Is Ulysses a difficult read?

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The world’s most notoriously difficult-to-read novel, “Ulysses” by James Joyce, is really an easy read at its heart, according to the Joyce Scholar-In-Residence at the University at Buffalo.

Is the Gabler edition of Ulysses good?

First published in 1984, the Gabler edition was hailed as a monumental achievement, one that makes this great and complex novel more accessible and enjoyable than ever before.

What is Ulysses literature?

Ulysses is the Latinised name of Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey, and the novel establishes a series of parallels between the poem and the novel, with structural correspondences between the characters and experiences of Bloom and Odysseus, Molly Bloom and Penelope, and Stephen Dedalus and Telemachus …

What should I read to prepare for Ulysses?

The most important precursor to Ulysses is Joyce’s previous novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. This you probably should read before you start. Ulysses picks up the story of Stephen Dedalus where Portrait left off, and a number of other characters carry over as well.

Is Ulysses enjoyable reading?

Considered by many to be the second hardest book in the English language (mostly because the hardest book in the English language requires a working knowledge of 8 other languages to read), reading Ulysses is both enjoyable and provocative. Despite its reputation, it’s not too difficult to read.

What is the best version of Ulysses?

When shopping for your copy of Ulysses, you will likely see many options online or in any bookstore. I strongly recommend either the Gabler edition (the most widely used version of the text in Joyce scholarship) or the 1934 Random House edition (corrected and reset in 1961).

Are there different versions of Ulysses?

There are two versions of this available: a Vintage paperback, and a Modern Library hardcover.

Why is Ulysses so important?

Although the main strength of Ulysses lies in its depth of character portrayal and its breadth of humour, the book is most famous for its use of a variant of the interior monologue known as the stream-of-consciousness technique.

How do you study Ulysses?

Here are a few thoughts on how to read Ulysses, enumerated–because people like lists:

1. Ignore all guides, lists, maps, annotations, summaries, and lectures.
2. Choose a suitable copy of the book.
3. Make a reading schedule and stick to it.
4. So you’ve decided you need a guide.
5. Keep reading.

How do you read and understand Ulysses?

If you are reading Ulysses on your own, I recommend setting yourself a schedule: read at least one episode per week, and you should aim to read each of the first eight episodes within the same day (if not in one sitting).

Is Ulysses an emetic book?

Search eText, Read Online, Study, Discuss. Ulysses has been labeled dirty, blasphemous, and unreadable. In a famous 1933 court decision, Judge John M. Woolsey declared it an emetic book–although he found it sufficiently unobscene to allow its importation into the United States–and H. G. Wells was moved to decry James Joyce’s “cloacal obsession.”

What is Ulysses about?

In the case of Ulysses, the answer might be Everything. William Blake, one of literature’s sublime myopics, saw the universe in a grain of sand. Joyce saw it in Dublin, Ireland, on June 16, 1904, a day distinguished by its utter normality.

Why is Ulysses considered an unreadable book?

Ulysses has been labeled dirty, blasphemous, and unreadable. In a famous 1933 court decision, Judge John M. Woolsey declared it an emetic book–although he found it sufficiently unobscene to allow its importation into the United States–and H. G. Wells was moved to decry James Joyce’s “cloacal obsession.”

Is Ulysses worth the read?

And despite the exegetical industry that has sprung up in the last 75 years, Ulysses is also a compulsively readable book. Even the verbal vaudeville of the final chapters can be navigated with relative ease, as long as you’re willing to be buffeted, tickled, challenged, and (occasionally) vexed by Joyce’s sheer command of the English language.