I know no one will want to hear it, but everyone should read Ulysses at least twice.
My first time entering Joyce’s world I was rushing through, desperate to complete it so I could count myself among the few who have challenged it and come out the other side still somewhat intact. After spending the last year studying the text for various projects I came to have a deep love and appreciation for Joyce and his chef-d’oeuvre, so if you don’t fancy taking on Ulysses more than once, then compiling a basic contextual understanding of the works may certainly make your first foray more enjoyable.
After deciding to allow myself to become fully immersed in the Joycean world for my dissertation, I knew that it was time to face my long-awaited rematch. Was I to be my very own Odysseus, making it home in one piece following my treacherous odyssey, or was I about to fatally embark on my own myth of Sisyphus? I am very pleased to say that my second read of Ulysses was an absolute joy. Taking my time to carefully explore each episode with the time and respect they deserve, nay, commands from the reader, I effortlessly enjoyed Joyce’s playful and intelligent work of craftsmanship. By the time we see Bloom and Stephen unite in ‘Circe’ and ‘Ithaca’, the plot has bloomed (excuse the pun) wonderfully into an emotional climax, which, while some critics may disagree, I personally think is joyfully rewarding. Joyce’s manipulation of parody, language, and reinvention of the form needs no introduction, but despite knowing the cultural impact of these aspects of Ulysses, I still could only marvel at the face of literary genius. I strongly believe Joyce is truly for everyone, and the wonderfully charming charisma and humanity of Leopold Bloom, a Jewish and often androgynous icon, spearheads this belief. It is impossible not to fall in love with him as you accompany him through his grief, heartache, joy, and little victories throughout a day in his extraordinary life.
Much like a rewatch of your favorite TV show, there is so much to pick up on by tackling Ulysses a second time around, and I eagerly implore any and all readers to do so.