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    Ulysses by James Joyce Summary

    Ulysses
    James Joyce
    3.77 (138895 Reviews)
    Society
    History
    Philosophy
    Overview
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    Overview of Ulysses

    Step into Joyce's labyrinthine masterpiece - banned yet celebrated, ranked #2 among greatest books ever written. This modernist revolution sparked global "Bloomsday" celebrations and influenced literary giants from Faulkner to Beckett. What controversial brilliance awaits in these 265,222 words?

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    "Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

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    "Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

    @Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
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    "Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

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    Key Takeaways

    1

    A Day in the Life of Dublin: The Revolutionary Journey

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    June 16, 1904 - an ordinary Thursday in Dublin that became one of literature's most extraordinary days. In the hands of James Joyce, these 24 hours expand into a universe of human experience. "Ulysses" follows three principal characters: Stephen Dedalus, a brooding intellectual haunted by his mother's death; Leopold Bloom, a middle-aged Jewish advertising canvasser whose day includes preparing breakfast, attending a funeral, and wandering Dublin while knowing his wife plans an afternoon affair; and Molly Bloom, who remains in bed until the novel's famous unpunctuated finale. What makes this seemingly mundane day revolutionary is how Joyce elevates ordinary life to epic significance. By deliberately paralleling Homer's "Odyssey," with Bloom as Odysseus, Stephen as Telemachus, and Molly as Penelope, Joyce suggests that heroism in modern life lies not in grand exploits but in enduring the everyday with compassion and curiosity. Bloom's simple kindness, scientific mindset, and tolerance make him heroic in a world of prejudice and nationalism. Imagine finding more meaning in a man buying kidney for breakfast than in slaying mythical monsters - that's the radical perspective Joyce offers.

    2

    Inside the Mind: Stream of Consciousness as Literary Revolution

    3

    A Laboratory of Language: Style as Substance

    4

    Bodies and Boundaries: The Physical Reality of Human Experience

    5

    Ghosts and Identity: The Haunted Self

    6

    Art and Creation: The Struggle to Find Voice

    7

    The Final Yes: Molly's Monologue and the Power of Ambiguity