Ulysses: Episodes 1-3

So you know how Ulysses is credited as both the best book and one of the most difficult books ever written; they were kind of right. I've finished the first three episodes of the book (Telemachus, Nestor, Proteus) and am currently intrigued though little has happened. It seems to be the Seinfeld of the literary world. It seems to be about nothing.

Episode 1 introduces us to Buck Mulligan, who lives in a tower with Stephen Dedalus and a man named Haines. Buck is a bit of a prick but is totally aware of it, as opposed to Haines who is seems clueless to his own behavior. I found the episode relatively easy to read, although a quick gander at spark notes has since made me feel like i may have missed the last part of the chapter.

Episode 2 shows Stephen teaching at Mr. Deasy's school and there is an interesting conversation between Stephen and his student, Sargent. Sargent is not very good in school, and wrote his numbers (?) as a punishment. Stephen asks if he is able to do so without copying from the board and the boy says no. In the ineptitude of the boy, Stephen sees a shade of himself; he also compares how the boy's mother must love him to the relationship Stephen had with his now dead mother. This is a continual reference; Stephen did not pray with his mother and has not yet fully reconciled how he feels about her death in regards to this (Buck's aunt has also blamed the death on Stephen because he would not pray).

Episode 3 was tough and I think I wasn't quite prepared for it. It is non-narrative and takes place largely inside Stephen's head. I am unsure what is more unsettling: reading an entire chapter and not always being sure of what was going on, or reading a chapter of a character's thoughts and being able to follow it perfectly, if only at times.

This is the end of the episodes that focus on Dedalus, and from here the action apparently shifts to Leopold Bloom. I fear that this blog will sound pathetic as I am obviously missing quite a bit in regards to the book. I'm happy to be reading it, as I love Joyce, but I am continually reminded of how i did not get Portrait of the Artist on first reading, and, once again, am already looking to reread a book on this list.

Next book is going to be an easy one.