Next, it's about Ulysses. Considered by many to be the second most difficult book in English literature (especially since reading the first requires a basic knowledge of eight other languages), reading Ulysses is pleasant and provocative. Despite its reputation, it's not too difficult a read.
Steps
Step 1. Understand Ulysses
Before you learn how to read it, you need to know what you are about to face. Ulysses consists of 18 episodes, each of which, originally published individually, is completely different from the others. For example, episode 14 is a parody of the great writers of English literature, from Chaucer to Dickens, while episode 18 is a long monologue of about 10,000 words, consisting of 8 sentences without punctuation. Each episode is structured as a single book: here lies the beauty of this novel.
Step 2. Don't use a guide
You should buy it in case you apply to a formal and academic study of Ulysses. Usually these books count at least 400 pages and explain the novel line by line, which is a good thing, because Ulysses is full of puns and hidden references, which the guides illustrate entirely. On the other hand, keeping switching between books is extremely annoying. If you are interested in reading Ulysses just for fun, the best way to do it is to dive into it, reserving the guides for a university course.
Step 3. You must understand that it is a fun book
Really: This 700-page text is hilarious. The idea of the novel is that Joyce takes the epic heroes of the Odyssey and turns them into pathetic Dubliners. The end of episode 4 hosts a ten-page scatological joke written in the same elevated language as the Odyssey. Understanding that every sentence contains a joke of some kind, whether it is an arcane literary reference or a subtle play on words, makes Ulysses a very intelligent comedy.
Step 4. You will not understand everything
The reason lies precisely in the fact that Joyce designed the novel this way: part of the joke is that you will not be able to grasp everything, and there is a lot of humor in that. When you don't understand something, laugh, because you've just stumbled upon one of the brightest jokes in the history of literature.
Step 5. Set aside time for each chapter
Since each is written differently, a few pages are needed to get into the rhythm of each episode.
Step 6. Know the individual episodes
Since they have been written in different styles, knowing in advance what to like can help. To do this, a list of all the episodes and the type of humor they employ is provided below.
- Episode 1: traditional novel.
- Episode 2: informal catechism.
- Episode 3: elite male monologue.
- Episode 4: mockery of the great heroes of the past.
- Episode 5: the hypnotic nature of religion.
- Episode 6: death.
- Episode 7: Journalism Parody (the chapter is written like a newspaper: pay attention to the headlines).
- Episode 8: Puns on Food: In this chapter, everything eats and can be eaten.
- Episode 9: parody of Hamlet and the snobs who discuss obscure literary works (a mockery of some scholars who, in the future, will analyze Ulysses).
- Episode 10: This chapter has nothing to do with the protagonists of the novel, but consists of a group of short stories about the secondary characters. The humor comes from the fact that it is mostly purposeless and that most of the secondary characters make fun of the main ones.
- Episode 11: It consists entirely of musical puns. Many onomatopoeias are used.
- Episode 12: there are two narrators, one expresses himself in such a colloquial way as to say meaningless things, while the other uses extremely scientific terminology, with the same result. The antagonism between the two narrators is what produces the fun.
- Episode 13: It's narrated by a girl, and it's all based on sexual jokes.
- Episode 14: It is an elaborate parody of the great English writers.
- Episode 15: It's written like a delusional script, set in the red light district.
- Episode 16: This chapter is extremely ambiguous, and the humor is produced by the characters being confused with other characters.
- Episode 17: Written as a catechism, its humor comes from the question-and-answer structure of a scientific treatise applied to ordinary life.
- Episode 18: Flow of Consciousness of Molly, Bloom's Wife.
Step 7. Use the schematics
Joyce composed two outlines, which you can use as an introduction to each chapter. They can be found here: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schema_Linati and here:
Step 8. Read the novel aloud
Preferably, in the original language and with an Irish accent. Many of the puns make more sense when they are heard.
Step 9. Organize a schedule
Reading this novel is difficult, so you'll need a roadmap or run the risk of giving up.
Step 10. Read James Joyce's other works first
Many passages from Ulysses make fun of Dubliners and Dedalus. Portrait of the artist as a young man, so reading them in advance allows you to get acquainted with Joyce's style and provides you with some general knowledge useful for understanding some lines in Ulysses.
Step 11. Take Notes
When you come across a joke, write it in the margin. It will help you understand other similar ones.
Step 12. Laugh
This is a humorous work. Laugh out loud. Laugh at everything. It is funny.
Advice
- Don't be discouraged! This is no easy feat, but it is still achievable.
- Gather a group of friends to read the novel with. Two heads are better than one, especially when trying to untangle Joyce's complex puns.
- There are those who read Ulysses at 16. If a teenager can do it, you can too.
