Ulysses – Episode 7 (Aeolus)

I listened to episode 7 online while reading along in the book this time, which was nice. The whole of Ulysses is on YouTube, and read by different voices, which helps to distinguish the characters and the narrative voice. 

However, this episode is by far the most confusing, convoluted, and difficult to get through. All I understood of it was that Bloom and Stephen Dedalus finally encounter each other in a busy newsroom/printing press, and there are a bunch of other men there, and they've all got something to say, most of which is completely cryptic. Oh, and the sections are separated by what seem to be headlines. 

I enjoyed it not at all. Except for the self-references to text and language. "His listeners held their cigarettes poised to hear, their smokes ascending in frail stalks that flowered with his speech... Noble words coming. Look out." (p. 136) And the one guy telling the other to "kiss my Irish arse." That was enjoyable. I think this episode, like the rest of the book, is meant to be funny, but the humour was entirely lost on me, save for the arse joke. 

Next episode: Lestrygonians