HADES

While reading the Hades chapter I suddenly became aware of Joyce’s use of boat/water imagery, not only in this episode but previous episodes as well. Boat imagery, in this case, is a natural occurrence for the obvious river Styx allusions in a chapter centering on a funeral. But because of the constant presence and references to boats I am wondering if Joyce is working on constructing a complex symbol. Bloom at the end of the funeral, says to himself, “Beside him again. We are the last. In the same boat. Hope he’ll say something else.” Technically the “he” is Mr Kernan but it may be more prophetic in its intent – I think this could also be read as if it is Bloom sitting in the boat with Charon (the ferryman of the dead) – in his own vision of death. Earlier in this episode Bloom and the other men discuss the story of Rueben J. and his son who was rescued by a boatman after he falls into the water. Again boats and death are linked, however this time the boy is saved and brought to life by the boatman. This story is echoed in Telemachus when Stephen remembers a drowned man whose body was found.
Both of these instances makes me think back to the Proteus chapter, which ends with Stephen seeing a ship: “Moving through the air high spars of a three master, her sails brailed up on the crosstrees, homing, upstream, silently moving, a silent ship.” This is especially cryptic – will the ship bring someone to rescue Stephen or will it usher him to some sort of demise? In addition to all of this Joyce has named the pub where Stephen is supposed to meet up with Buck, The Ship.

So far, images of ships/boats are linked to the transition between life and death or death and life. It will be interesting to see it Joyce will keep this up or change its meaning or drop it altogether.