James Heffernan: Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom, & the Ghost of Shakespeare in Chapter 9 of Ulysses

In Chapter 9 of Ulysses, which is set in Dublin’s National Library, Stephen Dedalus delivers to various literary friends a lecture on Shakespeare. In this intensely personal lecture, Stephen argues that the key to Shakespeare’s whole life is the ghost scene in Hamlet. Though at this point Stephen knows almost nothing of Leopold Bloom, he interprets both the ghost scene and all of Shakespeare’s plays in such a way as to let us recognize within the playwright the figure of Bloom.
James Heffernan, Professor Emeritus of English at Dartmouth College, has lectured extensively on James Joyce, particularly Ulysses, which he has covered in 24 lectures for the Teaching Company.

[@MrMaxSkorpion]

Your son is a fantastic actor

[@celestilbernas972]

This is helpful. Thank you! ❤

[@lovetolearn881]

Reading Ulysses with a few other people.. This was Great!

[@asderc1]

I struggled with this chapter more than any other. This was very illuminating.

[@gavinyoung-philosophy]

Knowing very little Shakespeare, much of it went over my head. I anchored my understanding in the discussions around the role of the artist in society. Is he despondent, academic, enigmatic, etc?

[@Sams911]

your son is a very talented actor, the problem is he appears to be a straight white male, and in this day and age, Hollywood isn't looking for that .. at least not to star in anything.

[@gavinyoung-philosophy]

Literally nobody asked for your opinion on politics

[@Sams911]

@@gavinyoung-philosophy no-one has to ask me. It's the internet.