Joyce, Ulysses
Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30 pm ET | April 8-June 24
Ulysses has a reputation for being difficult. And, at times, it can be -- especially if you are doing it by yourself. In this seminar, we’ll move step by step through Joyce’s account of a single day in Dublin, paying close attention to voice, structure, humor, and character. Rather than trying to “solve” the novel, we’ll aim to understand how it works and why it still matters. Along the way, we’ll lightly explore some of the book’s key literary connections, including Homer’s Odyssey, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Dante’s Inferno. These parallels will help orient us without overwhelming the primary task: reading Ulysses. This course is designed for both first-time readers and those returning to the novel. The goal is simple: to make steady, thoughtful progress through one of the most important works of modern literature.
Reading load: multiple pages/week
Seminar Leader: Randy Wootton has a BS in English from the Naval Academy, an MALA from St John's College, and an MBA from Harvard. He has taught at both university and high school levels while doing time in the Corporate Sector. He is now going back to his roots.