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Clark, William

English

2012

MA

James Joyce's Ulysses is a comedy in the classical sense, as its central characters, Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom, and Molly Bloom, move through the novel from states of unhappiness at the opening to states of happiness at the novel's close. Joyce inherits his vision of the comedic journey from Dante and his Commedia. In both works, the heroes must engage on long journeys to rediscover the force of love in the universe. Love is an otherworldly force to both writers, the manifestation of God in Dante's work and the ultimate provider of all meaning and beauty in Joyce's work.
Joyce calls upon Dante through specific allusions and parallel structures. The opening chapters of Ulysses contain several references to scenes from Dante of isolation and despair, while the closing chapters of Ulysses contain a multitude of references to scenes of redemption and heavenly bliss in Dante. The central chapters of Ulysses, particularly "Sirens," "Nausicaa," and "Circe" show Leopold Bloom undergoing a Dantean process of purgation.
Both works require a return of the feminine at their close. Dante's Beatrice and Joyce's Molly Bloom perform the same function for their respective heroes, elevating their love to an eternal and ethereal place. The pilgrim and Leopold Bloom must be judged by their beloveds before they are allowed to enter their true homes. Through these women, the heroes reconnect with the "Love" or "love" that defines the world.