Be honest lads, how readable is it?

It's a shitty fad that pseudo-intellectuals praise because it makes them seem smarter to them and their pseduo-intellectual crowd.

Im 630 pages in atm its actually ok desu senpai, Oxen of the Sun was okay at the tim but I think it tired me out before Circe

>>8267280
ITT: spot the /reddit/

For you, not.

>>8267287
it's a meme massacre

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Hrmm... Is it readable?

Well, it uses ink characters deriving from the accepted Latin alphabet assembled into units of meaning called "words"; these units can typically be found in a codified and elaborated state in refefence materials known as "dictionaries", and Joyce had arranged these "words" into sequences for the most part obeying the accepted grammar and syntax of a popular tongue known as "English".

>>8267272
Once you get past Proteus, very.

Yes, it's completely readable. You need at least a high school vocabulary, though.

>>8267330

How is it compared to the rest of the meme trilogy? I could understand IJ and GR just fine for the most part.

>>8267416
Much harder
Ulysses is absolutely phenominal, personal find it hilarious and filled with amazing proes and points, most of the haters will get frustrated at Joyce using allusions and foreign languages constantly

It's pretty challenging but if you're prepared it's certainly readable. Don't worry about trying to get every reference he makes. Stephen's chapters are harder than Bloom's because he references way more shit and is much more educated in the arts/philosophy/lit/etc. If you've done IJ and GR as you say you should be able to do it. Just keep pushing through. I would suggest using some outside resources though because they can be a big help; chapter summaries/analyses, a map of Dublin, past discussions on the book on other forums, the Gilbert/Linati schema, etc. It would also be helpful to be familiar with the Odyssey (you don't really have to read the whole thing first if you don't want to, it's less important than you think), A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and Hamlet.
I put off reading it for a long time because of its reputation but I finally dove in and finished it a month or so ago and it was amazing, truly deserving of its reputation and a beautiful book. Good luck OP

>>8267461

Thanks, I just ordered Dubliners and Portrait so I'll tackle it after those.

>>8267272

Check out the Linati and Gilbert schemas/cheat sheets.

Also, the prose is so inherently rewarding that it actually contributes to making it easier.

>>8267309
Is this what pseuds think pass as humor?

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>>8267309

>>8267272

Very.

>>8267272
Quite, provided you're prepared.

>>8268112

And what is your opinion on the readability of Finnegans Wake?

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>>8267309

great post to be honest family member

I went in with barely any reading experience and had a great time with it.

>>8267309
m'lady

>>8267272
1/10 the original case of tl;dr

>>8267461
This is the right answer OP. It's okay to read it even if you don't catch every single pun or allusion or double entendre. You can always reread later and the beauty of it certainly won't be lost on you unless you're a complete pleb

Can some anon please post the pic on how to prepare for reading ulysses?

>>8270202

bumping this

So, how readable is it for a non-native speaker?

>>8271221
You're good to go if you can score 20k+ on the test in that one bell curve thread

>>8271235
Nice, I got 23k. I'll give a try.

Do I need In Search if Lost Time to "get" it?
I've read Mann and Homer, but haven't started with Proust yet.

>>8271266
I don't think you do, but I did not - and still have not - read the damn thing, so don't listen to me

>>8267461
Good post.

>>8271266
You dont need Mann or Proust for it, the Odyssey is his structure, Ibsen he loves and his prior work prepare you but really dont worry about prior reading and just go for it whenever you feel like it.
Hope you enjoy it.

>>8271266
I'm a non-native speaker and I got the same score, but I already got memed a bit on Proteus.

>>8267272
I had that copy to read out and about in public, OP and it comes with some useful information regarding the chapters and their symbolism / intent, stuff like prominent organs represented and such.

I also have a hardback copy from 1936.

>>8268134
Not very.

>>8271148
thanks anon but i guess we aren't lucky

What's everybody's favorite/least favorite episodes? Really enjoyed Cyclops, Nausicaa, Hades and Eumaeus but struggled with Lotus Eaters, Oxen and Circe a lot

>>8268134
A cancerous growth of fancy word-tissue.

Am I the only one who finds those endless reminiscences, allusions, employment of diverse styles etc ultimately pointless? It makes you go "eh, that's neat, I guess", but my total impression was that Joyce was simply trying too hard. It doesn't seem to have the same spark underlying it that you can see in older works considered "defining" of their era, like Divine Comedy or The Song of my Cid.

>>8273311
To each his own and Ulysses is definitely not for everyone (stylistically, not in how 'difficult' it is to read) but you have to agree that it is a masterpiece in those aspects? The unique styles of writing between chapters, the enormous amount of allusions, references, puns and puzzles, the impressive prose and Joyce's talent for parodies of already renowned literary styles.

It is an impressive novel no doubt.

>>8273311
>Am I the only one who finds those endless reminiscences, allusions, employment of diverse styles etc ultimately pointless? It makes you go "eh, that's neat, I guess",
No. This is quite a legitimate response to modernism in general.

>>8267309
LOL! :D Can I use this material for a webcomic?