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Synopsis
by Gerry O'Flaherty
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| Star
of The Sea Church |
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It is around 8 o'clock and, having completed his business in the
Dignam house, Bloom has come down to Sandymount strand to sit
and relax.
Nearby
on the beach are a group of girls, Gerty MacDowell, Cissy Caffrey,
Edy Boardman, Cisssy's two brothers, Tommy and Jacky, and Baby
Boardman. Gerty is slight, beautiful, rather aloof and fond of
romantic fantasies. Cissy is outspoken and embarrasses Gerty by
speaking of the baby's 'beetoteetom' loudly enough for Bloom to
hear.
A
temperance retreat is being conducted in the nearby Star of the
Sea church and the recitation of the litany can be heard in the
background. The boys kick the ball and Bloom sends it back to
Gerty who tries vainly to kick it. She realises that Bloom is
watching her. She takes off her hat to show off her hair and to
look at Bloom under the brim. The fireworks start and the others
leave Gerty alone with Bloom as they move off for a better view.
As
she watches a Roman candle, Gerty leans back further and further
until Bloom can see her underwear. He masturbates while looking
at this display and she realises what is happening. The others
call her and as she walks away Bloom sees that she is lame. It
is getting dark and the Howth goes on and Bloom thinks once again
of Molly. He writes 'I AM A' with a stick in the sand and falls
asleep as the cuckoo clock in the priest's house nearby strikes
the hour.
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| Poster
for Mirus Bazarr |
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In
Homer, Princess Nausicaa/Gerty comes to the beach with her friends
and while playing ball they find Odysseus/Bloom washed up by the
waves. Nausicaa takes care of Odysseus and brings him home.
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While walking along Sandymount Strand, Bloom recalls
the tragic story of James O'Connor's wife and
children who were poisoned by mussels. O'Connor was
a journalist for United Ireland and lived at
Seapoint Avenue. His wife and four of his daughters
died after eating some polluted shellfish, which they
had fetched from the shore at Blackrock on
June 30th 1890. The mussels were taken from a contaminated
pond in which a nearby sewer emptied. After suffering
stomach cramps, two local doctors were called, one
of whom was a Dr .Dixon of Blackrock. O'Connor's
wife and four of his daughters died.
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