My great grandfather smuggled a first edition of Ulysses, signed by Joyce, from Paris. When my grandmother was in her 70’s, she got religion in a big way, decided it was a dirty book, and burned the novel. It would be worth about a million and a half on today’s market.
You have found a new fan in me! I have thoroughly enjoyed coming across this channel. Moreover, having finished reading Ulysses last night, I was emotionally moved by the depth and passion with which you spoke of the book.
"So I'm going to move on to the next subject" 😂😂 Great exploration and great editing!! I've never actually been interested in Ulysses before, but viewing him as a meek sort of hero is intriguing...But I think lowbrow humor might honestly kill it for me 😅 Love the quote from Orwell at the end!! Seeing authors talk to/about eachother is so fun!
What you said about Joyce intergrating Irish national roots though the use of a Jewish Protagonist who's still a proud dubliner is a really unique and interesting take and the call to arms for American writers to the same could be something it really needs right now!
An enjoyably succinct and well-scripted video on this book of books. I am up to my third read now (over a 10-year time span) and my pleasure grows considerably each time. “Curiously enough, one cannot read a book; one can only reread it. A good reader, a major reader, an active and creative reader is a rereader.” - Nabokov Sorry. I can't resist quoting Nabokov when given a chance. Have you ever read his Pale Fire? I would be intrigued to hear your thoughts.
Started years ago to read it in English, but stopped because of translation in my language. Failed again because translation sucks. Then in French (because of the many footnotes, very instructive but at the same time very distracting). Thanks for encouraging…
Reading Ulysses is tough, no getting around it. It helps if you know Dublin very well. Even so, it is a challenge. Try getting a recording of Joyce reading it. That helps. There is something in the Irish lilt.
I'm with Aldous Huxley. I've read almost 3000 books over my 50+ years, but after 3 attempts, still haven't managed to slog through that vat of wet literary cement.
I'm certainly not going to insist those he don't like it are wrong. This is art. It is your prerogative to dislike it. But if you love words and the music of words, I find it hard to believe you could hate it after letting it wash over you. And I mean wash over, don't fight the current, go with it. Don't try to understand everything. You go through each day not understanding everything because that's life. Don't keep stopping and starting, keep moving. It is a cave of wonders.
@@TheMakersRage No. Look Homeward, Angel is a cave of wonders. East of Eden is a cave of wonders. He'll, even Moby Dick is a cave of wonders. And I'm not saying it's without its moments of genius. But it was purposefully designed to be almost incomprehensible, and the internal monologs are simply irritating. I like my stories to actually contain story. Development. Arc. Resolution. Ulysses is a great novel, but not a great read.
@@charlessomerset9754 You should read it along with an audiobook. The voices bring it to life. Look up Stephen Rea readings of it on UA-cam too. Not sure I agree with your selection above lol. Moby Dick is excellently written, but it's a novel that reaches a pitch with the Whiteness of the Whale chapter then fades away. Ulysses keeps you guessing. I do think it warrants reading A Portrait before delving into Telemachus, and first readers should probably start with Calypso and Bloom with his fried kidneys. I get the literary allusions can be exhausting if that's not your thing. It's definitely my thing though. But that's the great thing about art. A dialogue can be had without it devolving into brow beating.
@@TheMakersRage The audio book idea is definitely a good one. I've never tried that. I have no problems comprehending Ulysses. As a matter of fact I've always wondered why so many people have problems understanding it. But for me it just comes down to not caring deeply for the characters. But I'll give the audio book idea a try.
I love how the mini short videos are part of the Ted Ed Foundation. (I love watching them as well, no offense or hate. I enjoy it, and think it is interesting.
I think you should have referenced that you've taken many animations from a TED-Ex video about the same subject. seems only fair to credit where it's due
I'm so glad you focused on the "human" aspects of the novel rather than obsessing over the stylistic flourishes. It's something people often miss ( *cough* Waldumb *cough* ) but it's ultimately that which makes one want to go back and reread it. Without it the stylistic flourishes would be purely formal, devoid of content. I can't believe that Huxley quote. I've never heard it before, but it's so dumb. There's so much conflict in the book, albeit conflict of a very internal kind. The main one is that which you focused on - will Bloom and Molly's marriage be revitalised by the novel's end? I think the last two episodes show that it will. But the other key conflict is never resolved, or rather, is resolved negatively: the question of whether or not this novel's Telemachus will ever find the father he has set out to look for. Ultimately Stephen never does find the security of such a figure. It appears at one point that the Blooms would be happy to take him in as a lodger-turned-surrogate-son, but that idea seems to get nipped in the bud. Stephen remains lost and aimless. So in this sense the novel is a tragicomedy, ending in one happy union (the Blooms') but in the failure of another character to find the paternal union he is looking for (Stephen).
If the primary goal of writing and art is clear communication of feelings, ideas, values, etc., and if most of the writing is inaccessible to most readers, then can we say the writer failed at clear communication? What would we call writers who go out of their way to make their works inaccessible? Elitist? Pretensions?... Just some thoughts.
He certainly played off the elitism, but because he mixes in the low brow humor it’s almost as if he’s making a mockery of elitist literature as he makes it. I generally find excessive allusions pretentious (Henry David Thoreau at times) but this one was well done.
"If the primary goal of writing and art is clear communication of feelings, ideas, values, etc., " - that's your supposition, but it isn't necessarily true. If you want to understand how to program your Toyota's bluetooth connection, then yes. If you want to dig deeper into what life really means then you need to expand your horizons somewhat.
@@ThusSpokeHaven It doesn't change the fact that you're still reading it with an annotated version. That critique can be made without doing what Joyce did.
@@dadkinson All I know is a book that you have to open a dictionary or an annotated version for every word is a badly written book. That's like deliberately using big words in your essay to make it sound smart.
People underestimate how attractive it is to read and comprehend.
My great grandfather smuggled a first edition of Ulysses, signed by Joyce, from Paris. When my grandmother was in her 70’s, she got religion in a big way, decided it was a dirty book, and burned the novel. It would be worth about a million and a half on today’s market.
Noooooo.
You have found a new fan in me! I have thoroughly enjoyed coming across this channel. Moreover, having finished reading Ulysses last night, I was emotionally moved by the depth and passion with which you spoke of the book.
"So I'm going to move on to the next subject" 😂😂
Great exploration and great editing!! I've never actually been interested in Ulysses before, but viewing him as a meek sort of hero is intriguing...But I think lowbrow humor might honestly kill it for me 😅
Love the quote from Orwell at the end!! Seeing authors talk to/about eachother is so fun!
Finally. A to-the-point review! Well done, thank you very much.
This is the best review of this book I've heard.
What you said about Joyce intergrating Irish national roots though the use of a Jewish Protagonist who's still a proud dubliner is a really unique and interesting take and the call to arms for American writers to the same could be something it really needs right now!
Just picked up Ulysses for the first time (finally brave enough to not allow it to make me feel like an idiot). Great review!
Joyce makes us all feel like utter morons.
The best plot summary on UA-cam for Ulysses
An enjoyably succinct and well-scripted video on this book of books. I am up to my third read now (over a 10-year time span) and my pleasure grows considerably each time.
“Curiously enough, one cannot read a book; one can only reread it. A good reader, a major reader, an active and creative reader is a rereader.” - Nabokov
Sorry. I can't resist quoting Nabokov when given a chance. Have you ever read his Pale Fire? I would be intrigued to hear your thoughts.
Started years ago to read it in English, but stopped because of translation in my language. Failed again because translation sucks. Then in French (because of the many footnotes, very instructive but at the same time very distracting). Thanks for encouraging…
Love the vid! A word of warning, try to avoid the copyright police by not using animations from Ted Ed. Otherwise great analysis!
Reading Ulysses is tough, no getting around it. It helps if you know Dublin very well. Even so, it is a challenge. Try getting a recording of Joyce reading it. That helps. There is something in the Irish lilt.
Hey Cody, I like this new direction you’re moving in.
Thank you, means a lot coming from you🙏
I'm with Aldous Huxley. I've read almost 3000 books over my 50+ years, but after 3 attempts, still haven't managed to slog through that vat of wet literary cement.
I'm certainly not going to insist those he don't like it are wrong. This is art. It is your prerogative to dislike it. But if you love words and the music of words, I find it hard to believe you could hate it after letting it wash over you. And I mean wash over, don't fight the current, go with it. Don't try to understand everything. You go through each day not understanding everything because that's life. Don't keep stopping and starting, keep moving. It is a cave of wonders.
@@TheMakersRage No. Look Homeward, Angel is a cave of wonders. East of Eden is a cave of wonders. He'll, even Moby Dick is a cave of wonders. And I'm not saying it's without its moments of genius. But it was purposefully designed to be almost incomprehensible, and the internal monologs are simply irritating. I like my stories to actually contain story. Development. Arc. Resolution. Ulysses is a great novel, but not a great read.
@@charlessomerset9754 You should read it along with an audiobook. The voices bring it to life. Look up Stephen Rea readings of it on UA-cam too. Not sure I agree with your selection above lol. Moby Dick is excellently written, but it's a novel that reaches a pitch with the Whiteness of the Whale chapter then fades away. Ulysses keeps you guessing. I do think it warrants reading A Portrait before delving into Telemachus, and first readers should probably start with Calypso and Bloom with his fried kidneys. I get the literary allusions can be exhausting if that's not your thing. It's definitely my thing though. But that's the great thing about art. A dialogue can be had without it devolving into brow beating.
@@TheMakersRage The audio book idea is definitely a good one. I've never tried that. I have no problems comprehending Ulysses. As a matter of fact I've always wondered why so many people have problems understanding it. But for me it just comes down to not caring deeply for the characters. But I'll give the audio book idea a try.
"The greatest literary work of the 20th century. I give a 9 out of 10."
Well, now l don't feel so bad about getting 90% on my driving test.
I love how the mini short videos are part of the Ted Ed Foundation. (I love watching them as well, no offense or hate. I enjoy it, and think it is interesting.
Well,said. Tks.
You gotta read the Annotated Ulysses alongside it
I think you should have referenced that you've taken many animations from a TED-Ex video about the same subject. seems only fair to credit where it's due
Agreed
I'm so glad you focused on the "human" aspects of the novel rather than obsessing over the stylistic flourishes. It's something people often miss ( *cough* Waldumb *cough* ) but it's ultimately that which makes one want to go back and reread it. Without it the stylistic flourishes would be purely formal, devoid of content.
I can't believe that Huxley quote. I've never heard it before, but it's so dumb. There's so much conflict in the book, albeit conflict of a very internal kind. The main one is that which you focused on - will Bloom and Molly's marriage be revitalised by the novel's end? I think the last two episodes show that it will. But the other key conflict is never resolved, or rather, is resolved negatively: the question of whether or not this novel's Telemachus will ever find the father he has set out to look for. Ultimately Stephen never does find the security of such a figure. It appears at one point that the Blooms would be happy to take him in as a lodger-turned-surrogate-son, but that idea seems to get nipped in the bud. Stephen remains lost and aimless. So in this sense the novel is a tragicomedy, ending in one happy union (the Blooms') but in the failure of another character to find the paternal union he is looking for (Stephen).
Well said
Absolutely brilliant! Thank you
Review Finnegans Wake. I dare you.
Maybe one day
Ugh! Better man than me if he does. Joseph Campbell was rapturous over it,and I couldn't make it past 2 pages. Agony.
Curious 🤓
Raul Menendez said to come here
Well then thank you to Raul Menendez
My name is Ulises
If the primary goal of writing and art is clear communication of feelings, ideas, values, etc., and if most of the writing is inaccessible to most readers, then can we say the writer failed at clear communication? What would we call writers who go out of their way to make their works inaccessible? Elitist? Pretensions?... Just some thoughts.
He certainly played off the elitism, but because he mixes in the low brow humor it’s almost as if he’s making a mockery of elitist literature as he makes it. I generally find excessive allusions pretentious (Henry David Thoreau at times) but this one was well done.
"If the primary goal of writing and art is clear communication of feelings, ideas, values, etc., " - that's your supposition, but it isn't necessarily true.
If you want to understand how to program your Toyota's bluetooth connection, then yes. If you want to dig deeper into what life really means then you need to expand your horizons somewhat.
@@ThusSpokeHaven It doesn't change the fact that you're still reading it with an annotated version. That critique can be made without doing what Joyce did.
@@dadkinson All I know is a book that you have to open a dictionary or an annotated version for every word is a badly written book. That's like deliberately using big words in your essay to make it sound smart.
Eh, spoilers much? You should've added a warning.
My bad
@@ThusSpokeHaven It's fine, sorry if I was too harsh. I'm currently reading Ulysses in Finnish, about 200 hundred pages in. Fascinating book.
Obscurity deserved and granted by the gods.
this man is intelligent and hot at the same time
It's a times the case that the reader is not the idiot.
Superb vid
Points for the video essay and insights buuut you could use your own animation and clips. Call me a square but ted eds ulysses is already a video
No, you’re right. In hindsight it was just lazy to rip off their visuals. Not to mention they will probably eventually copyright strike it.
Wholly overrated book. Broke some conventions at the time, but is now boooooring.
It’s a comic novel though. Intended to be funny
terrible book.
Aww it’s one of my favorite books in the world