Portrayal of Women in James Joyces Ulysses Essay

Portrayal of Women in James Joyces Ulysses The novel, Ulysses, by James Joyce shows the reader hour by hour a single day in the life of one man. But this epic which specifically deals with Leopold Bloom and has reference to Stephen Dedalus, holds so much more appendage to other areas of life. One, is the portrayal of women in Ulysses. A common speculation is that men seem to have a more dominating status over women. However, in Ulysses that theory dwindles due to the women who play significant roles in the story. Although the women in the novel all use various tactics to entice the men to succumb and cower to them, it all ends up that the men do heed to the qualifying factors. The first woman of purpose that we†¦show more content†¦The technique in this chapter is hallucination, which is very fitting. On page 473(580:2-3), the mother rises from the floor covered with crud, and recites in Latin a prayer for the dying, as if she is patronizing him. His failure to pray for her and endure his religion caused a major rift on his conscience. Condemnation consumes him which makes one wonder why he ever did gave up his Catholic practices. In the chapter entitled Nausicaa, one gets acquainted with Gerty MacDowell. She leans toward the seductive, sexual side which explicates her ability to entice. She uses these attributes to seduce Leopold Bloom. She is described as a, winsome Irish girl whose figure was, slight, and graceful, thus does not hinder her allure yet adds to it. This chapter thrusts (no pun intended) into the open. Bloom recalls his sexual escapades with Molly on Howth Hill, and his interaction with the woman he mistook for a prostitute. His mind was in the gutter on that day at Sandymount Strand, and it was Gerty Macdowall who would be able to stake her claim for Blooms fluctuating gesticulation. His gibberish on page 301 shows his discombobulation. He starts off by talking about her jilted beauty then that turns into when she is expecting her monthlies (menstruation). It is quite comical, to see this grown man behave in such a manner. It is almost as if I am the peeping Tom, peering into his head and his personal thoughts. Then the masturbation scene,Show MoreRelatedSexual Expression: Defining Joyce’s Characters Essays2201 Words   |  9 PagesSexual Expression: Defining Joyce’s Characters James Joyce uses sexuality throughout his works to establish an intimate and relatable bond between the reader and the characters in his works. All of Joyce’s works address issues in sexuality, which presents the idea that sexuality was of upmost importance to him. Given that sex is a large part of human existence, it is a good way to get the attention of the reader. A substantial amount of characters throughout Ulysses and A Portrait of the Artist asRead MoreLiterary and Character Analysis of Ulysses by James Joyce, Specifically Episode 18: Penelope1177 Words   |  5 Pages. 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-spokenRead MoreThomas Hardys The Mayor of Casterbridge Essay1450 Words   |  6 Pagesimportant event of the entire novel. Michael Henchard sells his wife and daughter to a passing sailor for five guineas. This is a perfect example of a dominant man, which sets the stage for Henchards character through the rest of the book. The portrayal of Michael and Susan Henchard on their walk to Weydon-Priors reaffirms this dominant man/victimized woman viewpoint. The sexual tension is evident both on an emotional level, perfect silence they preservedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the woman enjoyed no society whatever