray, "squanderingmoney and getting drunker and drunker" (628;18.926-29).

Bloom decidesagainst lunch aattraction is thatit is a"moral poccasionally stand adrink (14( of woodin that ounter.Nicel; offers nothreat to Bloom. He, not be askedmeddling questio"[e]at or be eaten"(139; 8.71gentleman.

Once he is inByrne's, how those

feelings begin witha ha1 upward, sank

within him, ye8.792-94). Bloom

takes the fomanner: "He

smellsipped the tospeed it, set hiswineglas: however,

he is soaking rollsof kindling his

veins. His thougl

Pillowed onher coat s scrubmy hand under h

Coolsoft withointment: Wildly

I lay on her,kisse beating,woman's breasl

nipples upright.Hot I tc All

yielding she tossed n Me. And me now. (14APRIOR MOMENT OF DRUNKENNESS

At lunch, Bloom experiences an anticipatoryepisode of intoxication coherent with both hisstyle of drunkenness and his characteristicsobriety. The incident occurs in Davey Byrne'spub, where Bloom takes a glass of wine.Particular about where and with whom he eats,before entering Byrne's he looks into the BurtonRestaurant, where he is repulsed by theanimalisticactivity:

Stink gripped his trembling breath:pungent meatjuice, slush of greens. Seethe animals feed.

Men, men, inen.Perched on high stools by the bar, hats

shoved back, at the tables calling formore bread no charge, swilling, wolfinggobfuls of sloppy food, their eyesbulging, wiping wetted moustaches.(138; 8.650-56)

60

The wine makes Bloomfeel th< drunkenness

evokes pleasuraending, however-particular suggestshis recognition of

his Bloom'spassions, has sped

hin guess thatBloom's reluctance:

the crashingdespondency th;Submerged in hisheart are fe notdrink because hedoes no Bloom's

nonalcoholic dru himto confront feelings

that w in hiswillingness toconsider 1 his

catastrophe throughth< summation ofthat historic ac

simple fact of thecase was it "' tothe scratch, withnothing in < then

areal man arrivingon th<

Critic 63.2

ode sustain thenovel's 1ndsituation inchapter d inearlierchapters. inwhich drinkersmost 18;7.892);"Eumaeus," freezone forDublin's r, theprohibitiondoes phere ofdrink into the:ourse of hisday, Bloom odrink it. Atthe end of andcocoa forStephen. in"Eumaeus,"Bloom Alsonoteworthy:When eats thebehavior of the.ire of hismistress (331;lf in chaptersseventeen tenwe can includein the:phen to thedoor of his hemisplaced doorkey. lck imageof the drunk n"Penelope,"attributes ie"medicals," wholead ker anddrunker" (628;

ESS

episode ofintoxication s

characteristic sobriety.)Om takes a glass of wine.·ore entering Byrne's he ulsed by the animalistic

nt mealjuice, slush

1oved back, at the 1g, wolfing gobfuls etted moustaches.

Bloom decides against lunch at Burton's. He turns t

o Davy Byrne's, whose attraction is thatitis a"moral pub" where the bartender doesn't chat andwill occasionally stand a drink (140; 8.732-33).It's a "nice quiet bar. Nice piece of wood in thatcounter. Nicely planed" (142; 8.822). Byrne'sestablishment offers no threat to Bloom. He willnot have to behave like an animal; he will not beasked meddling questions; he will not have tofight or defend himself,"[e]at or be eaten" (139; 8.703). In Byrne's, hecan take his lunch as a gentleman.

Once he is in Byrne's, however, strong feelings surge from within, and

those feelings begin with a hanJzering for wine: "His midriffyearned then Iupward, sank within him, yearned more longly,longingly. Wine" (141; 8.792-94). Bloom takes thefirst sip of his drink in an excessively decorousmanner: "He smellsipped the cordialjuice and,bidding his throat strongly to speed it, set hiswineglass delicately down" (142; 8.795-96). Soon,however, he is soaking rolls of bread in mustardand wine, and the drink is kindling his veins: Histhoughts turn to erotic moments with Molly:

Pillowed on her coat she had her hair,earwigs in the heather scrub my handunder her nape, you'll toss me all. 0wonder! Coolsoft with ointments her handtouched me, caressed. . . . Wildly I layon her, kissed her: eyes, her lips, herstretched neck beating, woman's breastsfull in her blouse of nun's veiling, fatnipples upright. Hot I tongued her. Shekissed me. I was kissed. All yielding shetossed my hair. Kissed, she kissed me.

Me. And me now. (144; 8.903-17).- -

Thewine makes Bloom feel thepassion he once feltfor his wife. Inthat sense,drunkenness evokes pleasurable feelings forBloom. The passage's abrupt ending, however-particularly the final, isolated "Me. And menow" suggests his recognition of his cuckoldedcondition. Drink, by accelerating Bloom'spassions, has sped him headlong into hisdevastating reality. We can guess that Bloom'sreluctance to drink derives, at least in part,from fear of the crashing despondency that isthe result of dwelling on one's problems.Submerged in his heart arefeelings too sad to gonear. As a rule, Bloom does not drink because hedoes not want to feel.

Bloom's nonalcoholic drunkenness in the "Eumaeus" ch

apter enables him to confront feelings thatwould normally make him shudder. We see this inhis willingness to consider his maritaltroubles. Although he approaches his catastrophethrough the veil of the Parnell/Kitty Sheaaffair, his summation of that historic adulteryis boldly free-thinking: "Whereas the simplefact of the case was it was simply a case of thehusband not being up to the scratch, withnothing in common between them beyond the name,and then a real man arrivingon the scene . . ."(532; 16.1379-82). In other words,

John Cussen

as these thoughts prove, the first features ofBloom's drukenness are emotional daring and liberal thinking.

BoB DoRAN,_DRUNKEN PRECURSOR

In general, the drinking that goes on in Ulyssesaccompanies a host of societal and personal evilswith which Bloom ought not to be associated:irresponsibility (drinkers failing to pay tram fares(224; 11.621-22]), improvidence (Gumley's drinkingawayhis inheritance), narrow-mindedness (thecitizen), bullying Celticism (again, the citizen),disrespect for women and for all things sacred (themedical students), troubled conscience (Stephen),and an insidious form of camaraderie that demandsof friends that they drink with one another. Bloomrepeatedly violates this last article of Dublindrinking culture. AB a result, he is Dublin's manapart, an object of scorn and suspicion. Nosey Flynnvoices the surmise of most Dubliners when he saysof Bloom, "God Almighty couldn't make him drunk"(146; 8.978). Amomentlater, Flynn feigns scrawling"a dry pen signature beside his grog" (8.986),saying that "there" was something that Bloom wouldnever be seen doing. By this, Flynn means thatBloom lacks the courage to put down his name tosomething, to state his beliefs, to declare himselfa friend or foe. Flynn's attitude typifies thereception Bloom gets in and around Dublin'sdrinking culture: He doesn't drink; he's notone of us.

Among so many drinkers who are his enemies,however, Bloom meets one ally, Bob Doran,

ironically the farthest gone of the novel'sdrunkards and, importantly, an inebriate whose

behavior, words, and life circum stancesforeshadow Bloom's in "Eumaeus." Bloom meets Doran

in Barney Kiernan's, where the advertising

canvasser'sJewishness and

sobriety make himpersona non grata.

"Snoring drunk blindto the world" (Joyce245; 12.251), Doran'sstuporous drunkennessalso disconnects him

frombarstoolcamaraderie. With hisface on the bar and

his head muddled withalcohol, he has a

difficult timekeeping pace with theconversation of those

around him. In hisfirst three

utterances, he triesto get his bearings:Who's there? Who's

laughing? Who's dead?The other pub

habitues answer himshortly, disregardinghim because he is so

drunk. They write himoff for having littlegrasp ofreality andlittle to contribute

conversationally.When Doran speaks hisfirst full utterance,

however, he showsthat though he has

still not gottenhimself in sync

with the prevailingconversation, he has

absorbed the principal fact (that Paddy Dignam isdead), and his mind has worked its way through to

the startling opinion that God is a "bloodyruffian" (248; 12.392) for taking him. Hisblasphemous outburst, of course, bespeaks a

personal philosophy in which God is theunsympathetic master of a cruel universe.

In "Eumaeus," Bloom's mind will behave much inthe same way: weaving in and out of reality,catching the seemingly insignificant words and

62

movements ofothers, and ass

image of theimmediate sce1

However, whereasthe threa Bloom the

macrocosm's th1greatest danger ofall was wh For hisunchristian talk,

keeper. This is aCatholic, purportedJew, is often mad.12.311) by the billcollector' 1 Dublincitizenry. BecauseDe around him andspeaks in terr

Bloom, is alleged tobe alway Tellingly,Bloom and Doran i1collector, who callsDoran the 85), latercondemns Bloom: "

the like of that andthrow him abuseextends to their

spous( Doran are thevery same acCl:Bloom's regard:

"Fitter for hi bitchhe married, . . .exposing no favour"(249; 12.398-402)His blasphemies

notwithst heart inhis mourning for Paperson in Kiernan's who migl theyshake hands.Significant!/

-Let me, saidhe, so faqhowever slightit may ap time,is founded, as Ihof esteem as to

request of overstepped the limits o: be theexcuse for my bol1

In "Eumaeus," Bloom will com terms.But "wait a moment!" as P: away by words, by

sounds of Doran a saint, we must also po importantway: in his sentimen of the sentimentalist, "he wh debtorship for a thing done" (16 Doran's handing off ofhis con than dubious and possibly re

· Bloom's drukennessare

ECURSOR

lysses accompanies ahost of ought notto be associated:n fares [224;11.621-22]),ritance), narrow-mindedness izen),disrespect forwoi;nen lents),troubled consciencerie that demandsof friends Ltedlyviolates this lastarticle ublin's manapart, an object esurmise of mostDubliners ln't makehim drunk" (146;;"a dry pensignature besidehing that Bloomwould never omlacks the courageto put fs, todeclare himself afriend l Bloomgets in and aroundhe's not one of us.nies, however,Bloom meets me ofthe novel'sdrunkards ior,words, and lifecircum loom meetsDoran in Barneyewishness andsobriety make id tothe world" (Joyce245; lisconnectshim frombarstoolhead muddled with

alcohol, onversation of those around et his bearings:Who's there? habitues answer him shortly, 1 write himoff for having little itionally. When Doran speaksthough he has still not gotten>ation, he has absorbed the d his mind. has workeditsway bloody ruffian' (248; 12.392) f course,bespeaks a personal.ic master of a cruel universe. rnch in the same way:weaving gly insignificant words and

Critic 63.2

movements ofothers, andassemblingfrom randomdetails both acoherent imageof theimmediatescene and oneconsistentwith hisbeliefsystem.However,whereas thethreateningagent inDoran'suniverse isGod, for Bloomthemacrocosm'sthreateningelement ishumankind,"and thegreatestdanger of allwas who yougot drunkwith" (503;16.88-89).

For hisunchristiantalk, Doranis promptlyreproved bythe tavernkeeper. Thisis aCatholic,God-fearingcountry (asBloomhimself, apurportedJew, is oftenmade tounderstand)."Bob's a

queer chap" (247;12.31) the bill collector's estimate, just asBloom is an enigma to the Dubhn ot1zenry.Because Doran thinks more liberally than thedrinkers around him and speaks in terms they arenot accustomed to hearing, he, like Blom, isalleged to be always "talking through his . . .hat" (249; 12.397). Tellingly, Bloom and Doraninspire animosity in the same quarters. The billcollector, who calls Doran the "lowest blackguardin Dublin" (248; 12.384- 85), later condemnsBloom: "It'd be an act of God to take a hold of afellow the like of that and throw him inthebloody sea" (277; 12.1661-62). And the abuseextends to their spouses. Revealingly, thecharges laid against Mrs. Doran are the verysame accusations that are often bandied about inMrs. B.loom's rega:d: "Fitter fo him [Doran] gohome to the little sleepwalking bitch he marned,. . . exposmg her person, open to all comers,fair field and no favour" (249; 12.398-402).

His blasphemies notwithstanding, Doran seemsto be a man of genuine heart in his mourning forPaddy Dignam. He chooses Bloom as the one personin Kiernan's who might carry his grief to thewidow. Like brothers, they shake hands.Significantly, Doran'swords to Bloom areexcessively civil:

-Let me, said he, sofar presume upon ouracquaintance which, however slight it mayappear ifjudged by the standard of meretime, is founded, as I hope and believe,on a sentiment of mutual esteem as torequest of you this favour. But, shouldI have overstepped the limits of reservelet the sincerity of my feelings be theexcuse for my boldness. (257; 12.786-90)

In "Eumaeus," Bloom will c;ouch his words toStephen in equally deferential terms.

But "wait a moment!" as Professor MacHugh says."We mustn't be led away by words, by sounds ofwords" (108; 7.484-85). Before we declare Doran asaint, we must also point ou_t that he prefiguresBloom in another important way: in hissentimentality. Ifwe accept Stephen'scharacterization of the sentimentalist, "he whowould enjoy without incurring the immense debtorship for athing done" (164; 9.550-51), then we must certainlyrank Doran's handing off of his consolatory dutiesto Bloom as an action no less than dubious andpossibly revealing of insincerity, especiallywhen we

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john Cussen

consider that he gets Dignam's name wrong,calling him "Willy." How genuine can Doran'ssorrow be if he does not even know the deceased' sfirst name? The shed-no-tears "Cyclops" narratorcalls the drunkard's effusive ness "bloodyfoolery" and "doing the tragic" (257; 12.784).The text is obviously aware of Doran's easygrief. Yet the text is also extremely fond of him.He is an immensely funny character, his scene withBloom hilarious. Like the text, Bloom also takes amixed but predominantly positive view of Doran.Though he is aware of sentiment's inadequacies(in an earlier passage, he remarks to himself,"More sensible to spend the money on some charityfor the living" [93; 6.930-31]) and surely seesto the bottom of Doran' s gratuitous performance,he behaves as ifitis worthy and shakes his hand."I appreciate to the full the motives whichactuate your conduct and I shall discharge theoffice you entrust to me" (257; 12.791-92). Onother pages of the novel, cant and insincerityare satirized, yet on this one the flapdoodle iscreditable.

In Bob Doran, Bloom finds a kindred soul inthe person of a much trammeled gentleman who islast seen leaving the pub, "trying to walkstraight" (258; 12.800).

BLOOM AND STEPHEN, ALIKE IN THEIRDRUNKENNESS

Both the reality and the features of Bloom'sdrunkenness become more obvious when he iscompared to the scene's verifiable inebriate,Stephen. The intoxicated Dedalus of "Eumaeus" sayslittle, ostensibly because he is sleepy andapathetic. Stephen's few outbursts, however,betray an active consciousness inwhich he seemsto be caITying on two conversations atonce: a

larger dialogue withhimself, a smallerwith the world aroundhim. Time and again,in the course of theevening, he makescomments that revealhim to be at leastpartially attentiveto what transpiresaround him, as wellas wholly aware ofBloom's ratherpathetic shepherding."Count me out" (526;16.1148), asaresponse to Bloom'srecommendation thathe do some gainfulwork, is such aremark. At once,itindicates that heis listening to Bloomand that he wants togently scandalizehim. Also, theresponse "Liquids Ican eat" (519;16.815) to Bloom'ssuggestion that hetake solid food is aremark of the sameteasing character.The last thing thatBloom wants to hearat this moment isthat Stephen wouldprefer drink tofood.

Others of

Stephen's comments have the genius of meeting theexternal situation and yet revealing the drift ofhis ongoing mental monologue. For instance, heunexpectedly says, "But 0, oblige me by takingaway that knife. I can't look at the point ofit.It reminds me of Roman history" (16.815-16). Asout-of-place as the comment might seem, it has asurprising number of connections to external andinternal realities: externally, to the knifeitself and perhaps to the supposed dangers of hisand Bloom's situation (daytimers

64

surrounded by theshadow internally,to Stephen's dayfriends and on hisown infidE In thissmall remark, otherStephen's lubricatdmind: tlsurroundings; thathe has bvicissitudes of hislife to the < alsohas the ironicinstinct tc thateven when drunk, hecar. especiallyBloom; and that htragic and crazycircumstarnliterature. Theseare the perv thatmanifest themselveswh<

Bloom's behaviorin the counterpart:He, too, says li (503; 16.118), alert to the dar few words he does utter are I around him but more properplague him. The passing of th a comment on the rashsexua: that, no doubt, springs lnonparticipation in that an from Bloom a remark about greatly mistake she was Spanis also the case for his own ur lessconnected to movement spring from topics that bothE at Stephen. On the other h: quickness; his

comments are tion. Nor is he as shrewd in keyed into Bloom's rather p2 Bloom seems clueless about S himself to the younger mar. Stephen look for work is an <

Two other of Bloom's beh tion: first, his lackof produc1 extensive private ruminatio 16.626])and, second, the li situations that surround

him of ashipwreckedsailor). Tinterior prolixity,might righ1 theprudent and soberBloorr speaking hismind or speaki

:alling him"Willy." How.1know thedeceased's firstls the drunkard'seffusive- 257;12.784). The textis ct is alsoextremely fond ofene with Bloomhilarious.ominantlypositive view ofadequacies (inan earlier spendthe money on some·ely sees to thebottom of f it isworthy and shakeshis actuate yourconduct and 57;12.791-92). Onotherirized, yet onthis one the

in the person ofa much; the pub,"trying to walk

DRUNKENNESS

·.runkennessbecomemore ifiableinebriate,Stephen. le,ostensibly becausehe is however,betray an active ttwo conversationsat once: e worldaround him. Time; comments thatreveal him resaround him, as

well as ding. "Count me out" (526; ion that he do some gainful ieis listening to Bloom and espouse "Liquids I can eat" mlid foodis aremark of the oom wants to hear at this:ood.ius of meeting the externalo.g mental monologue. For e by taking awq.y that knife. manhistory" (16:815-16). ias a surprising number of x.ternally, tothe knife itself loom's situation (daytimers

Il

)

I Critic 63.2Ii

surroundedby theshadowycharactersof Dublin'snightpopulation);internally,toStephen'sday-longruminationsontheperfidiousnessoffriendsandonhisowninfidelityinrefusingtopray

with his dying mother. In this small remark,other things too are clear about the workingsof Stephen's lubricated mind: that withstaggering perspicacity he takes in hissurroundings; that he has both the ego and thelearning to connect the

I vicissitudes of his life to the epic dramas of Western literature but that heI also has the ironic instinct to see the ludicrousness of

those comparisons;that even when drunk, he can dramatize; that he likes toshock his audience,especially Bloom; and that he takes as theredeeming feature of all oflife's tragic andcrazy circumstances their potential for twistedhumor and for literature. These are theperverse, literary features of Stephen'spersonality

l that manifest themselves when he drinks.l Bloom's behavior in the cabmen's shelter

parallels that of his junior counterpart: He,too, says little, ostensibly because he is "onthe qui vive" (503; 16.118), alert to the dangersof converse with Dublin's nightside. The fewwords he.does utter are partially a reaction tothe events that transpirearound him but more properly the spin-off of emotionalissues that privately I

plague him. The passing of the streetwalker, forexample, drawsfrom Bloom a comment on the rashsexual practices of some (517; 16.728-32), athought that, no doubt, springs backward frommeditations on his own nonparticipation in thatarea. Likewise, the discussion of Parnell drawsfrom Bloom a remark about Kitty Shea's Spanishlineage ("And, ifI don't greatly mistake she wasSpanish too" [532; 16.1412-13]), which, ofcourse, is also the case for his own unfaithfulwife. These brief utterances, more or lessconnected to movements and conversation in theshelter, also clearly spring from topics thatbother Bloom,just as the issue of betrayal eatsaway at Stephen. On the other hand, the olderman hasn't got the younger's quickness; hiscomments are often ahalf-step behind the generalconversa tion. Nor is he as shrewd in regard tohis listeners. Whereas Stephen has keyed intoBloom's rather pathetic paternalism and knowshow W tweak it, Bloom seems clueless aboutStephen's shamelessness and therefore exposeshimself to the younger man's light ridicule. Hispassing suggestion that Stephen look for work isan example.

TwootherofBloom'sbehaviorsthatmatchStephen'sdeserveamplification:first,hislackofproductionintheoraldepartmentwhileindulgingin

extensive private ruminations ("woolgathering" asthe text calls it [515; 16.626]) and, second, theliterariness of his reactions to the people andsituations that surround him (for example'likening his adventures to those of a shipwreckedsailor). The first, exterior verbal restraintalong with interior prolixity, might rightly beviewed as an extension of the strategy that theprudent and sober Bloom has developed for dealingwith drinkers-not speaking his mind or speaking itcleverly. This strategy was in evidence in

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john Cussen

the lying-in hospital, where he quietlyabstained from partaking in the irreverenthilarity of the generation that "knows not pity"(333; 14.847), and in reverse it was evident inBarney Kiernan' s pub, where Bloom fended off thebarstoolies' simmering antagonism by talking inexcess, by coming out "with the why and thewherefore and all the codology of the business,"as the citizen says (250; 12.451-52). Bothdevices, laconicism and an absurd verboseness,have as their purpose to fend off genuineintercourse in which the sober man might be drawninto traps laid by .drinkers.

Something similar to Bloom's sober strategy(external restraint) goes on in "Eumaeus," but onething is glaringly different. The dangers areimagined, and, most importantly, they arepatently literary. Like the drunkard Stephen, whoby virtue of a knife on the table connects hissituation to Julius Caesar's, Bloom responds tohis scene by heightening it literarily. One ofthe magnifications is the narrative poseidentified by Stanislaus Joyce, that of thenewspaper article; that is, Bloom imagineshimself as undergoing a perilous experienceworthy of "[t]he pink edition extra sporting ofthe Telegraph" (528; 16.1232). A second way thathe "improve[s] the shining hour" (16.1227) is byassuming the voice and manners of a RobinsonCrusoe or Christopher Columbus. Surrounded byDublin's nightlife, he imagines himself as havingan adventure among savages; in his case, he isshipwrecked in a cabman's shelter. The book thatwill result from this experience already has atitle: "My Experiences in a Cabman's Shelter" (16.1231). Athird narrative style, albeit unproductive offear, can also be detected, that of the father-to-son ethics manual. In other words, parts of

"Eumaeus" arewritten in thevoice that Bloommight be expected toassume were he tosit down andwritelife's lessons forapresumed son, amissive like that ofAristotle toNicomachus.

What these threegenres have incommon areearnestness offacade, euphemismor its oppositewhen the mattergets gritty, andobliviousness abouttheir ownpretensions. Mostof the Dublindrinkers, Stephenin cluded,outrageouslyincorporate thefirst two of thesenarrativeflourishes intotheir richlyallusive drunkentalk. We need onlythink of the"Cyclops"narrator'sconflation ofCatholic prayerformulas and

British sloganeering "They believe in rod, thescourger almighty, creator of hell upon earth,and inJacky Tar, the son ofa gun, who wasconceived of unholy boast. . ." (270; 12.1354-55)-or of Mulligan' sfeigned delicacy ofexpression-"It grieved him plaguily . . . toreflect upon so many agreeable females withrich jointures . . . who hide their flambeauunder a bushel . . ." (329; 14.672- 75)-or ofthe "Cyclops" drinkers' chorus of clever publocutions-"Give it aname," the bartender says."Wine of the country," the citizen answers (243;12.143-44)-to see how readily a Dublin drunkardcan appropriate a famous phrase. Even theseafarer of "Eumaeus" goes down for the recordas a "bit ofliterary cove in his own small way"(538; 16.1677). Of course, the

66

majority of the glass-lifting I Bloom is oblivious of his pret literaryaffectations. Inhisd shipwreck, a reporter, ajou

CONFUSING I

Bloom's mix-upof realintoxicatedconfusions, thethought. WhereasStephen betweenhis privatethoughts andforth, Bloom seemsto tr fromexternal dialogueto int with theactual scene andsp articulatedinteriorly, thou1enunciate themopenly. His ing,is one example:

From insideinformati Bloomwas rather ini

egregiousbalderdash£ tobe or not to bewishec theirneighboursaero bigger

fools than hestrength thanthe oppc matterwas that as aho1 issue,

might occur ere1 to try to make

the most 1

. . . [H]e (B.)couldn't h( to

give people like that 1 altogether and refuse tcrule in private life. (52

In this overproduction-of Bloom has lostsight of the overmuch and the "speed

confusion away. "Balderd< consummation" aparliame bigger fools than he took thimagines himself speaking t Although

undesigned, } him to perceive as spokenPersonally, this is no small i

Critic 63.2

ilfl1tiil1 ·

J from partakingin the J t pity"(333; 14.847),and where Bloomfended off· in excess,by coming out 1gyof the business,"as the:onicism and anabsurd uineintercourse inwhich drinkers.xternalrestraint) goeson rent. Thedangers aretently literary.Like the n thetable connectshis is scene byheightening it·ative poseidentified bythat is, Bloomimagines thy of"[t]he pinkedition). A second waythat he assumingthe voice andJlumbus.Surrounded by rrgan adventureamong o'sshelter. The bookthat itle: "MyExperiences in a le,albeitunproductive of nethics manual. Inother 1ice thatBloom might befe'slessons forapresumed

lS.

re earnestness of facade, gritty, and obliviousness indrinkers, Stephen in these narrative flourishes nlythink of the "Cyclops" nd British sloganeering.o r of hell upon earth, and of unholy boast . . ."(270; f expression-"It grieved eeable females with rich1ushel . . ,': (329; 14.672-r pub locutions-"Give it," the citizen answers (243; 1kard can appropriate aoes down for the record as; 16.1677). Of course, the

1

' /majority of the glass-lifting plagiarists areaware of theirborrowings. Only I

Bloom isobliviousof hispretensions. Noironicnoteundermineshis absurdliteraryaffectations. Inhisdrunkenness, hethoroughlyimagineshimself ashipwreck,areporter,ajournalist, and,of course,the fatherof a son.

CONFUSING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL

REALITY

Bloom's mix-up of real and literary realitiesparallels another of his intoxicated confusions,the distinction between words spoken and wordsthought. Whereas Stephen knows to a hair's-breadth the dividing line between his privatethoughts and actual utterances and cunninglyskirts back and forth, Bloom seems to trulyconfuse the two. Most frequent are the slipsfrom external dialogue to internal monologue inwhich his mind loses touch with the actual sceneand spirals off into opinions and observationssafely articulated interiorly, though they mightcause him trouble were he to enunciate themopenly. His political manifesto, which includesthe follow ing, is one example:

From inside information extending over aseries of years Mr Bloom was ratherinclined to poohpooh the suggestion asegregious balderdash for, pending thatconsummation devoutly to be or not to bewished for, he was fully cognisant of thefact that their neighbours across thechannel, unless they were much biggerfools than he took them for, ratherconcealed their strength than the opposite. . . .All he could personally say on thematter was that as a host of contingencies,equally relevant to the issue, might occurere then itwas highly advisable in theinterim to try to make the most ofbothcountries even though poles apart.. . . [H]e (B.) couldn't help feeling andmost properly it was better to givepeople like that the goby unless you wereablithering idiot altogether and refuseto have anything to do with them as agolden rule in private life. (524;16.1029-51)

In this overproduction-df which I offer only asnippet-it is clear that Bloom has lost sightof the line between internal and external talk.The overmuch and the "speechiness" of hisunspoken monologue give his confusion away."Balderdash" is an exclamatory word, "pendingthat consummation" a parliamentarian's phrase,and "unless they were much bigger fools than hetook them for" an aside. With his mouth shut,Bloom imagines himself speaking tons.

Although undesigned, his disorientation has apositive effect. It allows him to perceive as

spokenthat whichin realityhe hasonlythought.Personally, this isno smallgain forBloom,whose rulein life isto confide

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john Cussen

in no one. And it is also of benefit to thenovel, which must fend off the negativescholarship claiming that on Bloomsday nosufficiently cathartic event occurs tojustifythe hero's going to bed restored. The answer isthat by virtue of his disorientation, Bloomfaces up to the issues that confront him(hisruminations on the Parnell scandal, forexample, substitute for thoughts on his ownproblem), and he unburdens himself to Stephen.He wants to warn Stephen that obsession with theBritish occupation has been many a good youngman's undoing. Until the separation of the twocountries occurs, Stephen would do well to putpolitical preferences aside and to avail himselfof the opportunities inherent to British-Irishbedsharing. At the moment, the "Golden Rule" bywhich Stephen should direct himself is to refuseto have anything to dowith nationalists like thesailor and the shelter keeper, to give them the"goby." The world is a dangerous place, andthere are those whom it is safe neither to fightnor to befriend. Bloom has it in his heart tosay to Stephen, Be not a patriot. Be clever andbe careful. His intoxication gives him the senseof having said these things, even as he keepshis silence.

In a few instances, Bloom's speech slips inthe other direction, from rumination to suddenutterance. On these occasions, the subjectmatter is usually intensely felt. When Bloom'smind hits an emotional sore spot, he entirelyloses cognizance of his fearful surroundings anduncharacteristi cally speaks out. At the end ofhis long internally pronounced political speech,for instance, he suddenly starts to tell Stephenof his exchange with the citizen of BarneyKiernan's tavern:

. . . I letslip. Hecalled me ajew and in aheatedfashionoffensively.So I withoutdeviatingfrom plainfacts in theleast toldhim his God,I meanChrist, wasajew too andall hisfamily likeme though inreality I'mnot. That wasone for him.A soft answerturns awaywrath. Hehadn't a wordto say forhimself aseveryone saw.Am I notright? (525;16.1082-87)

Long-endured hurt isthe main reasonBloom tells Stephenof the day'saltercation with the

citizen. As a purported Jew, his lifelong lot inDublin has been that of a friendless wanderer.Although he is not given to revealing himselfemotionally, the internal speech of his inebriatestate becomes akind of rush down the runway untilsuddenly a barrier is surpassed and Bloom istalking in the open. At the end of this speech,which was begun privately, he asks Stephen forwhat he most wants, the younger man's approval:"Am I not right?" he asks. It is one of the rareinstances in the novel in which Bloom expressesan emotional need.

68

MAH

Hit's important to note 1 Stephen's, it is no-less impor the habits of the large drinki: tions into the ongoing scene. attentivenessto the moven: shelter types reminds us ' surveillance of scene and I suspiciousness and his inve1 earlier chapter, because Bl( citizen assumed that he waE collector called his passing Later inthe day, Bloom is ski of hearsay, assumes that the l< Phoenix Park Murderers. l drinkers in that he makes m

Give a man adrink in U comic

wordsmith, Bloom norearrangements ofother Dt "Cyclops"bill collector pumthoroughfare with

his broo1quantityof tea and

sugar" (12 12.119);"in the strongest

pos as green ashe'scabbagelooki1 and,

of course, thedefamat dead" (271;

12.1392). Similalying-in hospitalare rude, po was

there to the intentto be compete with

one another in the one who most euphemisti ofthe well-oiled bachelors Mulligan's entries arepaga fertilising farm to be named 0 learned and

consequently the composes a "bull story" thatMoslem decencies that defer Bloom, in hisintoxicati01 However, his inventions, ins

unsayable, take as their goldedirectly named: "drinkables "that boon companionof yo· (507; 16.280),"his chamber o

Critic 63.2

vhich must fendoff the nosufficientlycathartic Jred.The answer isthat:issues thatconfront him e,substitute forthoughts toStephen. Hewants to.p ation hasbeen many a mof the twocountries'.rences asideand to availlrishbedsharing. Atthe ould directhimself is to hesailor and theshelter- 1gerousplace, and there"iend. Bloom hasit in his·ver and becareful. Histhings, even ashe keeps

,e otherdirection, fromms, the subjectmatter isemotional sorespot, he J.gsanduncharacteristily pronouncedpolitical hen ofhis exchangewith

. a heated fashion in facts in the least•O and all his family one for him. A soft:o say for himself as-87)

'.lls Stephen of the day's J.is lifelong lot inDublin is not given to revealing:iate statebecomes akind is surpassed and Bloom1ich was begun privately,;er man's ppmval: "Aines in the novel in which

MAKINGMERRYWITHWORDS

Ifit'simportant tonote thatBloom's tics ofthought andspeech matchStephen's, it isno lessimportant topoint out thathis behaviorsquares with thehabits of thelarge drinkingpopulace.Bloom's ill-timed verbalinterrup tionsinto the ongoingscene, forinstance, recallBob Doran'soutbursts. Hisattentiveness tothe movements ofMurphy, thestreetwalker,and othershelter typesreminds us ofthe "Cyclops"bill collector'sjudgmentalsurveillance ofscene andpersons in

Barney Kiernan's. Ditto, Bloom's suspiciousnessand his inventiveness in imagining others'motives. In the earlier chapter, because Bloompaced quietly outside the pub door, the citizenassumed that he was "on point duty" (248;12.379), while the bill collector called hispassing "skeezing round the door" (249; 12.407-8). Later in the day, Bloom is skeptical of thesailor's tall tales, and, on the basis of hearsay,assumes that the keeper of the shelter is Skin-the-Goat, one of the Phoenix Park Murderers. Last,Bloom is tellingly like the book's other drinkersin that he makes merry with words.

Give a man a drink in Ulysses, and he immediatelyimagines himself acomicwordsmith, Bloom no less than Dublin'sother inebriates. The verbal rearrangements ofother Dubliners, however, tend toward the nasty.The "Cyclops" bill collector pummels those whomhe dislikes: "obstructing the thoroughfare withhis brooms and ladders" (240; 12.10-11); "anyGod's quantity of tea and sugar" ( 12.15);"having a great confab with himself ' (242;12.119);"inthe strongest possible heterogeneousterms" (252; 12.570);"not as green ashe'srnbbagelooking" (257; 12.752); "Hohobegob"(262; 12.996); and, of course, the defamation ofVictoria, "the flatulent old bitch that's dead"(271; 12.1392). Similarly, the verbal creationsof the drinkers in the lying-in hospitalarerude, pornographic, and boastful. The"fellowship that was there to the intent to bedrunken a[s] they might" (318; 14.187-88)compete with one another in bawdiness andperversion, the prize going to the one who mosteuphemistically or graphically phrases hisscurrility. Each of the well-oiled bachelorsputs in at least one debauched witticism.Mulligan's entries are pagan and obstetrical.He proposes "a national fertilising farm to benamed Omphalos" (329; 14.684-85). Stephen, themost learned and consequently the most capableof obscenity, extemporaneously composes a "bullstory" that mocks the galaxy of classical,Christian, and Moslem decencies that defer towomanhood.

Bloom, in his intoxication, is also infectedby the bug for verbal antics. However, hisinventions, instead of being intended to saythe. shockingly unsayable, take as their goldenrule the notion that some things arebest notdirectly named: "drinkables in the shape of a

milk and soda"(501; 16.10),"that boon

companion of yours who contributes the humorouselement" (507; 16.280),"his chamber of horrors,otherwise pocket" (514; 16.588), "if

69

john Cussen

no other lifeboat Sunday" (515; 16.643), "ahorse of the cabrank" (522; 16.940), and "rumpuncheon exploit" (16.933). Squeamishness aboutthe reputations and feelings of others, ratherthan the intent to offend, characterize hisverbal creations.

To be sure, Bloom is also capable ofbelittling characterizations. The numeroustitles he invents for Murphy attest to his skillin the name-calling department:" doughtynarrator" (513; 16.570), "globetrotter" (514;16.575), "[o]ursoi-disant sailor" (515; 16.620),"awily old custo1'.'.ler" (16.625), "theoldseadog" (16.653), "[t]he Skibbereenfather" (516;16.666),"skipper Murphy"(517; 16.726),"friend Sinbad" (520; 16.858),"theold stager" (522; 16.930),"theredoubtable specimen" (523; 16.983), "roughdiamond" (16.1012), and "old tarpaulin" (524;16.1021). However, unlike the linguisticinventions of the book's other name-callers,Bloom's coinages go unsaid. He bites his lips.Hehas a number of reasons for doing so. First,as we've already pointed out, insulting remarksare not in the spirit of his drunkenness.Second, Bloom's intent in fabricating thesenames is to amuse himself, not to impressothers. In the comfort zone that is hisconsciousness, he supplies his own entertainment. In this sense, he is a far more securedrunkard than the novel's liquid imbibers whoseegos require not only strong drink but also thelaughter of ohers. If "Keep to thyself ' is thelargest chunk of Bloom's advice to Stephen, then"Entertain thyself ' is a smaller piece.

Last, of course, Bloom keeps his mouth shutfor fear of getting his nose punched. Thoughthis motive may seem to be his least shining, it

also has a positivespin. It signals hissubmerged desire tobe at peace withDublin's drinkers.

BLOOM, AT PEACE WITH A DRUNKEN WORLD

In the "Eumaeus"episode, Bloom makespeace with

drunkenness. This fact is significant in that itpoints to the general reconciliation with theworld that Bloom achieves at the end of Ulysses,for what, after all, more than his sobriety wasthe focal point of his enmity with Dublin'sdrinking culture? The cessation of hostilitiesis most obviously manifested in his uncharacteristic befriending of the arch-drunk, Stephen.Though the older man, for instance, is normallycareful with his money, he willingly picks upboth his and Stephen's tab at the lying-inhospital and at the cabman's shelter. Though heis alert to the failings of mankind-indeed,disdainful of carousers, spendthrifts, and theunemployed-he summons every ounce of his geniusto think well of Stephen, overlooking the good-for-nothing's shabby dress and wastrel lifestyleto imagine for him promising careers inliterature Qoyce 527; 16.1157-58), music (541;16.1807-9), and matrimony (536; 16.1556-57).Bloom swings the light away from other unseemlyfeatures of Stephen'sbehavior too-mostimportantly, his nihilistic attitudes

70

and his smart-aleckresponses vileirreverence by

rewordi1 Stephen,for instance, says

tha understandshicm to mean thalhis intellectualactivities. Simi

Stephen's flippantremarks t< blames

drink-"Needless tosa some asperity in

a curious l16.1175-77)-and a

shoddy u Mr Battached the utmostim:r: he hadn't been

familiarised wBloom's winking at

Stephe instinctgone mad, but it is

alexplain his suddentolerance no wayhis vicariouschildre1 thoughCorley, forinstance, ireflects that

begging and lean:deep, so to put it"(506; 16.22 brazenlies are not above

the or lies afellow told abouthimsel: to the

wholesale whoppersotl 47). Such

generous thoughts,Bloom's soberthoughts abo·matches from

counters to savdrabs. And whenhe's wanted 1Ireland their

shameless behav tobring da home" (58;

5.8-9:This newly reached attitud on Bloom's face,because the < single drinking episode in Ul

abstention. Were Murphy to t politics in thesame style as th imagine them aiming their ta

argument or the expression o sort ofprovocation goes betwt and Bloom. Prescinding

from literary imagination, Murphy': iorsuggests that they conside1 Bloom's

reconciliation wit provement in his life.Consider his new attitudes displace. Unt seemsto be a man with no one their conversation is

an evasi<

Critic 63.2

e of thecabrank" (522;:iueamishnessabout thei the intent to offend,

characterizations. The skillin the name-calling1betrotter"(514; 16.575),:omer" (16.625),"theold.666), "skipperMurphy">ld stager" (522;16.930),1iamond"(16.1012), and 1elinguisticinventions of 1unsaid. He biteshis lips. e'vealready pointedout, nness.Second, Bloom'sJf, not toimpress others.pplies his ownentertain edthan the novel'sliquid k butalso thelaughter of.oom's advice toStephen,

1r fear ofgetting his nose; least shining,it also has::>e at peace withDublin's

WORLD

with drunkenness. This mciliation with the worldt, after all, more than his 1blin's drinkingculture? "ested in his uncharacter ough the olderman, for rillingly picks up both his at thecabman's shelter. I-indeed, disdainful ofsummons_ every ounce ofs the good-for-nothing's1im promising careers in. 1807-9), and matrimony iy from other unseemly11tly, his nihilistic attitudes

ad is smart-aleck responsesto Bloomhimself. HewhitewashesStephen's vileirreverence byrewording theyounger man'sblasphemies.When Stephen,for instance,says that he isnot interestedin doing"work," Bloomunderstands himto mean that hewill not dowork that takeshim away fromhisintellectualactivities.Similarly,Bloom goes outof his way toattributeStephen'sflippantremarks tocauses otherthan inherentwickedness. Heblamesdrink-"Needlessto say thefumes of hisrecent orgyspoke then withsome asperityin a curiousbitter wayforeign to hissober state"(527; 16.1175-77)-and ashoddyupbringing-"Probably thehomelife to

which Mr B attached the utmost importance hadnot been all that was needful or he hadn't beenfamiliarised with the right sort of people"(16.1177-79).

Bloom's winking at Stephen's faults is, nodoubt, motivated by a paternal instinct gonemad, but it is also a function of hisdrunkenness. How else explain his suddentolerance for the deficiencies of characters whoare in no way his vicarious children, mostnotably the chapter's drinkers? Al thoughCorley, for instance, is palpably a hanger-onand a parasite, Bloom reflects that begging andleaning on friends happen everywhere, "in everydeep, so to put it" (506; 16.223-24). Similarly,Bloom allows that Murphy's brazen lies are notabove the ordinary, "[a]nd when allwas said anddone the lies a fellow told about himselfcouldn't probably hold a proverbial candle tothe wholesale whoppers other fellows coinedabout him" (520; 16.845- 47). Such generousthoughts, of course., represent a completereversal of Bloom's sober thoughts aboutDublin's numerous drinkers-"Fecking matches fromcounters to save. Then squander a sovereign indribs and drabs. And when he's wanted not afarthing" (224; 11.619-21)-and of the Irelandtheir shameless behavior creates: children"[w]aiting outside pubs to bring da home" (58;5.8-9).

This newly reached attitude of tolerance fordrinkers must display itself on Bloom's face,because the carousers respond in kind. "Eumaeus"is the single drinking episode in Ulysses in whichBloom is not attacked for his abstention. WereMurphy to tell his stories and Skin-the-Goat tovoice his politics in the same style as thenovel's previous imbibers, then we would imaginethem aiming their talk at Bloom, trying toprovoke him into an argument or the expression ofan opinion they might attack him for. That sort ofprovocation goes between each other, not betweenthe night crowd and Bloom. Prescinding from thedangers of the scene invented by Bloom's literaryimagination, Murphy's and Skin-the-Goat'snonthreatening behav ior suggests that theyconsider Bloom one of them.

. Bloom's reconciliation with "drunkdom"constitute.s a marvelous im- provementin his

life. Consider the loneliness and the ceaselessmaneuvering his new attitudes displace. Until he

befriendsStephen inNighttown,

Bloom seems tobe a man withno one to talkto. He bringsbreakfast tohis wife, but

theirconversation isan evasion oftheir mutualinfidelities-Molly's with

71

john Cussen

Boylan, Bloom's with his correspondent Martha.During the day, the advertising canvasser crossespaths with many Dubliners, but he shares histroubles with no one. Indeed, one might askwhether Bloom has a genuine friend in all of thecity. When he is not scorned (as he is in BarneyKiernan's), he is circumspectly held at a distance(in the funeral coach) or dismissed with as littleado as possible (in the offices of the Telegraph). Ona day in which, considering his marital troubles,he very much needs a confidante, Bloom hasabsolutely no one to whom he is inclined to turnfor comfort or advice. Thefact, moreover, that heatno time laments his lbneliness suggests that hehas accepted aloneness as the condition in whichhe endures and ruminates his existence.

Under the influence of his intoxication, Bloomreverses himself. Not only does he reach out forfriendship, he does so with a drunkard. And thisis extraordinary, given his life-long, three-pronged, self-protecting strategy for dealing withthe tipsy: silence, obfuscation by way oftechnical overkill, and humorous evasion. Thesilence tactic is most thoroughly observed in the"Oxen" chapter, during which Bloom is the "man ofcautels and a subtile" Qoyce 317; 14.134) who "hadfor his cognisance the flower of quiet" (321;14.330-31). In the "Cyclops" episode, on the otherhand, Bloom resorts to the overkill strategy,"putting in his old goo" (255; 12.682), beingfull of "argol bargol," and, no matter what thesubject, "talk[ing] about it for an hour . . .and talk[ing] steady" (260; 12.895-96). Bloom'sclever response to the medical student's abortionquestion-that amother's death "was good for thatmother Church belike at one blow had birth anddeath pence" (319; 14.257-58)-is an example ofhumorous evasion.

While all of these tactics, particularly the

last, bespeakBloom.'s resourcefulness underduress, they alsoilluminate thelimitations ofhis soberstrategies.Though Bloom'sanswer to themedical studentsgets him off thehook, it does nomore. AB the onlysober man at thetable, as arespecter ofmotherhood, adecent soul, anoutcast, and theassembly'ssoleindependentthinker, Bloommight haveanswered thescurrilousnessthat antagonizedhim. I don'tsuggest that heshould havedelivered a highand righteousstatement to thegood-for-nothings- whowould surelylaugh athim-but aclear, chasteningword from anolder man to

younger was not unimaginable. Bloom'sdrunkenness in "Eumaeus" makes that sort ofspeech possible, albeit silently delivered.

BLOOM'S LECTURE

And what are the contents of Bloom's message toStephen? They include a sober man's list ofcautions, derivative of Bloom's desire thatStephen not be hurt as Bloom hasbeen hurt. He saysto Stephen, be wary of the company you keep, offast women, of strong drink, of frittering awaytime, of those

72

in authority, ofthe Christ"tender mercy"(503; 1( Stephenabout policemer.16.77), and aboutsoldier toinciting themagainst c carefulof characters who1. . . ready todecamp witl:: amoment's notice,your moral,gagged and garrotfriends inunexpected ,Misfortune, Godand the Stephen.Caution: "Ourli(540; 16.1780).

Other piecesof Blo01 Althoughmarriage and 1::steady femalecompanior. it,"and the companyof s1 or triweeklywith the ortl andwalking outleading u16.1562-65)."Women oJ16.63-64).Tellingly, he 1season asbothnourishing (503;16.90-91).

Finally,important str andnondrinkers:"[A]ll n Thebusiness oflifeis "to d A youngman could "haremilitate againstyou" (542 hat"(518; 16.790);

better(503; 16.117);be thine ow1 For when one stops

talkini

Only a cab driver watcl lean" (543; 16.1886-87),1street, lit indifferently by l more Dublindrunks. The Bloom, he would swear tl

Critic 63.2

1a. During theday, theLbliners, but heshares his herBloom has agenuine Le is inBarneyKiernan's),1coach) ordismissed withraph ). On a dayin which, eds aconfidante, Bloomirn for comfortor advice.onelinesssuggests that hete endures andruminates

Jill reverseshimself. Notwith a drunkard.And this d,self-protectingstrategy way oftechnicaloverkill,:ioroughlyobserved in the nof cautels and asubtile" theflower of quiet"(321; er hand,Bloom resorts to:55; 12.682),being full of, "talk[ing]about it for anHoom's cleverresponse toJther's death"was goodfor hand death pence"(319;l.

>espeak Bloom's resource; limitations of his sober3.1 students gets him off the the table, as a respecterof sembly' s sole independent lousness thatantagonized red a high and righteous surely laughathim-but a tger was not unimaginable. 1t sort ofspeech possible,

e to Stephen? They include n's desire that Stephen noten, be wary of the company:tering away time, of those

inauthority,of theChristians-in short,of personsandsituationson whose"tendermercy"(503;16.94) hemightpresume totrust.BloomwarnsStephenaboutpolicemen,"unscrupulous in theservice ofthe Crown"(502;16.77), andaboutsoldiersequippedwithfirearms,"which wastantamountto incitingthemagainstcivilians"(503;16.84).Then,Stephenmustalsobecareful ofcharacterswhomightlooklike Corleyyetwerereally"desperadoes. . . ready

to decamp with whatever boodle they could in onefell swoop at a moment's notice, your money oryour life, leaving you there to point a moral,gagged and garroted" (503; 16.120-27). Bloom hasbeen hurt by false friends in unexpected quarters.Bloom is a man whom Dublin and Misfortune, Godand the Christians, have wronged. Caution, hesays to Stephen. Caution: "Our lives are inperiltonight. Beware of the steamroller" (540;16.1780).

Other pieces of Bloom's advice derive from abroad, generous ethic. Although marriage andhomelife have betrayed him, Bloom recommendssteady female companionship, "theboy and girlcourtship idea," as he puts it, "and the companyof smirking misses without a penny to theirnames bi or triweekly with the orthodoxpreliminary canter of compliment playing andwalking outleadingup to fond lovers' ways andflowers and chocs" (536; 16.1562-65). "Women ofill fame" are "permissible once in a while"(502; 16.63-64). Tellingly, he recommends drink:"a glass of choice old wine in season asbothnourishing andbloodmaking and possessingaperient virtues (503; 16.90-91).

Finally, important strands of Bloom's advicepertain to both drinkers and nondrinkers: "[A]llmust work, have to, together" (526; 16.1150-51).The business oflifeis "to do good and net aprofit" (519; 16.800). Dress well: A young mancould "hardly [understand] how a little thing likethat could militate against you" (542; 16.1832-33). "Faultfinding" is "proverbial bad hat" (518;16.790); better to think well of others. Mindone's own business (503; 16.117);be thineownbestfriend. Saylittle, but endlessly talk tooneself. For when one stops talking to oneself,the enemy, loneliness, sees his chance.

LAsT LOOK

Only a cab driver watches Bloom and Stephen,"bothblack, one full, one lean" (543; 16.1886-87), come out of the cabman's shelter and walkup the street, lit indifferently by gas lamps.Perhaps the cabbie thinks they are two moreDublin drupks. They are already too far off tobe heard. Could he hear Bloom, he would swearthey both had been drinking.

john Cussen

PosTSCRIPTTO Tms Essay's READERS

Fearing that my thesis might be dismissed as an academic shell game(calling black white; white, black), I didn't dare include thefollowingparagraph in itsproper place, the essay's introduction. Instead, I offer ithere.

Why has scholarship failed for so long to seeBloom's drunkenness? Perhaps because the strangeimpulse of his inebriation is to behave soberly.Whereas intoxication triggers in most people anindiscrete outpouring of feelings, it triggersin Bloom a rush of discretion. His soul is sodeeply committed to sobriety (as well as tosobriety's concomitants- circumspec tion,emotional restraint, tightlippedness, andsoforth) that the result of his intoxication isnot to be unlike his buttoned-up self but to bemore the buttoned-up one. Hence, the mostsalient feature of the "Eumaeus" episode is theimbalance between words spoken and wordsthought, the latter far exceeding the former. Inother chapters, this imbalance is explained byBloom's sobriety, his keeping to himself. In"Eumaeus," drunkenness that loves sobriety (andis made more intoxicated by the fulfillment ofher obligations) explains the phenomenon.

Notes'Each citation of James Joyce's Ulysses comprises a page

reference followed by chapter and line numbers.2See, for instance, Hugh Kenner's "Uncle Charles

Principle" (35) or James H. Maddox 137.

Not

JOHN CUSSEN is anassis ofPennsylvania. Hehas pi of Textual andCritical St1 Literature,Missouri Review piecesin Studies in Short Falso publishedshort fictio andConfrontation.

MARSHALL GREGORYEducation, andPedagogy WayneBooth of The Harp1Gregory haspublished meducation, andliterary c1conferences andworksho currentlywriting a book o

NIELS HEROLD is associ: where he teaches early mo pedagogy have appeared Narrative Technique , Shakesj.

Works CitedBloom, Harold. Introduction. Bloom, James Joyce.--, ed. James Joyce. Modern Critical Views. NewYork: Chelsea, 1986. Donoghue, Denis. "The Fictionof James Joyce." Reynolds 27-36.Ellmann, Richard. "James Joyce in and out of Art." Reynolds 17-26.--.James Joyce. New and rev. ed. New York: Oxford UP, 1982. Jameson, Frederic R. "Ul;1sses in History."

Reynolds 145-58.Joyce, James. Ulysses. Ed.

Hans Walter Gabler, Wolfhard Steppe, andClaus Melchoir. New York: Random, 1986.

Kenner, Hugh. "Joyce's Voices." Bloom, James

Joyce.Lawrence, Karen. "Ulysses: The Narrative Norm." Reynolds 118-29. Maddox, James H. "Mockery in Ulysses." Reynolds 130-44.Reynolds, Mary T., ed. James Joyce: A Collection of Critical Essays.

Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice, 1993.Segall, Jeffrey. "Culture, Politics, and Ideology in the

Reception of Ulysses." Approaches to TeachingJoyce's "Ulysses." Ed.Kathleen McCormick and Erwin R. Steinberg. New York: MLA,1993.

Edinboro University of Penns)ilvania

74

STEPHEN VANSCOYOCof the State ofNew York ar.University.Currently in hiliterature at theUniversity c he isa fiction writer,an oo teacher ofcreative writing aVan Scoyoc haspresented c bookon Gothic sourcesan Heights to be publishe<svanscoyoc@blueyonder.co