Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss James Joyce's Ulysses, a groundbreaking novel banned for its sexual content. They explore Joyce's early years, influences, and the evolution of Ulysses. The podcast delves into the characters, narrative styles, and chaos in modernist literature inspired by Joyce's innovative work.
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Quick takeaways
Judge Woolsey recognized Ulysses as a groundbreaking literary experiment despite initial controversy over its sexual content.
Joyce's pursuit of a European identity through diverse languages and rejection of narrow Irish identity shaped his literary legacy.
Deep dives
Judge Woolsey's Ruling on the Obscenity of Ulysses
Judge Woolsey's ruling on James Joyce's novel Ulysses emphasizes its significance, describing it as a serious experiment in a new literary genre. Despite initial outrage over its sexual content, Judge Woolsey overturned the ban by recognizing Ulysses as a sincere and serious attempt to create a new literary method for observing and describing mankind.
James Joyce's Educational Background and Evolution into a European Identity
James Joyce's rich educational background and upbringing in Dublin contributed to his pursuit of a broader European identity. Educated by Jesuits, he immersed himself in theology, classical education, and modern languages. Joyce's deliberate study of various languages and rejection of narrow Irish identity reflected his desire to establish a European, rather than solely Irish, sense of self.
Evolution of James Joyce's Literary Works
James Joyce's early literary works showcased his talent and ambition. From contributing short stories under the pseudonym Stephen Daedalus to the transformative journey towards creating Ulysses, Joyce's literary evolution was evident. His shift from a quasi-autobiographical novel to Portrait of the Artist marked a significant step towards the modernist style portrayed in Ulysses.
Influences and Literary Techniques in Ulysses
Ulysses' complex narrative intertwines various influences and innovative literary techniques. Drawing inspiration from Homer's Odyssey, Joyce aligns characters' traits and structural elements with the epic poem. The incorporation of interior monologues and diverse writing styles spotlights Joyce's bold experimentation and challenges conventional storytelling methods in Ulysses.
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss James Joyce's novel Ulysses. First published ninety years ago in Paris, Joyce's masterpiece is a sprawling and startlingly original work charting a single day in the life of the Dubliner Leopold Bloom. Some early readers were outraged by its sexual content and daringly scatalogical humour, and the novel was banned in most English-speaking countries for a decade after it first appeared. But it was soon recognised as a genuinely innovative work: overturning the ban on its publication, an American judge described Ulysses as "a sincere and serious attempt to devise a new literary method for the observation and description of mankind."Today Ulysses is widely regarded as the greatest example of literary modernism, and a work that changed literature forever. It remains one of the most discussed novels ever written.Steven ConnorProfessor of Modern Literature and Theory at Birkbeck, University of LondonJeri JohnsonSenior Fellow in English at Exeter College, OxfordRichard BrownReader in Modern English Literature at the University of LeedsProducer: Thomas Morris.
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