I am about to take a graduate course on "Ulysses" and want to know the exact relationship between James Joyce's "Ulysses" and Homer's "Odyessy". Do I really have to read Homer to understand "Ulysses"? Or can it be judged as a work on its own?
2007-01-10 02:10:01 · 5 answers · asked by PieOPah 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
They are in direct relation... One was the basis for the other! The characters names have changed but you can relate each one back to the original character very directly in mood and temperments... The difference being... Joyce's Ulysses takes place all in one day. The original doesn't.
You don't HAVE to read Homer to understand Joyce... (but it never hurts to read Homer and I would anyway.)
I really think that the best way to understand Joyce, is to take a trip to Ireland and listen to the native speak and look around inside an old Martello tower. (I know it is unrealistic) but that would be the best way to grasp the language and the terms and little comments.
Below is the exact website you will need... Save Homer for later because I honestly believe that Joyce is worth all the time you can afford it.
What helped me in understanding Joyce, after years of struggling with it, believe it or not, was Joseph Campbell. (Yes, THEE Jospeh Campbell!)
PBS has a feature of Campbell's lectures on Joyce. Had I seen them years ago, I would not have found it as difficult. No one get's to the heart of Joyce better! (Well except for T.S. Elliot, but that is a different story for another day...)
Before Campbell Contramagnificandjew bangtangtiality... (spelling) was a complete and total mystery to me! *smiles...
The links below will help you find it.
The first is the character comparison site for Homer/Joyce and the second is the worldlibrary site that will help you find Campbell's lecture on VHS and check it out, or purchase it in universities all over the country. Just plug it into the search engine with your Zip and or school... Maybe they have it?
Good luck! I envy you and wish you an A++
2007-01-11 02:05:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You don't really have to read Homer's epic, but it's a good idea to read summary notes that also explain literary techniques, and if you've read Ulysses you perhaps could make the comparison yourself.
The relationship between Ulysses and The Odyssey is a dynamic one.
Take a look at this website, it makes parallels between the two.
http://pers-www.wlv.ac.uk/~fa1871/joynote.html
What you should also do is type down the question as a keyword in google or yahoo. Question being. "What is the relationship between James Joyce's Ulysses and Homer's Odyessy?"
I know this doesn't really answer your question, but I tried my best.
2007-01-10 10:34:30 · answer #2 · answered by adastraperaspera 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you don't have to read Homer at all to understand Ulysses, they are two completely different books which have nothing to do with each other. At fist I thought that the had something to do with each other as well, but they actually don't, they are two completely separate books.
2007-01-10 11:45:36 · answer #3 · answered by Corrida 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Surely the only relationship between the two is they are both a journey of discovery? I see no reason why you should have to read the Odyssey first.
2007-01-10 10:27:18 · answer #4 · answered by Elizabeth Howard 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no, not really. i mean, they're not strongly connected. it's just that joyce built on the homerian theme of travel. physical & invard travel. btw odyssey means ulysses (gk & roman.)
2007-01-10 10:27:22 · answer #5 · answered by Dorka 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋