What Did James Joyce Mean When He Wrote Ulysses Anyway ? Part III

"Will place quote here"

As the novel opens, the reader is introduced to the character Stephen Dedalus waking to the morning of June 16, 1904 with his good friend and intellectual companion Buck Mulligan. It has been years since Stephen has walked upon the mind of the literary stage with his introduction in "Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man." In "Portrait", Stephen is described as he grows into manhood, eventually becoming a writer. This process is described in rich vivid detail, as Joyce portrays a young man awakening to his inner artistic being. From childhood into young adulthood, Stephen is seen in several contemplative scenes that shape and form the early beginnings of his aesthetic realizations. This earlier novel ends as he waits silently facing his own destiny, the future that holds his fate wrapped in his eventual life's timeline as artist, creator, and aesthetic mover of words.

Stephen and his old schoolyard friend from the academy Cranly walk on a clear country road near the township of Pembroke. They speak on several subjects and topics during this walk, including religous faith, the existence of God, philosophy, the political situation in Ireland, and poetry. Suddenly, from beyond a clearing, they notice a servent girl performing chores around an old farmed thatch hut. Her voice is clear and sweet, and the two are entranced by her singing. They stop to listen to the young woman singing. The two young men are caught in contemplation, not only because of the beautiful song being sung, but also as they begin to notice the spiritual nature of the feminine mystique. The song echos as the clear beautiful sunlight of day turns into the darkness of evening. The words convery popular Irish themes.

"And when we are married O, how happy we'll be For I love sweet Rosie O'Grady And Rosie O'Grady loves me. (3)

As they notice the woman moving casually through the darkness, Cranly remarks,

"There's real poetry for you, he said. There's real love."

and then asks,

"Do you consider that poetry ? Or do you know what the words mean ?"

"I want to see Rosie first," replies Stephen.

"She's easy to find," answers Cranly. (4)

This conversation begins a paragraph of self-analysis by Stephen, and marks a turning point in the novel, for Stephen is about to embark on his journey as a writer into lands that he cannot yet imagine or observe. But, the journey has begun. The young man has become an artist, and James Joyce has completed his painting or portrait of this young

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