(They sinned against the light, Mr Deasy said gravely. And you can see the darkness in their eyes. And that is why they are wanders on the earth to this day)
Stephen asks:
"Who has not?"
Confused, by a pretty simple question.
Deasy: "What do you mean?"
Who has not sinned against the light?
Who has not known the dishonours of their flesh? (****19)
Deasy steps toward forward and Stephen is trying to figure out his game.
Is this old wisdom? He waits to hear from me.
This scene between the two men is meshing up the kids playing outside.
Deasy: "What do you mean?"
Stephen: "History is a nightmare from which I am trying to wake"
That's even more confusing.
"History is a nightmare from which I am trying to wake"
Let's look at this step by step for a moment.
Stephen isn't a sleep.
Stephen can not wake up if he isn't sleeping.
Stephen, while alive, can only be awake or asleep.
Stephen says he is trying to awake.
If Stephen is trying to wake, we must assume that Stephen is asleep.
Stephen can only be asleep.
Stephen, while alive, I assume, seems to have been sleeping his entire life.
If Stephen has been sleeping his entire life, I assume, his entire life has been a nightmare.
Stephen's entire life has been a nightmare.
Stephen's entire life has been history.
Stephen is not old enough to exist throughout the entire history.
History is old enough for Stephen to exist in it.
Stephen's life is a part of history.
Stephen is saying he has only been in a state of sleep
Stephen is saying that his life is a nightmare
Stephen is saying that his life is a part of history
Stephen does not want to be asleep,
Stephen does not want to experience his life as a nightmare.
Stephen does not want his life to be a part of history.
Stephen does not want his life to be in a state of sleep, a nightmare, nor a part of history.
From the playfield the boys raised a shout. A whirring whistle: Goal. What if that nightmare gave you a back kick?
What if that nightmare gave you a back kick?
I am getting hung up on the back kick. Field hockey has a term called "kicking back" where a non-goal keeper takes over for the goal keeper, if he is unable to play.
What if that nightmare gave you a substitute goalie.
No, I don't think that is it. Let's step back for a second.
What if that nightmare gave you a kick?
What if your life gave your a kick?
What if history gave you a kick?
Are we saying what if that nightmare attacked you?
What if that nightmare attacked you after you attacked it? I don't think so. The only attack that Stephen did, was insult his life.
Horses kick back. We were talking about horses before.
What if that that nightmare attacked you?
What if that nightmare shocked you?
What if that nightmare gave you a shock?
What if history/your nightmare/your life gave you a shock?
That might be something.
From the playfield the boys raised a shout. A whirring whistle: goal. What if that nightmare gave you a back kick?
From the playfield the boys raised a shout. A whirring whistle: goal. What if your nightmare history life gave you a shock.
Deasy: The ways of the Creator are not out ways. All human history moves toward one great goal, the manifestation of God.
the manifestation of God
the thing that God bought to the physical world, from and abstract idea.
or
the appearance of God
The ways of the Creator are not our ways. All human history moves toward one great goal. The appearance of God.
Getting messy again.
Deasy: They sinned against the light blah blah blah...
Stephen: Who hasn't?
Deasy: Huh?
Stephen's brain: Is he asking for my thoughts?
Stephen: My life is a part of history and I want out.
Stephen's brain: The kids outside made a goal. What if my unhappy life gave me a shock? or thinking about the goal that just happened, what if history replaced the goalie with someone less qualified, making a goal easier to achieve? or made it harder to to defend my side?
Deasy: The ways of God are not our way. All human history is moving towards one big goal. The appearance of God.
(Stephen points at the kids outside)
Stephen: That is God.
Deasy: Huh?
Stephen: A shout in the street.
Deasy is talking on the behalf of Christianity. Saying, God, Heaven, all the important stuff happens in the end.
Stephen is taking a more Spinoza approach. Saying that God and all the important stuff is already here, "he" is everywhere, including the shouts of the kids playing hockey
Mr Deasy looked down and held for a while the wings of his nose tweaked between his fingers. Looking up again he set them free.
That's a weird image. Is that his thinking pose?
I am happier that you are, he (Deasy) said. We have committed many errors and many sins. A woman brought sin into the world. For a woman who was no better than she should be, Helen, the runaway wife of Menelaus, ten years the Greeks made war on Troy. A faithless wife first brought the strangers to our shore here, Macmurrough's wife and her lemon, O'Rourke, prince of Breffni. A woman too brought Parnell low. Many errors, many failures, but not the one sin. I am a struggler now at the end of my days. But I will fight for the right till the end.
A woman brought sin into the world.
Eve
For a woman who was no better than she should be,(****19)
For a woman who was no better than expected
For a woman who was the same, if not worse, than expected.
Not much was expected from a woman, and she barely met, maybe even failed to meet those expectations.
Helen, the runaway wife
Deasy gets a pass on this one. Sappho, an ancient Greek poet, says Helen stepped out. While Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian says that she was indeed kidnapped.
A faithless wife first brought the strangers to our shore here, MacMurrough's wife and her leman, O'Rourke, prince of Breffni.
Well, "Fathless" maybe. She was kidnapped, it seems she wasn't too upset about it. Although you are completely incorrect about about bringing the strangers to the shores of Ireland. There was a few degrees between ... Wait a minute! It was MacMurrough kidnapped O'Rourke's wife! I ain't going to call you out though, this stuff is complicated.
O'Rourke, prince of Breffni.
O'Rouke, the king of Breffni
A woman too brought Parnell low.
It was an old fashioned affair. It seems to me they both played and equal part.
Many errors, many failures, but not the one sin.
What is this sin is he talking about?
God: Eve, Don't eat that apple.
Serpant: Eve, "Go ahead and eat that apple."
*Eve eats the apple.*
Eve: Adam, "Go ahead and eat this apple."
*Adam eats the apple.*
God: I am upset.
*God comes up with original sin.*
*Everyone is ruined.*
Eve willingly cheated on God, but not Adam.
Ok....
I'm getting off track and making Deasy's sexist attitude more complicated than it is. Let's move on.
Immediately after Deasy's rant, Stephen is reminded of a catchy slogan:
For Ulster will fight
And Ulster will be right.
For Ulster will fight
And Ulster will be right.
A rally call for the Loyalist Anti-Repeal Union. Coined by Lord Randolph Churchill.
Stephen moves things along, but not before Deasy adds a few more cents, Telling Stephen that he doesn't think he (Stephen) was born to be a teacher, and he doesn't foresee him staying a teacher for a while. They both seem to agree that Stephen is more suited for learning,
Deasy: What can you learn teaching children?
Stephen: Stay humble, life is the great teacher.
I think it's kind of nice here, after all the garbage that Deasy is spewing, they meet at a thoughtful and maybe a productive point. It only lasts for a moment though before Stephen brings the attention back to the letter.
Back to business, Dedalus, is to have two copies published at once.
Stephen's Brain - Telegraph. Irish Homestead.
The Evening Telegraph. Irish Homestead.
Deasy finishing things off:
I like to break a lance with you, as old as I am.
I like to break a lance with you, as old as I am.
cf. Again: a goal. I am among them, among their battling bodies in a medley, the joust of life. (****19)
*Last chance edit - "Again: a goal..." this is a private Dedalus thought. "I like to break a lance with you..." is something that Deasy says out loud to Dedalus. Maybe J.J. is looking at some connection between the kids playing among themselves, and the "debate" between the two grownups. Both seem to be innocent enough in reality. The kids are playing a game and the men are just using words, no real bloodshed. However the description of the children playing is compared to a pretty graphic scene, and the subject matter between D&D involves wars and infidelic women. Just a thought.*
I like to break a lance with you, as old as I am.
This shows that people are complicated. Deasy has shown his ugly views on Jews, Irish nationalists, and women. But turns around and shows a type of respect with Stephen, acknowledging, they don't agree on much and maybe even realizing that his age as kept him out of touch with the current decision making generation.
The final paragraph
He went out by the open porch and down the gravel path under the trees, hearing the cries of voices and crack of stick from the playfield. The lions couchant on the pillars as he passed out through the gate: toothless terrors. Still I will help him in his fight. Mulligan will dub me a new name name: The bullockbefriending bard.
The lions couchant on the pillars as he passed out through the gate:
BE CONFIDENT! RUN ATREYU RUN!
toothless terrors.
Maybe I'm looking for something that's not there. Deasy=England, He loves the place. Or rather he loves the UK ruling Ireland. The Barbary lion is the national animal of England and the Royal Arms of England is designed with three Lions stacked on each other. So... My thinking is: Deasy=England and England=Lion, so Deasy=Lion.
So Deasy is a lion, but he is also toothless. He is harmless, lacking the skills or strength that a lion needs.
Deasy the lion, who lacks the means of enforcement.
Still I will help him in his fight.
Mentioning that sentence with toothless terrors, makes think there is a connection of some sort. I can understand doing a favor for another person. But why does he make a point in mentioning it like he's helping a comrade in a battle? Why even have the last half of that paragraph? He obviously disagrees with Deasy on just about everything. I don't believe Dedalus is intimidate by him. Doesn't this imply that on a certain level, even maybe vaguely, that he is helping the enemy? Maybe its a kind of pity? He knows that Deasy is... wrong, a lot, probably assumes Deasy isn't respected by some of his crowd. Maybe that's it.
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Glossary
Kicking Back - A hockey field player or substitute who replaces an unavailable goalkeeper.
Manifestation - 1. The action of fact showing an abstract idea. 2. an appearance of a ghost or spirit.
Leman - A secret lover
Break a Lance - To engage with someone a type of competition.
Couchant - When an animal is resting on the legs and raising the head.
Toothless - Having neither sharpness nor bite. Lacking the means of enforcement or coercion.
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Other Things
Helen - The prettiest lady in the world. Zeus's and Leda's daughter. She met and married a beau named Menelaus, King of Sparta. Together they had two adorable children Hermione and Nicostratus.
As it goes, There is Menelaus, the king of Sparta; Helen, Menelaus' wife; Paris, a Trojan prince; Zeus, top dog of Greek mythology; Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty; Hera the goddess of marriage and Athena, the goddess of wisdom.
One day Zeus appoints Paris to decided who was prettier; Aphrodite, Hera or Athena.
What could go wrong?
On the side, Aphrodite makes a deal with Paris promising to hook him up with the prettiest lady in the world if he chose her. As one would expect, Paris took the deal and gave Aphrodite the rose. Really pissing off Hera and Athena, which will probably be relevant in a different story.
Aphrodite, not being content as an actual god, sews on her "Paris' Prettiest Goddess" merit badge, and instructs him go to Sparta under the guise of a social call. And when he gets there, you know, just kidnap Helen. Boom. Problem solved.
Paris does exactly that. He shows up, telling everyone one he's just hanging out. Paris, finding Helen alone, tells her "Hey, we're an item know, come back to Troy with me or I will kidnap you."
One of two things happen: Helen says, "No, I will not go of my own accord, you will have to kidnap me."
or
"Kidnapping will not necessary. My king husband and two adorable children are total losers. Let's roll."
The end result is the same. Helen goes to Troy, upsetting her husband, and started the Trojan War.
Dermot MacMurrough (and How England Became in Charge) - Anglicized from Diarmait Mac Muchada. He was the king of Leinster, Ireland. He had two wives. The high king of Ireland, Rory O'Connor, removed Dermont from his position when he had heard that Dermot had kidnapped a lady named Derbforgaill, the wife of Tiernan O'Rourke, the kind of Breifne.
Some say that Derborgaill was kidnapped with all of her stuff, and others say she wasn't an unwilling prisoner and she stayed and maintained a pampered life with Dermot for years.
As it goes, Dermot asks King Henry II of England for help, and was allowed to rummage through the empire and recruit mercenaries. He did pretty good for himself. In particular he found a Norman/Englishman named Richard de Clare Earl of Pembroke, "Stongbow" to his buds. These two shook on a deal agreeing that Strongbow would marry Dermot's Daughter, and would be next in line to be king.
The Dermot and Strongbow Brigade reclaimed Leinster, but Dermot died shortly after. leaving Strongbow, an Norman/Englishman, running the shots in Ireland. He was not popular.
Back to Henry II, He took this opportunity to crash into the banks of Ireland and start taking charge. Seeing which way the wind was blowing, Strongbow submitted to the English king in exchange for keeping all of his new stuff.
Thus how England begin its rule of Ireland, and why a lot of people probably dislike Dermot MacMurrough.
Tiernan O'Rourke - Aka Tighearnán Mór Ua Rauirc, He was the of king of Breifne. Father of three children: Maelseachlainn Ua Ruairc, Aodh Ua Ruairc, and Dubhchoblaigh.
Charles Stewart Parnell - An Irish nationalist politician. A member of Parliament. Acting leader of the Home Rule League. Leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, a child of rich Anglo-Irish Protestant landowners in Avondale. Spent some time in Kilmainham Gaol. Died of pneumonia in Hove, East Sussex, England.
Here's where it gets good.
The Players:
Parnell
Captain William O'Shea - Parnell's coworker
Katharine O'Shea - Captain William O'Shea's wife.
Mr. & Mrs. O'Shea separated, but not yet divorced, because Mrs. O'Shea was expecting a big inheritance. Later on Parnell moved in with her at her house in Kent. Eventually the Captain did divorce Katharine. Later at the the trial it had been discovered that Parnell and Kate had been together for a long time and three of her kids were actually Parnell's!
It gets really complicated. For the most part, this scandal caused all kinds of issues.
Loyalist Anti-Repeal Union - The LA-RU was an organisation of Irish unionists. It was formed by influential Protestants to oppose the Home Rule movement. Lord Randolph Churchill, a UK Conservative Party top dog, became a fan and famously said "Ulster will fight, Ulster will be Right"
Home Rule Party - Aka The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed by the leader of the Nationalist party, a fellow named Isaac Butt*. The IPP evolved from an earlier organisation, The Home Rule League, and was the official parliamentary party of the Irish nationalists in the UK Parliament.
Lord Randolph Churchill - A radical Tory, a leader of the House of Commons, father of Winston Churchill.
The Evening Telegraph - It was Ireland's leading evening newspaper at the time. It was Launched by Lord Mayor of Dublin Edmund Dwyer Grey, A former Irish nationalist. It was very nationalist leaning, and was known for using drawings as illustrations. It distinguished itself by using pink paper instead of the brownish-yellow that everyone else was using.
The Irish Homestead - A weekly publication from the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society, founded by Horace Plunkett, and the first publication to put out Jame Joyce's short story, "The Sisters"
--------
Places
Leinster - Aka Laighin, or Cúige Laighean. One of Ireland's provinces. Located on the east coast where Dublin is located and where this story takes place.
Kingdom of Breifne - An Irish kingdom located in what is now County Leitrim and County Cavan. It's capital was Dromahair.
The City Arms Hotel - Located on Prussia Street, number 55, formally the home of the Jameson Family, the famous distillers. A favorite place of James Joyce.
-------------
Characters
Mr. Field, MP - Received a letter from Mr. Deasy, asked to lay a letter before the meeting of The Cattletraders' Association.
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Timeline
-1260 - The Trojan War might have begun.
-1194 - The Trojan War might have begun.
-1184 - The Trojan War might have ended.
-1180 - The Trojan War might have ended.
750 (circa) - Kingdom of Breifne broke from Connacht
1110 (circa) - Dermot MacMurrough is born.
1124 (circa) - Tiernan O'Rourke might have started his reign as king of Breifne
1126 - Dermot MacMurrough becomes king of Leinster.
1152 - Dermot MacMurrough kidnapped Derbfirgaill, the wife of the king of Breifne
1167 - Dermot MacMurrough was disposed by high king of Ireland, Ruaidri Ua Conchobair
1171 - Dermot MacMurrough ends his reign as king of Leinster
1171 (5/1) - Dermot MacMurrough dies.
1172 (circa) - Tiernan O'Rourke died
1256 - Kingdom of Breifne was dissolved.
1846 (6/27) - Charles Stewart Parnell was born.
1849 (1/24) - Lord Randolph Churchill died.
1849 (2/13) - Lord Randolph Churchill was born.
1871 - The Evening Telegraph was founded
1873 - The Home Rule League was Founded.
1874 - The Home Rule Party was founded.
1880 - Charles Steward Parnell began to lead The Home Rule League.
1882 - Charles Steward Parnell ended his leadership the The Home Rule League
1882- Charles Steward Parnell began to lead The Home Rule Party.
1882 - The Home Rule League was Dissolved
1886 - The Loyalist Anti Repeal Union was established
1891 (10/6) - Charles Stewart Parnell died.
1891 - Charles Steward Parnell ended his leadership of The Home Rule Party
1895 - The Irish Homestead was founded.
1904 - The Irish Homestead publishes Jame Joyce's The Sisters.
1918 - The Irish Homestead ended its publication
1918 - The Irish Homestead merged with the Irish Statesman.
1921 (10/) - The Irish Homestead restarted publication.
1922 - The Home Rule Party was Dissolved.
1924 - The Evening Telegraph ended its publication
1930 - The Irish Homestead/Statesman ended its publication.
*Ha!
