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Synopsis
by Gerry O'Flaherty
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| Railings
at 7 Eccles Street |
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It
is about 2 am when Stephen and Bloom set out for Eccles Street.
They discuss many subjects but have little appear to have little
in common. On arrival at his home Bloom has to climb over the railings
and get in through the area door because he has forgotten his key.
He brings Stephen down to the kitchen. He makes Epp's cocoa in identical
cups but gives the cream to Stephen.
Bloom brings up various subjects for discussion in the hope of
finding something of mutual interest. Stephen turns down an offer
to stay for the night. They go into the garden at the back of
the house and look at the stars and urinate before Stephen departs.
Back
in the house, Bloom finds that all of the furniture in the parlour
has been moved during the day. He lights a cone of incense, does
his accounts and adds the letter he got that day to the other three
he already has from Martha Clifford.
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| Drinking
Choclate |
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In
bed with Molly he feels the imprint of Boylan and the crumbs of
potted meat. He kisses her rump and gives her an edited version
of his day. He does not mention the letter from Martha, the row
at Barney Kiernan's or his encounter with Gerty MacDowell. Then
he goes asleep.
In Homer, Odysseus/Bloom and Telemacus/Stephen destroy the suitors
who have plagued Penelope for so long. In the novel the victory
achieved is a mental one.
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The song "Little Harry Hughes", sung by Stephen,
is a version of an ancient ballad called "Sir Hugh,
or, the Jew's Daughter". In the recently unveiled
'Paris-Pola commonplace book' at the National
Library of Ireland, there is evidence that Joyce took
his version from Sir Thomas Percy's (1729-1811) Reliques
of Ancient Enlgish Poetry, Vol 1. Percy's ballad begins
"The rain runs down".
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