Literary and Character Analysis of Ulysses by James Joyce,...

. What does Joyce seek to accomplish through his portrayal of Molly Bloom? In a 1922 interview with Vanity Fair, James Joyce said this about Ulysses, I simply sought to record what a man sees, says, and thinks, and what that saying, seeing, and thinking does to what you Freudians call the subconscious. I think this is important to keep in mind when considering the aforementioned question. The first thing most people observe when reading Penelope is the indelicate and plain-spoken way Molly thinks, particularly in regards to sex. This type of language could be considered coarse or vulgar by todays standards, so one can only imagine how inflammatory it was in the early 20th century. Molly reminisces about former lovers,†¦show more content†¦It could be said that Joyce asks that no judgement be made, for the reader has only been given a single days introduction into the life of Molly Bloom. I think a very important takeaway from Penelope is that a new approach should be made when considering the character of a person, specifically women. Joyce offers the notion that in order to love or even understand an individual, we must accept everything about that person, the good the bad and the ugly. Another way of looking at Molly, is by comparing her to the wife of James Joyce, Nora. For Joyce to place himself inside the mind of a woman, could be his attempt to fu rther his understanding or empathy of what his wife thinks, feels, and experiences. Its also possible that Joyce simply wanted to convey what a man believes a woman thinks about, particularly when considering the quote he provided Vanity Fair. While there is endless speculation, it is safe to say that Joyce struck a chord, and opened up a new conversation and perception in regards to women and femininity. 2. Penelope and Ulysses as a whole, is replete with allusions, descriptions, references, etc, to the human body. What is the purpose of this fixation with the human body and its functions? It is abundantly clear that Joyce aimed to create a connection between the text of Ulysses and the human form. Every episode has even been assigned a part of the human body. Leopold