Chapter 1 — Telemachus

Gloria Perez
English 150
Wednesday 6 November 2013, 6 p.m. section

What to think about during my recitation

• Conversation time frame: 2004
• Time frame conversation is about: 1904
• Conversation is about Dublin specifically, the societal changes that have occurred since 1904
• Pay attention to commentary with political, cultural, and religious connotation.
• How is the weekly theme flaneurbeing portrayed?
• Who are "the masters"?

Conversation between Haines & Stephen

—After all, I should think you are able to free yourself. You are your own
master, it seems to me.
—I am a servant of two masters, Stephen said, an English and an Italian.
—Italian? Haines said.
      A crazy queen, old and jealous. Kneel down before me.
—And a third, Stephen said, there is who wants me for odd jobs. [Ireland's reliance on youth; Irishness; political & cultural connotations]
—Italian? Haines said again. What do you mean?
—The imperial British state, Stephen answered, his colour rising, and the
holy Roman catholic and apostolic church. [Religious allusion used to show criticism toward British & Irish patriots]
      Haines detached from his underlip some fibres of tobacco before he
spoke.
—I can quite understand that, he said calmly. An Irishman must think like
that, I daresay. We feel in England that we have treated you rather unfairly.
It seems history is to blame. [Ireland is how it is not because of British treatment, but "history"]
The proud potent titles clanged over Stephen's memory the triumph
of their brazen bells: et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam: [song: And [I believe in] one holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Roman Catholicism as integrative]

(Ulysses I.636-651, p. 17)

Points of Discussion

• How is Ireland/Irishness being portrayed here?
• Joyce argues that the conservative conventions of Ireland are stifling Irish youth
  • expectation, Ireland as reliant
• Who are the 'masters' being mentioned here?
• Conflict between Irish & British
  • Joyce examines the British and Irish patriots critically, who choose isolation or nativism
    • The solitary individual — personally, I connected this to the weekly theme of the flâneur, the urban traveler
• What can we say about Roman Catholicism/religious connotation in connection to "Irishness"?
• Stephen uses a Biblical allusion
  • arguing Ireland suffers equally under British and Catholic oppression
• Stephen Dedalus seeks to sever the ties that bind him to his Roman Catholic upbringing but Joyce develops the argument that Roman Catholicism is an integral part of Ireland.