REPORT ON JAMES JOYCE'S ULYSSES

EPISODE 13--NAUSICAA (346-382)

The thirteenth episode of Ulysses opens up on Sandymount Strand with Howth Hill in the background and the parish church nearby. The time is 8:00pm and the benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament is taking place at the church. On the strand Gerty MacDowell, accompanied by her two girl friends and their younger brothers, lies against the rocks listening to "the voice of prayer to her who is in her pure radiance a beacon ever to the storm-tossed heart of man, Mary, star of the sea" (Joyce 346). While the girls frolic about with their brothers, Gerty remains to the side lost in her own thoughts. She is seen as a pure and innocent girl-woman with a face "almost spiritual in its ivory-like purity" (Joyce 348). The words of prayer drifting down the strand and the depiction of Gerty's features create a parallel between Gerty and the Virgin Mary.

Gerty's thoughts, as expressed through her stream of consciousness, revolve around the organ of her eyes. She displays child-like romantic notions by recalling a previous boyfriend and by realizing the presence of a stranger standing a bit down the strand. Gerty is aware of her clothing, especially her panties and garters both of which are blue to match and for luck. Like Gerty, the Virgin Mary is represented by the color blue which advances the parallel between the two women. Gerty's musings over her panties, her lost love and the stranger before her create a world of romance and mystery for her.

Bloom has made his way to the rocks of Sandymount Strand where he encounters the young beauty. Bloom becomes the romantic stranger to Gerty by watching her from a distance. She sees Bloom's troubled face and ponders over what terrible thing may have cast him out upon this rocky shore. It is here that Gerty becomes like the Virgin Mary, the beacon "to the storm-tossed heart of man" (346). Her romantic notions of marriage and passion become more abundant as she views Bloom.

Gerty becomes anxious for her friends to leave and inquires of the time as a subtle hint that they should be getting on their way. One of the girls approaches Bloom, asking for the time. Bloom discovers that his watch has stopped at four o'clock. Later the reader discovers that this is probably the time at which Bloom's wife, Molly, was committing adultery with Blazes Boylan. Bloom does not strike up a conversation with the girl but rather keeps his focus on Gerty who is now fully aware of her admirer. The girls decide that it is late and begin to leave. As they are packing up the children's things, Gerty begins to entice the stranger through the exploitation of her body.

At about this time the benediction at the church has drawn to a close and fireworks are set off. Everyone runs to see the fireworks except for Gerty and Bloom. Gerty, filled with passion, is enticed by the fireworks as she tilts her body backwards to see. As she moves back on the rocks she deliberately exposes herself fully to Bloom. At this moment a long Roman candle is shot off into the air. Gerty sees the long rocket as it goes "higher and higher" (Joyce 366) and leans back even further, exposing even more to Bloom. Gerty's sexual excitement grows as she is "trembling in every limb" (Joyce 366). The imagery of the long rocket corresponds with Bloom's manhood as he is masturbating to Gerty's display in time with the rocket. Finally the two reach their climax as the Roman candle explodes in the air and from it gushes out "a stream of rain gold hair threads" (Joyce 367).

After the two have achieved sexual climax, Gerty becomes embarrassed and runs after her friends, not looking back to the man. However, before running away she waves her scented handkerchief in the air towards Bloom. The scent finally does waft over to Bloom much like the censors that were swung during the ceremony of the benediction, bringing the sweet fragrance to the worshipping man. Bloom ponders over the scent, leading him to think about certain odors that attract one to another. Bloom's stream of consciousness takes him back to Molly and her own infidelity earlier that afternoon. Bloom finally comes to the conclusion that much like the priest's cuckoo clock, he is a cuckold. Gerty MacDowell is very much a female and fully aware of her actions as she sees Bloom to be a cuckold before he knows it.

Book five of The Odyssey ends with Odysseus crawling storm-tossed and weary upon the beach in the land of the Phaeacians where he conceals himself behind a thicket in order to rest. Book six opens to the Phaeacian Princess Nausicaa and her hand-maidens coming down to the rocks where Odysseus sleeps to do the washing. Nausicaa and the maidens begin a game when suddenly Nausicaa drops the ball into the stream. The girls' shrieks awaken Odysseus as he springs forward from his hiding place stopping only to conceal his manhood behind a great leaf. Odysseus charges upon them like a wild naked man, and the maidens run in fear, all except Nausicaa who stands fearless before Odysseus. Odysseus keeps at a distance from Nausicaa deciding to approach her only through charming words. His tactic works and Nausicaa leads him back to the village to seek help.

Bloom is Odysseus, the storm-tossed wanderer lying amongst the rocks. Gerty is Nausicaa, the one wanting to draw this mysterious traveler into her arms. Like Odysseus, Bloom stands back from Gerty and looks on in admiration. The two men see the Virgin maidens as picturesque statues, such as the Virgin Mary might be seen. Just as Nausicaa is depicted as the girl of the white arms, Gerty is repeatedly described as having ivory-like features all of which depict the Tower of Ivory.

The Sandymount Strand becomes significant in this episode for various reasons. This is where Stephen paused earlier that day in his morning walk and also the hill in the background is where Bloom and Molly had exchanged vows of love years before. The coincidence of Stephen and Bloom is important for it reinforces the idea that they are destined to come together. The image of Bloom and Molly making love near the same spot years before gives an idea of Bloom having to deal with Molly's infidelity. It is ironic that Bloom chooses this spot to masturbate to a young girl-woman's exposure. This all comes back to Bloom wandering around, not wanting so much to return to his wife. Bloom's adventures bring him closer, however, to Molly's infidelities as his public display is seen as an inability to deal with the situation at home.

Gerty's youthful notions of romance and marriage lead her into her encounter with Bloom. Gerty envisions Bloom coming to her and making her the perfect wife. Gerty wants to take Bloom in with her feminine wiles and cause him to forget any pain. This desire for a romantic encounter with a stranger is echoed through Nausicaa's response to Odysseus. Both girls are taken by the mystery involved with the men that adore them from afar and wish to save their storm-tossed souls.

Bloom worships Gerty's statue-like appearance much as he worshipped the statues in the museum earlier that day. However, Bloom's worship evolves from a desire to look at the female body. Part of the irony of this episode is that Gerty never loses her romantic notions, and readers might believe that all this is amiss until they enter the conscious of Bloom, who has only sexual desires for the young girl. She gives him his release yet is unable to fulfill her role as the Virgin by saving his storm-tossed soul.

Radice, Betty, ed. Odyssey. Baltimore: Penguin, 1946.