“The superior, the very reverend John Conmee S.J. reset his smooth watch in his interior pocket as he came down the presbytery steps. Five to three. Just nice time to walk to Artane. What was that boy's name again? Dignam. Yes. Vere dignum et iustum est. Brother Swan was the person to see. Mr Cunningham's letter. Yes. Oblige him, if possible. Good practical catholic: useful at mission time.”
This evening’s chapters – set in mid-afternoon of 16th June 1904 – are quite a contrast. We begin, in Scylla and Charybdis, in the National Library on Kildare street where Stephen Dedalus is treating a small group of literati to an exposition of his theory of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Hoping to be able to hold centre stage himself, Stephen is in fact upstaged by Buck Mulligan who enters and injects the entire scene with his characteristic levity and bawdiness. Mr Bloom, seeking out the advertisement for Alexander Keyes, makes a brief appearance as he passes between the two young men towards the end of the chapter.
Wandering Rocks is a snapshot of a multitude of characters who are traversing the city between the hours of 3 and 4 in the afternoon. Bookended by representatives of the two major powers in turn of the century Ireland – the Catholic Church and the British Empire – the chapter gives a delightful selection of snapshots into the afternoon activities of a series of the book’s characters.
All are welcome to attend the group. Suggested donation 5 euros.
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