Tragic Hero

“When we say cliche, stereotype, trite pseudoelegant phrase, and so on, we imply, among other things, that when used for the first time in literature the phrase was original and had a vivid meaning. In fact, it became hackneyed because its meaning was at first vivid and neat, and attractive, and so the phrase was used over and over again until it became a stereotype, a cliche... Now what Joyce does here is to cause some of that dead and rotten stuff to reveal here and there its live source, its primary freshness” (Nabokov, Lectures on Literature, page 363).”

Nabokov thought this chapter was poorly balanced, but I like it for its quirkiness. I think of Joyce reading the paper and realizing that the headlines did not capture half of what really transpired in the stories its reporters attempted to cover, reductively. (I’d think Nabokov would appreciate it; he was an opponent to the language he termed “journalese.”) And I think of Bloom, going into work and silently observing the surreal nature of the mundane, represented by the headlines.

Leopold is an interesting guy whose attempts at form come across as false, and in this way he is a tragic hero. His pathos is apparent; the reader sympathizes-- we all struggle with feelings of isolation, but most of us mask it better than he does.

All of the characters in the book probably struggle with the same sense of alienation that Bloom does. So why then is Bloom so ostracized?

He is different; he is Jewish in a Catholic society. I think that when someone has some obvious and grand difference that could be perceived as a flaw by the bourgeoisie, such as ugliness or a strong difference in beliefs-- well, they tend to feel even more isolated-- almost bizarre or freakish-- and develop a heightened awareness of it, as well as a need to compensate for their difference. A certain vigilance will also be present in their demeanor. I struggle to explain the reasons for this with logic, but know that there may be a feeling of uncertainty that accompanies a pronounced quirk. And this uneasiness contributes to the reasons for their ostracizing.

Bloom is a hero because his perception glorifies the mundane, as said before. His sensuality is sort of a retreat into a sense of perfection. As he leaves Mr. Nannetti’s office, he takes a meditative stroll down the corridor, observing the actions of his coworkers with contemplative detachment. At one point, “He stayed in his walk to watch a typesetter neatly distributing type. Reads it backwards first. Quickly he does it. Must require some practice that. mangiD. kcirtaP. Poor papa with his hagadah book, reading backwards with his finger to me. Pessach. Next year in Jerusalem” (122).

This passage presents an interesting link between mechanism and spirituality. The image of a typesetter's work is juxtaposed with a remembered image of his father reading to him as a child, and the recollection of a traditional Jewish toast in the final part of the passage. It indicates the significance and holiness Leopold perceives in commonplace images.