3: Statement of themes

4: Battle in Heaven and introduction of Finnegan; Finnegan's fall and promise of resurrection

5-6: The City

6-7: The Wake

7-8: Landscape foreshadows HCE and ALP

8-10: Visit to Willingdone Museyroom

10: The Earwicker house

10-12: Biddy the hen finds the letter in the midden heap

12-13: Dublin landscape

13-15: Pre-history of Ireland—the invaders (including the birth of Shem and Shaun, p. 14)

15-18: Mutt and Jute recount the Battle of Clontarf

18-20: The development of the Alphabet and Numbers

21-23: The Tale of Jan van Hoother and the Prankquean

23-24: The Fall

25: Finnegan's Wake revisited

25-29: Restless Finnegan is told about the present age

29: H.C.E. introduced

Page 3: Statement of themes

Line 003.01 reads:

"riverrun, past Eve and Adam’s, from swerve of shore to bend of bay"

This opening line encapsulates the flowing, cyclical nature of James Joyce’s experimental novel. It begins mid-sentence, which is an intentional stylistic choice by Joyce, reflecting the idea that Finnegans Wake is a continuous, circular narrative. The novel’s structure itself mimics the flow of a river, with no clear beginning or end, as the final sentence ("A way a lone a last a loved along the") of the book loops back to this opening phrase.

Key elements in the line:

"riverrun": The word "riverrun" symbolizes the flowing and perpetual movement of the river, often interpreted as representing the River Liffey in Dublin, which runs through the heart of the city. It also suggests the continuity of time and history, which Joyce explores throughout the novel.

"past Eve and Adam's": This refers to the Church of St. Eve and Adam, located near the River Liffey in Dublin, but also evokes biblical imagery of Adam and Eve, suggesting themes of origins, fall, and cycles of history. Joyce frequently blends historical and mythological references with real places.

"swerve of shore to bend of bay": This evokes the winding, meandering movement of the river. The language mirrors the fluidity of the narrative, which swerves between meanings, interpretations, and time periods. Joyce's use of language is often described as "fluid" and multilayered, much like the way a river bends and changes course.

Interpretations:

Cyclical Time: The novel begins mid-sentence and ends mid-sentence, symbolizing the circularity of time. The river metaphor reinforces the idea of a continuous flow, representing both time and narrative.
Blending of Real and Mythological: The mixture of the actual location of Eve and Adam's Church with the biblical figures of Adam and Eve illustrates Joyce's technique of collapsing historical, mythical, and personal narratives into a single stream.

This line sets the tone for the entire novel, signaling that the reader is entering a dream-like, multi-layered narrative where language itself is fluid and meanings are multiple and often elusive.

Line 003.02 and 003.03 reads:

"brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs."

This sentence is packed with wordplay and allusions, characteristic of Joyce's intricate style. Here's an analysis of its major components:

Key Elements:

"commodius vicus of recirculation":

This phrase is widely interpreted as a playful reference to the philosopher Giambattista Vico, whose theory of history proposed a cyclical pattern of human events. According to Vico, history moves through recurring stages, echoing the cyclical structure of Finnegans Wake. The use of "commodius" could suggest something convenient or useful, while "vicus" might refer to a place or a circuitous path, reinforcing the idea of returning or recurring events.
The "recirculation" refers to the circularity of the novel’s narrative, again implying that the end of the story loops back to the beginning, which is why Finnegans Wake begins mid-sentence and ends mid-sentence, symbolizing an eternal cycle.

"Howth Castle and Environs":

Howth Castle is a real castle near Dublin, located on the Howth peninsula. Joyce uses this specific geographical reference to ground the novel's dreamlike, swirling narrative in a recognizable place. The mention of "Environs" suggests not just the castle itself but also its surroundings, expanding the scope beyond a singular location.
In the context of Finnegans Wake, Howth Castle also has mythical significance. The word "Howth" sounds similar to "HCE," the initials of the novel's main character, Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker, whose presence looms large throughout the text.

Interpretation:

Vico’s Theory and Cyclical History: This line reinforces Joyce's engagement with Vico’s theory of history, suggesting that the narrative will not follow a linear progression but will instead "recirculate." This constant movement "back to Howth Castle" reflects the novel’s overarching theme of recurrence and renewal. Human history, personal stories, and language itself are in a state of perpetual motion, always returning to a familiar point but transformed in the process.

Blending of Myth and Reality: The line seamlessly blends the tangible (Howth Castle) with philosophical and historical ideas (Vico’s theory of recirculation). In Finnegans Wake, the real and the mythological are often intertwined, contributing to the dreamlike quality of the narrative.

Overall, this line is a prime example of Joyce’s dense, layered writing, where history, place, and philosophical theory converge to create a rich, multi-faceted narrative structure.

Line 003.04 reads:

"Sir Tristram, violer d'amores, fr'over the short sea"

This line introduces a significant theme in Finnegans Wake—the blending of myth, history, and legend into Joyce’s cyclical narrative structure. The sentence begins with a reference to Sir Tristram, a figure from Arthurian legend, specifically from the tale of Tristan and Isolde, a tragic romance that involves themes of love, betrayal, and chivalry. Joyce's use of this figure has multiple layers of meaning, both symbolic and phonetic, contributing to the novel’s complexity.

Key Elements in the Line:

Sir Tristram:

Tristan, from the Tristan and Isolde legend, was a knight of the Round Table, famously involved in an ill-fated love affair. This myth, like many in Finnegans Wake, is reflective of human relationships and conflicts that echo through history and literature. Tristan’s tale is about forbidden love, fate, and the cyclicality of betrayal, which parallels many of the recurring themes in the novel.
Joyce’s insertion of this medieval character at the outset suggests the intertextuality of Finnegans Wake, where characters and figures from various mythologies and histories reappear in the text in a dreamlike, fragmented way.

"violer d'amores":

This phrase is a Joycean play on words, blending multiple references. "Violer" could refer to both a viol player and, in a sense, a violator of love (from "violator"). The phrase "d'amores" suggests the romantic context of "amores" (loves) or love songs, connecting back to the Tristan and Isolde myth and its theme of doomed romance. It also alludes to the viola d'amore, a historical musical instrument associated with romantic and courtly love songs. This suggests that Sir Tristram’s story is intertwined with the music and song of love and tragedy.

"fr'over the short sea":

This phrase likely references Tristram’s journey across the sea in the legend, where he sails between Cornwall and Ireland. The geographical reference here ties in with Joyce’s personal connection to Dublin and its surrounding areas, as well as his frequent use of water imagery to symbolize transition, movement, and the cyclical flow of history and life.
The truncated word "fr'over" suggests a colloquial compression of "from over," which gives the line a more spoken, oral quality, linking it to the oral tradition of storytelling and the fluidity of language in the novel.

Interpretations:

Historical and Mythological Layers:

The invocation of Sir Tristram at the beginning of the novel signals that Joyce is blending myth with modernity, and that figures from history and legend will be recycled throughout the narrative. Tristan’s ill-fated love affair parallels many of the themes of love, betrayal, and misunderstanding that occur in the novel. Moreover, the figure of Tristram hints at the idea of chivalry and ideals that crumble in the face of human flaws.

Cyclical Nature of Narrative:

The combination of mythological and historical references suggests that Joyce sees history as a series of recurring patterns. Just as Vico's cyclical theory of history is central to the structure of Finnegans Wake, the reappearance of characters like Tristan across different times and places reinforces the novel’s theme of eternal recurrence—what happens in myth continues to happen in different forms in human history.

Language Play:

Joyce’s linguistic play is evident here, as the line employs puns, multilingual references (combining English and French), and phonetic play ("violer" as violist/violator). This is a hallmark of Finnegans Wake, where language itself becomes fluid, shifting meaning depending on how words are read or heard. This line exemplifies how Joyce blurs the boundaries of language to explore new ways of storytelling.

Conclusion:

This line encapsulates the novel’s dense intertextuality, where myth, history, and legend overlap, while also exemplifying Joyce's mastery of linguistic innovation. It introduces themes of love, tragedy, and cyclicality—central to both the Tristan myth and to the broader narrative structure of Finnegans Wake. Each word and phrase in this line carries multiple meanings, reflecting Joyce's intricate style and his vision of history as a cyclical, ever-repeating process.

Line 003.05 and 003.06 reads:

"had passencore rearrived from North Armorica on this side the scraggy isthmus of Europe Minor to wielderfight his penisolate war"

Analysis:

This line is dense with historical, geographical, and linguistic references, which is typical of Joyce’s intricate, multi-layered style in Finnegans Wake. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Key Elements:

"passencore":

This is a linguistic fusion likely derived from the French phrase "passer encore" (which means "to pass again" or "to pass once more"). The idea of "rearrived" suggests that the character referred to has returned, further emphasizing the novel’s theme of recurrence and cyclical movement. The phrase might also be interpreted phonetically as "passing over," hinting at a passage or journey, potentially a reference to migration, invasion, or historical returns, such as European colonial expeditions.

"North Armorica":

Armorica refers to a region in ancient Gaul, which corresponds to modern-day Brittany in France. In Joyce’s usage, "North Armorica" seems to play with the name of North America, creating a layered geographical and historical reference. The mention of "rearrived" could imply a return to Europe from the New World, possibly an allusion to the voyages of European explorers or the migration of peoples. Joyce’s wordplay also suggests the interchangeability of places, echoing the cyclical, fluid nature of history in the novel.

"scraggy isthmus of Europe Minor":

The "scraggy isthmus" refers to a thin strip of land connecting two larger landmasses. "Europe Minor" could be a playful reference to smaller European regions or territories. Joyce often uses obscure geographical references to blur distinctions between real and imagined places. In this case, "scraggy" suggests a rough or uninviting landscape, perhaps hinting at the difficult crossings or invasions throughout European history.
The phrase could also metaphorically represent the "isthmus" as a historical or cultural bridge between times, nations, or events, underscoring the continuous ebb and flow of civilizations.

"wielderfight his penisolate war":

This is a complex blend of meanings. The term "wielderfight" combines "wielder" (one who holds a weapon or power) and "fight," which suggests conflict or war. Joyce may be referring to a warrior or figure engaged in historical or mythical battles.
The word "penisolate" is a Joycean pun on "peninsula" and "isolate." This could reference a geographical location like a peninsula, where wars have historically been fought (such as Spain or Italy, both peninsula countries that have seen many conflicts). At the same time, it carries sexual undertones ("penis"), typical of Joyce’s frequent use of bodily humor and sexual imagery in Finnegans Wake. The combination suggests a war fought over isolated territories or perhaps over matters of power, virility, and dominance.
Likely a referance to the Wellington Monument in the Phoenix Park.

Interpretations:

Historical and Geographical Blending:

This line is filled with references that blur the boundaries between geography and history. "North Armorica" evokes the idea of a return from a distant place (possibly North America) back to Europe, which could symbolize the recurring cycles of colonialism, exploration, and conquest. Joyce collapses distinctions between these locations, reflecting how past events and their impact recur throughout time.

Cyclical Nature of Conflict:

The phrase "rearrived" emphasizes the return of a figure to wage war again. This suggests that war, like history, is cyclical and ever-repeating. Joyce's allusions to ancient, medieval, and modern European history blend together, suggesting that the same conflicts (be they political, territorial, or even personal) recur endlessly in different forms across different ages.

Wordplay and Puns:

Joyce’s use of puns and blended words continues to make this line rich with layered meaning. Words like "passencore," "wielderfight," and "penisolate" are simultaneously playful and serious, merging high-brow references (such as geography and historical cycles) with low-brow humor (such as sexual innuendo). This technique reflects the novel's central idea that all aspects of life—trivial or grand—are interconnected in the grand, cyclical dance of history and human experience.

Exploration of Power and Isolation:

The phrase "penisolate war" can be seen as a reflection on the isolating nature of power struggles. By punning on "peninsula" and "isolate," Joyce may be highlighting the isolation of individuals, nations, or even emotions during times of conflict. The character in question is waging a "penisolate" war, perhaps alone, on a peninsula or similarly isolated territory. This could also symbolize the isolation experienced by those who engage in battles, whether personal or historical.

Conclusion:

These lines continues Finnegans Wake's exploration of cyclical history, conflict, and the intertwining of myth, geography, and human experience. Joyce’s wordplay creates multiple layers of meaning that blur the lines between literal and figurative interpretations. Through a dense web of references to geography, history, and mythology, Joyce comments on the nature of human struggle, the recurrence of war and conflict, and the continual return to familiar patterns in history. The linguistic creativity in the line reflects the novel’s broader themes of fluidity, circularity, and the inseparability of language, history, and the human condition.

Line 003.07 reads:

"had topsawyer's rocks by the stream Oconee exaggerated themselse":

Topsawyer is likely a reference to Tom Sawyer, the famous character from Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. This reference to an iconic literary character situates Joyce's work within a broad tradition of world literature, making connections across time and space. However, Joyce rarely uses names or references in straightforward ways. Here, "topsawyer" could also connote a person in a high position or someone in control, "sawyer" suggesting someone who works with wood, perhaps a metaphor for shaping narratives or myths.
The rocks could symbolize something unchangeable or immutable, a key point in nature or history that persists through time. "Topsawyer's rocks" might also imply that the solid, enduring aspects of the natural world are still subject to exaggeration or distortion by human narrative.

"by the stream Oconee":

Oconee is the name of a river in Georgia, USA. Joyce often plays with geographic names, mixing real places with imagined or distorted ones. Rivers, particularly in Finnegans Wake, are symbolic of time and history. The River Liffey in Dublin is especially significant in the novel, but here the Oconee suggests a different place altogether, implying that Joyce is invoking a global, mythic landscape where local rivers can symbolize the flow of history or the passage of time anywhere.
The river imagery also evokes Heraclitus's philosophy, that one can never step into the same river twice. In Joyce’s cyclical conception of history, however, this flux is constantly reshaped by the narratives that are imposed on it.

"exaggerated themselse":

The phrase "exaggerated themselse" is a modification of "exaggerated themselves." Joyce’s intentional use of non-standard English reflects the breakdown and mutation of language over time, a key theme in the novel. The spelling "themselse" suggests a distortion or an exaggeration of the self or the past.
The idea that the rocks or historical events have exaggerated themselves points to the way history and memory are subject to embellishment, mythologizing, and distortion. What we think of as "history" is often an "exaggeration" of actual events, shaped by narrative, culture, and memory.

Thematic Considerations:

Myth and History:

Throughout Finnegans Wake, Joyce blurs the boundaries between myth and history. The line suggests that the rocks (perhaps symbolic of historical facts or events) have been distorted or "exaggerated" through retelling. In Joyce’s world, all history is a form of myth, shaped by language and storytelling. The phrase "exaggerated themselse" implies that myths build on themselves, growing more elaborate as they are passed down.

The Fallibility of Memory:

Joyce repeatedly returns to the theme of the unreliability of memory. Like the rocks by the Oconee River, historical facts and personal memories are continually reshaped by the currents of time and retelling. As people or cultures recount the past, they often unconsciously alter it, "exaggerating" the details. This is emblematic of the larger theme in the novel, where events and characters seem to loop back on themselves in endless cycles of retelling and transformation.

Language as a Fluid, Shifting Force:

Joyce plays with language throughout Finnegans Wake, treating it as something fluid and malleable. The misspelling "themselse" is part of Joyce’s broader attempt to show how language evolves and how meaning shifts over time. Words themselves, like historical events or natural landmarks, can become exaggerated or distorted. The line highlights how language is not a fixed medium but one that changes, exaggerates, and reforms itself.

Cultural Hybridity and Global Myth:

The blending of the Oconee River (a distinctly American geographical feature) with European literary traditions (Tom Sawyer, topsawyer) reflects Joyce’s conception of global myth-making. Just as rivers are connected to the flow of time, so too are myths and cultural narratives connected across continents and epochs. Joyce sees the process of creating stories and history as a collective, global act, where different cultures contribute to and reshape the same fundamental myths.

Conclusion:

This line encapsulates Joyce's approach to myth, history, and language. The rocks by the stream Oconee symbolize enduring yet mutable elements of nature and history, while the phrase "exaggerated themselse" reflects how stories, history, and even language are subject to embellishment and distortion over time. This playful but profound manipulation of language and historical reference speaks to the novel's larger exploration of the cyclical and fluid nature of human experience.

Summary of Page 3 of Finnegans Wake:

On page 3 of Finnegans Wake, Joyce continues to establish the novel’s themes of cyclicality, fall, and rebirth. The text continues the opening sentence and introduces various historical, mythological, and linguistic references that underscore the novel's central preoccupations. Central to the page is the fall of Finnegan, a character who mirrors the rise and fall of civilizations and is connected to Irish mythology and history. The language is characterized by Joyce’s playful use of Hiberno-English, multilingual puns, and dense allusions. The fluidity of language and the blend of Irish history with mythological and universal themes are foregrounded. Joyce also plays with sexual innuendo, blending it with themes of war and conquest.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis

003.05-003.06: "core rearrived from North Armorica on this side the scraggy isthmus of Europe Minor to wielderfight his penisolate war"

"North Armorica": This is a distorted reference to North America, suggesting the transatlantic connections between the Old and New Worlds. The "scraggy isthmus" may evoke the narrow strip of land that connects parts of Europe or reflect the physical and cultural divisions between continents. The blending of Armorica (an ancient name for a region in France) with North America highlights Joyce’s play on geographical dislocation, merging distant lands and histories.

"penisolate war": This phrase is a clear example of Joyce’s sexual innuendo. The word "penisolate" blends peninsula and isolation, while also evoking phallic imagery ("penis"). The phrase could be interpreted as a commentary on masculine aggression and isolation in war, linking territorial conquest with sexual conquest. Joyce uses this wordplay to reflect the themes of dominance, power, and desire, which are central to Finnegans Wake.

003.07-003.08: "nor had topsawyer’s rocks by the stream Oconee exaggerated themselse to Laurens County’s gorgios while they went doublin their mumper"

"topsawyer’s rocks": This might be an oblique reference to Tom Sawyer, the iconic American literary character. Here, Joyce links American and Irish culture by mentioning Oconee, a river in the United States, and Laurens County, a place in Georgia. The use of "gorgios", a Romani term for non-Romani people, further complicates the multicultural reference, illustrating Joyce's interest in global histories and cultural interactions.

"doublin their mumper": This phrase is an example of Hiberno-English wordplay. "Doublin" is a pun on Dublin, suggesting both the city and the idea of doubling or repeating. "Mumper" is an old English slang term for a beggar, suggesting deception or trickery. The phrase could be interpreted as a commentary on the cyclical nature of life, where beggars (or tricksters) are constantly doubling their efforts, but it also carries a tone of economic struggle in the Irish context.

003.09-003.10: "nor avoice from afire bellowsed mishe mishe to tauftauf thuartpeatrick"

"mishe mishe": This phrase mimics ritual chanting, possibly alluding to Catholic liturgy or the Irish language. The word "thuartpeatrick" is a clear reference to Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint. Joyce blends Christian and pre-Christian Irish traditions, illustrating the intersection of religious and mythological histories in Ireland.

Hiberno-English: The language here is deeply infused with Irish speech rhythms and the kind of sonic play that mirrors spoken Irish Gaelic, even though the exact meaning is obscured. Joyce often uses phonetic similarity to evoke sounds familiar to Irish readers, even when they are wrapped in layers of mythic or religious reference.

003.11-003.13: "not yet, though venissoon after, had a kidscad buttended a bland old isaac"

"venissoon": This is likely a fusion of French ("venez bientôt," or "come soon") and English. Joyce often blends languages in his text, creating portmanteau words that suggest meaning through sound and association.

"kidscad buttended a bland old isaac": This phrase may allude to the biblical story of Isaac, specifically Isaac’s sacrifice, and the ram that took his place. Here, Joyce plays with the imagery of youth (a "kid" or young goat) and old age (Isaac), possibly reflecting on themes of inheritance, sacrifice, and the transfer of power between generations.

003.15-003.17: "The fall (baba badal gharagh takam minar ronnkonn bronn tonner- ronn tuonn thunn trovar rhoun awn skawn toohoo hoorden en thurnuk!)"

Onomatopoeia and the Fall: This long, onomatopoeic phrase is an attempt to capture the sound of a fall, specifically Finnegan’s fall. The mixture of sounds and syllables creates a thunderous, crashing effect, symbolizing the collapse of Finnegan and, more broadly, the fall of civilizations or figures of authority. The "fall" is central to the cyclical structure of the novel, which echoes the fall and rise of mythic figures across time.

Irish Mythology and History: The fall of Finnegan can be connected to the Irish folk song "Finnegan’s Wake", in which Finnegan falls from a ladder and is revived at his own wake by whiskey. This evokes the idea of resurrection and renewal, which is crucial to Vico’s cyclical theory of history that Joyce employs throughout the novel. The mythological and historical "fall" also symbolizes the decline of Irish heroes and leaders through centuries of colonization and political upheaval.

003.18-003.20: "The great fall of the offwall entailed at such short notice the pftjschute of Finnegan, erse solid man"

"pftjschute": A play on "parachute", suggesting the suddenness of Finnegan’s fall. The onomatopoeia here emphasizes the sudden and chaotic nature of the fall. The phrase also suggests the idea of escape or descent, continuing the theme of falling and rising.

"Finnegan, erse solid man": "Erse" is an old term for Irish Gaelic, and "solid man" reinforces the idea of Finnegan as a foundational, strong figure. Finnegan embodies the everyman, representing Ireland’s folk traditions, and his fall symbolizes the fall of Irish culture or heroism. However, his eventual resurrection implies the possibility of cultural renewal.

003.21-003.22: "that the humptyhillhead of humself prumptly sends an unquiring one well to the west in quest of his tumptytumtoes"

"humptyhillhead": A clear reference to Humpty Dumpty, another figure associated with a fall. "Humptyhillhead" suggests that Finnegan, like Humpty Dumpty, is both physically and metaphorically shattered. The fall of Humpty Dumpty, like Finnegan’s, suggests an event from which it is difficult to recover, reinforcing the theme of fall and resurrection.

"tumptytumtoes": This playful phrase can be interpreted as a reference to feet or toes, possibly echoing the childlike, nursery rhyme tone of Humpty Dumpty. The use of repetition and rhythmic language here mirrors Hiberno-English storytelling traditions, where words often carry a musical, rhythmic quality.

Conclusion

Page 3 of Finnegans Wake is a dense introduction to Joyce’s linguistic experimentation, combining Hiberno-English, Irish cultural references, and sexual innuendo with mythological and historical allusions. The language moves fluidly between references to Irish history, biblical stories, and nursery rhymes, reinforcing the cyclical nature of time and history that structures the novel. Joyce’s playful use of sexual wordplay—particularly in the phrase "penisolate war"—adds a layer of humor and complexity to the text, blending conquest and desire. The fall of Finnegan serves as a mythic allegory for the rise and fall of cultures, with the promise of eventual rebirth and renewal.

Summary of Page 4 of Finnegans Wake: Battle in Heaven and introduction of Finnegan; Finnegan's fall and promise of resurrection.

Page 4 of Finnegans Wake presents a chaotic blend of historical, mythological, and biblical references, while continuing to explore the fall and rise of civilizations, figures, and languages. The passage revolves around the theme of conflict, drawing from Irish history, culture, and religious allusions. There is a heavy use of Hiberno-English, demonstrating Joyce's keen ear for Irish dialect and idiomatic speech. The passage also introduces Bygmester Finnegan, a builder figure whose rise and fall echoes the cyclical nature of history.

In this section, Joyce is particularly playful with sexual innuendo, blending it seamlessly with his broader thematic concerns, using language to evoke both intellectual battles and earthy humor. The linguistic texture is rich with portmanteaus, puns, and onomatopoeia, contributing to the novel’s musical, almost mythical quality.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis

004.01: "What clashes here of wills gen wonts, oystrygods gaggin fishygods!"

"clashes here of wills gen wonts": Joyce sets up a conflict between wills (desires) and wonts (traditions or habits), presenting a generational struggle. This encapsulates the tension between old and new, a theme central to Irish history, especially during the Irish independence struggle, where the conflict between tradition and modernity often surfaced.
"oystrygods gaggin fishygods": This playful phrase introduces a mythological battle between sea gods, possibly evoking Irish coastal mythology or alluding to the Irish Sea, a central geographic feature for Joyce. The Hiberno-English dialect lends a colloquial tone to this cosmic battle, grounding the myth in everyday speech.

004.02: "Brékkek Kékkek Kékkek Kékkek! Kóax Kóax Kóax! Ualu Ualu Ualu! Quaouauh!"

This is a direct reference to Aristophanes' The Frogs, an ancient Greek play, where the chorus of frogs chants "Brékkek Kékkek." Joyce evokes a chaotic, rhythmic scene here, using onomatopoeia to mimic both the croaking of frogs and the clamor of battle. The blending of classical and modern forms of conflict highlights Joyce’s unique ability to blend cultural traditions.

004.03-004.06: "Where the Baddelaries partisans are still out to mathmaster Malachus Micgranes and the Verdons catapelting the camibalistics out of the Whoyteboyce of Hoodie Head."

"Baddelaries partisans": This likely refers to warring factions, perhaps echoing the conflicts between Irish rebel groups and colonial forces. The word "Baddelaries" may invoke images of bandits or mercenaries involved in historical Irish uprisings.
"Malachus Micgranes": This could be a reference to Saint Malachy, the Irish saint, blended with Macgranes, an Irish surname, creating a fusion of Irish mythology and genealogy. This highlights the deep nationalistic and historical roots embedded in Joyce’s language.
"Verdons": This family name points to an Anglo-Norman lineage in Ireland. The siege imagery ("catapelting") suggests Joyce's fascination with medieval warfare and conflict between Norman invaders and native Irish clans.

004.07: "Sod's brood, be me fear! Sanglorians, save! Arms apeal with larms, appalling."

"Sod's brood": Sod refers to the earth, implying the children of the land, which could metaphorically refer to the Irish people or agricultural workers. It suggests that these children of the earth are involved in a struggle for survival.
"Sanglorians": A blend of Sanctus (holy) and glory, this might be a plea for divine salvation. Joyce blends religious and historical language, calling for salvation amid the chaos.

004.08: "Killykillkilly: a toll, a toll."

"Killykillkilly": This phrase echoes violent death and warfare. It may also evoke the Battle of Kinsale (1601), a pivotal moment in Irish history, which ended in defeat for Irish forces and led to the Flight of the Earls. The repetition emphasizes the cyclical nature of conflict.

004.12-004.13: "the father of fornicationists"

"father of fornicationists": This is a playful sexual innuendo, hinting at the figure of HCE (Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker), who is implicated in a sexual scandal. Joyce often uses sexual themes to explore power dynamics, and here he links the fall of civilization to sexual misdeeds.

004.14-004.16: "The oaks of ald now they lie in peat yet elms leap where askes lay. Phall if you but will, rise you must"

"The oaks of ald": The oak trees, symbols of ancient strength and tradition, are now lying in peat, a reference to Ireland’s bogs. This could symbolize the decline of ancient civilizations and their subsequent burial in history, while elms, symbols of regeneration, grow where ashes lay.
"Phall if you but will, rise you must": This line contains clear sexual innuendo through the word "Phall" (phallic). It ties into the novel's larger theme of fall and resurrection, both physically and metaphorically, hinting at the inevitability of renewal after failure or downfall.

004.17-004.18: "the pharce for the nunce come to a setdown secular phoenish"

"pharce for the nunce": This phrase blends farce and nonce (meaning temporary), indicating that the fall and rise of civilizations may be viewed as a farce in the grand scheme of history.
"secular phoenish": A reference to the Phoenix, a mythological bird that rises from its ashes. Joyce is referring to the cyclical nature of history, where even secular societies experience cycles of destruction and rebirth.

004.18-004.19: "Bygmester Finnegan, of the Stuttering Hand"

"Bygmester Finnegan": This introduces Finnegan, a builder figure who symbolizes both the rise and fall of civilizations and the resurrection myth central to Irish folklore. The "Stuttering Hand" suggests imperfections or failures in his construction, hinting at the inevitable collapse of all human endeavors.

004.20-004.25: "before joshuan judges had given us numbers or Helviticus committed deuteronomy"

Biblical Allusions: Joyce references the Old Testament, particularly the books of Joshua, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. By placing Finnegan before these texts, Joyce links his fall to the ancient, pre-biblical past, symbolizing a time before organized religion and law

004.20-004.25: "lived in the broadest way immarginable in his rushlit toofarback for messuages before joshuan judges had given us numbers or Helviticus committed deuteronomy"

Biblical References: Joyce alludes to the books of Joshua, Numbers, and Deuteronomy from the Old Testament, signifying the ancient origins of civilization and law. By placing Finnegan before these books, Joyce positions him as a pre-biblical figure, connected to the origins of storytelling and myth.

004.29-004.30: "He addle liddle phifie Annie ugged the little craythur"

Sexual Innuendo: The phrase "addle liddle phifie Annie ugged the little craythur" contains sexual overtones, with "ugg" potentially suggesting a physical or sexual embrace. Phallus-like imagery may also be invoked in the playful, almost nursery-rhyme quality of the language.

Conclusion:

Page 4 of Finnegans Wake exemplifies Joyce's characteristic use of Hiberno-English, mythological references, and historical allusions to create a text that is both rooted in Irish culture and universal in scope. His playful use of sexual innuendo, particularly through phrases like "Phall if you but will, rise you must", reflects the cyclical nature of fall and rise, both in personal and societal terms. Joyce’s dense linguistic play, combined with allusions to Irish history, mythology, and philosophy, positions this page as a microcosm of the larger themes of the novel: the eternal cycles of conflict, decay, and renewal.

Summary of Page 5 of Finnegans Wake: The City

Page 5 of Finnegans Wake showcases Joyce's dense narrative, drawing from mythological, historical, and biblical sources, with a focus on themes of fall and resurrection, sin, and punishment. The page reflects the cyclical nature of history and human behavior, where figures like Finnegan symbolize the rise and fall of civilizations, linking Irish mythology and broader universal themes. The language continues to feature Hiberno-English, with Joyce’s signature wordplay, puns, and sexual innuendo subtly woven into the text.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

005.01-005.02: "next to nothing and celescalating the himals and all, hierarchitec- titiptitoploftical, with a burning bush abob off its baubletop and"

"celescalating": A portmanteau of "celestial" and "escalating", suggesting a movement towards the heavens or divine heights. This reflects the idea of rising and falling, a central theme in Finnegans Wake. The word suggests the cyclical nature of ascent and descent, both in spiritual and worldly realms.

"the himals": Likely a reference to the Himalayas, representing towering heights or significant challenges. This connects with Joyce’s theme of striving toward great heights, both literally and metaphorically, but with the risk of falling. It may also be a symbolic representation of human ambition.

"with a burning bush abob off its baubletop": This phrase alludes to the biblical burning bush from the story of Moses. The bush is a symbol of divine presence and revelation. Joyce’s use of "baubletop" diminishes its grandeur, adding a playful element to the sacred. The diminishment of the divine is common in Joyce’s work, reflecting the tension between sacred and profane.

005.03-005.04: "with larrons o'toolers clittering up and tombles a'buckets clottering down."

"larrons o'toolers": The phrase "larrons" may suggest thieves or brigands (from the French larron), while "o'toolers" could be an Irish name or pun, suggesting characters engaging in mischief or rebellion. This ties into the theme of Irish history and struggles against authority, often depicted humorously by Joyce.

"tombles a'buckets": This playful, rhythmic phrase invokes images of chaos and disorder, with the idea of buckets falling suggesting a breakdown of control. The word "clittering" reinforces the noisy tumult of history in flux, with clattering sounds representing violent conflict or collapse.

005.05-005.06: "Of the first was he to bare arms and a name: Wassaily Booslaeugh of Riesengeborg."

"Wassaily Booslaeugh": This seems to be a hybrid name, blending Russian (Wassily) and Germanic influences (Riesengeborg). Joyce often combines mythological and historical names, signifying a universal figure, someone who represents both local and global histories.

"bare arms and a name": This phrase could allude to the right to bear arms, linking to both heraldry and warfare. It reflects a noble or heroic lineage, tying this figure to the tradition of warriors and soldiers in both Irish and European history.

005.07-005.08: "His crest of huroldry, in vert with ancillars, troublant, argent, a hegoak, poursuivant, horrid, horned."

"crest of huroldry": A reference to heraldry, the system by which noble families display their coats of arms. Joyce frequently uses heraldic imagery to signify class structure, lineage, and the weight of historical legacy.

"horrid, horned": This could symbolize a figure associated with power or aggression, possibly drawing from mythological depictions of gods or heroes with horns. The blending of Irish and European mythological symbols suggests a larger commentary on war, power, and the human condition.

005.09-005.10: "Hohohoho, Mister Finn, you're going to be Mister Finnagain!"

"Mister Finn... Mister Finnagain": This is a playful reference to Finnegan and his inevitable fall and resurrection. The repetition of "Finn" emphasizes the cyclical nature of history, where the fall (like Humpty Dumpty) is followed by rebirth. The onomatopoeic "Hohohoho" adds a comedic tone, reflecting the farce of human ambition and failure.

005.12-005.13: "Hahahaha, Mister Funn, you're going to be fined again!"

"fined again": This phrase carries both legal and moral connotations, suggesting that Finnegan, or humanity at large, is constantly punished or fined for their transgressions. The pun on "funn" and "fined" plays with the idea that joy is met with punishment, a recurring theme in Joyce's work, where pleasure and guilt are intertwined.

005.14-005.16: "Our cubehouse still rocks as earwitness to the thunder of his arafatas but we hear also through successive ages"

"cubehouse": This could symbolize a modern, structured society, a "house of cards" that is vulnerable to collapse. The cube may represent the static nature of institutions, yet the thunder of his arafatas suggests that these structures are rocked by historical and natural forces.

"arafatas": Possibly a reference to fates or avatars, symbolic of powerful forces that shape human history. Joyce frequently uses such mythological and historical figures to underscore the cyclical forces of rise and fall.

005.17-005.19: "that shebby choruysh of unkalified muzzlenimiissilehims that would blackguardise the whitestone ever hurtleturtled out of heaven."

"blackguardise the whitestone": The whitestone could symbolize something pure or divine, perhaps alluding to Irish mythology or sacred stones like the Stone of Destiny. To blackguardise it would mean to defile or corrupt it, representing the fall of great civilizations or divine punishment.

"hurtleturtled": Joyce’s playful use of sound here mimics a crashing or falling from heaven. It echoes the story of Lucifer’s fall, connecting to the theme of fallen gods or great figures who suffer a dramatic downfall.

005.25-005.28: "It may half been a missfired brick, as some say, or it mought have been due to a collupsus of his back promises, as others looked at it."

"missfired brick": This phrase might allude to an accident or misstep, a literal or metaphorical fall that signals the downfall of Finnegan (or great figures in history). The idea of a "collupsus of back promises" refers to the failure of unkept promises, suggesting that political or personal failings are at the root of human collapses.

005.29-005.30: "But so sore did abe ite ivvy's holired abbles, (what with the wallhall's horrors of rollsrights, carhacks, stonengens"

"ivvy's holired abbles": A clear biblical reference to Adam and Eve (Eve's apple), this phrase continues the theme of sin and fall that runs through the text. The forbidden apple is a central symbol of humanity's fall from grace, and Joyce cleverly transforms this myth into a commentary on Finnegan’s own downfall.

Conclusion:

Page 5 of Finnegans Wake is rich in Hiberno-English, Irish historical references, and biblical allusions, all filtered through Joyce’s playful, multi-layered language. The passage explores the cyclical nature of human history, symbolized by Finnegan’s fall and resurrection, while also addressing themes of sin, punishment, and renewal. Joyce's use of sexual innuendo, particularly in the punning phrases like "Finnagain" and "fined again", adds a layer of humor to the exploration of serious themes like human ambition and failure. The dense, symbolic language reflects Joyce’s broader effort to blend mythology, history, and personal experience into a singular, universal narrative.

Summary of Page 6 of Finnegans Wake: The City

Page 6 of Finnegans Wake continues to depict the fall of Finnegan, with the imagery shifting between urban chaos, the funeral wake, and references to Irish mythology and history. The passage intertwines Hiberno-English, Irish cultural elements, and playful sexual innuendo to create a narrative that simultaneously evokes the collapse of Finnegan and the cyclical nature of history. Joyce blends battles, religion, and philosophy in his dense, multi-layered language, while introducing vivid characters and scenes that reflect both mythological and contemporary Irish society.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

006.01-006.04: "blightblack workingstacks at twelvepins a dozen and the noobi- busses sleighding along Safetyfirst Street and the derryjellybies snooping around Tell-No-Tailors' Corner"

"blightblack workingstacks": This phrase likely refers to industrialization and the transformation of the Irish landscape. The blackened chimneys of factories, combined with the phrase "twelvepins a dozen," evokes images of urbanization and pollution in Dublin, as industrial "working stacks" fill the city. The industrial darkness reflects the decline of old ways of life in Ireland.

"noobibusses sleighding along Safetyfirst Street": Joyce’s reference to new buses ("noobibusses") hints at the increasing modernization of Ireland. "Safetyfirst Street" reflects the growing industrialization and mechanization of Dublin’s cityscape, possibly suggesting a tension between progress and tradition.

"derryjellybies": A playful term that combines Derry (an Irish city) and jelly (likely implying instability or gossip). These characters snoop around, possibly indicating political unrest or curiosity about secrets. Tell-No-Tailors’ Corner could be a metaphorical representation of places where secrets and lies are common, reflective of Irish political intrigues.

006.05-006.08: "and the fumes and the hopes and the strupithump of his ville's indigenous romekeepers, homesweepers, domecreepers"

"strupithump": This onomatopoeic word mimics the thumping noise of urban life, echoing both the industrial and domestic activities in the city. Joyce emphasizes the chaos and noise that dominate the urban landscape, blending it with the personal downfall of Finnegan.

"romekeepers, homesweepers, domecreepers": These terms evoke different occupations and roles in society, combining domestic chores and city life with a reference to Rome, symbolizing power and imperialism. Joyce contrasts sacred and secular roles through these descriptions, with a suggestion that even the most powerful structures (Rome) are subject to fall and collapse, mirroring Finnegan’s downfall.

006.08-006.09: "His howd feeled heavy, his hoddit did shake. (There was a wall of course in erection)"

"howd feeled heavy, his hoddit did shake": The imagery here points to physical labor and fatigue. Finnegan, the symbolic builder, feels the weight of his work, which may also be a metaphor for the burden of history. The shaking hod (a tool used by builders to carry bricks) signals instability, both physically and metaphorically.

Sexual Innuendo: "There was a wall of course in erection" is a clear example of Joyce’s playful sexual innuendo. While referring to the construction of a wall, the word "erection" carries a double meaning, reflecting the sexual energy and phallic imagery often present in Joyce’s descriptions of falls and rises.

006.10-006.12: "Dimb! He stottered from the latter. Damb! he was dud. Dumb! Mastabatoom, mastabadtomm, when a mon merries his lute is all long."

"Dimb! Damb! Dumb!": This series of words mimics the sound of falling or failure, reflecting Finnegan’s literal and metaphorical fall. Joyce's use of repetition and sound heightens the sense of collapse.

"Mastabatoom, mastabadtomm": A playful pun on masturbation (mastabatoom), followed by a mock-sorrowful tone ("mastabadtomm"). Joyce uses this wordplay to explore themes of solitude and sexuality, suggesting that Finnegan’s downfall is linked to both personal and sexual struggles.

006.13-006.15: "Macool, Macool, orra whyi deed ye diie? of a trying thirstay mournin?"

"Macool": A reference to Finn MacCool, the legendary Irish hero. This line is a lament for the fall of a great hero, with MacCool standing in for both the mythic Finn MacCool and the contemporary Finnegan. The reference to "thirstay mournin" may suggest alcohol as a contributing factor to his fall, tying the mythic and the mundane together.

006.16-006.19: "Sobs they sighdid at Fillagain's chrissormiss wake, all the hoolivans of the nation, prostrated in their consternation"

"Fillagain's chrissormiss wake": A play on Finnegan's wake, which refers to both the Irish folk song about a man who falls from a ladder and revives at his wake, and Finnegan’s own metaphorical fall. The wake symbolizes both death and resurrection, central themes in Irish culture and Joyce’s work.

"all the hoolivans of the nation": Likely a reference to the Hooligans, a term for rowdy people. Joyce may be mocking the mourners at the wake, representing the Irish people mourning their fallen heroes.

006.20-006.22: "Belling him up and filling him down. He's stiff but he's steady is Priam Olim!"

"Priam Olim": A reference to Priam, the king of Troy in Greek mythology, who witnessed the fall of Troy. By comparing Finnegan to Priam, Joyce emphasizes the universality of downfall, drawing from both Irish and classical history to show the cyclical nature of power and collapse.

"stiff but he's steady": This phrase hints at both death (rigor mortis) and resilience, echoing the dual themes of collapse and survival. There may also be a subtle sexual undertone in the phrase "stiff," continuing Joyce’s use of innuendo.

006.23-006.27: "E'erawhere in this whorl would ye hear sich a din again? With their deepbrow fundigs and the dusty fidelios. They laid him brawdawn alanglast bed."

"whorl": Refers to the spiral nature of the narrative, where everything comes around in cycles. The chaos of life ("din") is ever-present, and the repetition of historical events and figures is a major theme in Finnegans Wake.

"deepbrow fundigs and dusty fidelios": These are likely references to intellectual or philosophical pursuits ("deepbrow") and traditions ("fidelios"). Joyce contrasts the intellectual pursuit of truth with the reality of death, as Finnegan is laid to rest.

006.23-006.25: "With a bockalips of finisky fore his feet. And a barrowload of guenesis hoer his head."

"bockalips of finisky": This is a pun on whiskey ("finisky") and apocalypse, suggesting a dramatic conclusion or celebration of Finnegan’s fall. Whiskey plays a key role in the Finnegan’s Wake folk tale, where whiskey revives the dead man at his wake.

"barrowload of guenesis": A barrowload of Guinness (Irish stout) is being placed over Finnegan’s head. The juxtaposition of religious (Genesis) and secular (Guinness) continues Joyce’s blend of sacred and profane imagery.

006.29-006.30: "Hurrah, there is but young gleve for the owl globe wheels in view which is tautaulogically the same thing."

"owl globe wheels in view": This phrase symbolizes the cyclical nature of the world, with the globe continuing to spin despite individual rises and falls. Joyce emphasizes that history repeats itself, suggesting that the fall of one hero (Finnegan) is part of a larger cosmic cycle.

006.31-006.36: "let wee peep, see, at Hom, well, see peegee ought he ought, platterplate. Hum! From Shopalist to Bailywick or from ashtun to baronoath"

"peep, see, at Hom": This could be a reference to Homer and the Odyssey, where characters engage in epic journeys. Joyce’s playful use of language links Finnegan’s fall with the grand epic traditions of ancient literature, showing how personal stories can mirror universal myths.

Irish Placenames: "Shopalist to Bailywick", "ashtun to baronoath" are references to various places, e.g. Chapelizod in Ireland, grounding the epic themes in local, everyday geography. This reflects Joyce’s broader mission of blending the mythic with the mundane.

Conclusion:

Page 6 of Finnegans Wake intricately weaves together Hiberno-English, Irish history, mythology, and religious references, all underscored by Joyce’s playful use of sexual innuendo. The passage continues to explore the theme of fall and resurrection, with Finnegan embodying the universal hero who rises and falls in a cyclical pattern, much like Irish history itself. Joyce’s linguistic innovation, with portmanteau words and puns, captures the essence of Dublin’s modernization, while echoing the mythic past that lingers in Irish culture.

7-8: Landscape foreshadows H.C.E. and A.~LP. 8-io: Visit to Willingdone Museyroom 10: The Earwicker house 10-12: Biddy the hen finds the letter in the midden heap 12-13: Dublin landscape 13-15: Pre-history of Ireland—the invaders (including the birth of Shem and Shaun, p. 14) 15-18: Mutt and Jute recount the Battle of Clontarf 18-20: The development of the Alphabet and Numbers 21-23: The Tale of Jan van Hoother and the Prankquean 23-24: The Fall 25: Finnegan's Wake revisited 25-29: Restless Finnegan is told about the present age 29: H.C.E. introduced

Summary of Page 7 of Finnegans Wake: The Wake

Page 7 of Finnegans Wake continues the exploration of Finnegan’s fall and wake, blending Irish mythology, language, and history with an enigmatic portrayal of a night scene filled with sounds and images. The language is infused with Hiberno-English and contains numerous references to Irish culture, place names, and mythology, often embedded within Joyce’s characteristic wordplay and puns. The passage is filled with musicality, created through the rhythmic and alliterative nature of Joyce’s writing, which evokes the flowing, cyclical narrative structure of the novel.

The page depicts the mythical and the mundane coexisting, with the character of Finnegan now fading into the past ("Finiche! Only a fadograph of a yestern scene") as Joyce moves into an exploration of nighttime imagery and dreamlike reflections on Irish landscapes and cultural archetypes. There are hints of sexual innuendo and playful soundscapes throughout the passage, suggesting both fall and resurrection, reflecting the core themes of the novel.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

007.01-007.02: "rockbound (hoahoahoah!) in swimswamswum and all the livvy-long night, the delldale dalppling night, the night of bluerybells"

"rockbound": This imagery evokes the Irish landscape, specifically Howth (often linked to Finnegans Wake), which is a rocky promontory near Dublin. The rock symbolizes stability and permanence, but the surrounding imagery of swimming and night suggests fluidity and change, reflecting the cyclical nature of life in the novel.

"livvy-long night": A playful version of "long night", with a reference to Anna Livia Plurabelle, the personification of the River Liffey. Joyce frequently evokes water and river imagery to symbolize the flow of time, history, and memory.

"bluerybells": The word "bluerybells" merges bluebells (flowers) with the idea of bells ringing, creating a sense of musicality. It suggests both natural beauty and the melancholy of night, combining the rhythm of nature and sound in a typical Joycean fashion.

007.03: "her flittaflute in tricky trochees (O carina! O carina!) wake him."

"flittaflute in tricky trochees": This line emphasizes rhythm and musicality. The flute is a soft, flowing instrument, likely symbolizing Anna Livia, whose presence wakes the sleeping Finnegan. The use of "trochees", a metrical foot in poetry, adds to the lyrical quality of the passage.

"O carina! O carina!": The carina could refer to a small flute or whistle, emphasizing the connection to music and sound. It also suggests a song of mourning or awakening, in line with the wake theme of the novel.

Summary of Page 7 of Finnegans Wake: (7-8: Landscape foreshadows H.C.E. and A.L.P.)

Page 7 of Finnegans Wake is dense with musicality, mythology, and wordplay, as it portrays Finnegan’s wake through a blend of Hiberno-English, Irish cultural references, and playful language. The passage focuses on a mythical dinner scene where Finnegan’s body is metaphorically consumed, and his fall is further elaborated through food and drink imagery. Joyce also introduces Anna Livia Plurabelle, personifying the River Liffey, and uses her to reflect themes of fluidity, resurrection, and decay.

Joyce’s writing on this page emphasizes the cyclical nature of time and myth, as well as the fall of heroes (like Finnegan) from both Irish and classical traditions. The page also contains a mix of Latin phrases and sexual innuendo, while landscape and nature imagery appear as Finnegan fades into the background, leaving behind a dreamlike depiction of Ireland’s geography and mythic past.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

007.05-007.06: "Tilling a teel of a tum, telling a toll of a teary turty Taubling."

"Tilling a teel of a tum": This phrase is an example of Joyce’s use of Hiberno-English wordplay. "Tilling" suggests plowing or cultivating, while "teel" could be an Irish rendering of tale. The phrase may evoke the idea of telling stories of sorrow ("tum" being tomb or death), tying into the theme of mourning.
"teary turty Taubling": This phrase echoes a childlike rhyme but also hints at religious overtones, with "teary" suggesting sadness or lamentation, and "toll" evoking the tolling of bells, typically associated with death or funerals.

007.07-007.09: "Grace before Glutton. For what we are, gifs à gross if we are, about to believe. So pool the begg and pass the kish for crawsake."

"Grace before Glutton": This phrase juxtaposes religious imagery with gluttony, suggesting a satirical take on the ritual of grace before meals. It reflects the broader fall-and-rise theme of the novel, where grace (religious salvation) precedes indulgence (gluttony or sin).
"pass the kish for crawsake": The kish refers to a type of basket in Irish tradition. The phrase plays on "for Christ’s sake", humorously altered to "crawsake," mixing the sacred and profane, a characteristic of Joyce’s style. It reflects a ritualistic sharing in a mythical feast, echoing both Christian communion and pagan feasts.

007.09-007.11: "Grampupus is fallen down but grinny sprids the boord. Whase on the joint of a desh? Finfoefom the Fush."

"Grampupus is fallen down": This refers to Finnegan, the central figure whose fall (like Humpty Dumpty) is a key event in the novel. "Grampupus" could be a playful mix of grandpa and Octopus, linking Finnegan to an older, wise figure, now fallen.
"Finfoefom the Fush": A play on Fee-fi-fo-fum from the Jack and the Beanstalk fairy tale. The transformation of Fish to Fush emphasizes the mythical and surreal aspects of the wake scene, where Finnegan’s death is woven into a childlike refrain.

007.11-007.12: "And whase hitched to the hop in his tayle? A glass of Danu U'Dunnell's foamous olde Dobbelin ayle."

"Danu U'Dunnell": This could be a reference to Danu, the mother goddess in Irish mythology. U'Dunnell combines the O'Donnell clan with brewery imagery, as "Dobbelin ayle" (Dublin Ale) plays on traditional Irish drinks. Joyce’s use of mythology and beer here ties Finnegan’s fall to a communal, ritualistic consumption of Irish identity, through myth and drink.

007.13-007.15: "quaffoff his fraudstuff and sink teeth through that pyth of a flowerwhite bodey behold of him as behemoth for he is noewhemoe. Finiche!"

"quaffoff his fraudstuff": This line reflects communal drinking at Finnegan’s wake, where his body (metaphorically) is consumed. The "fraudstuff" may refer to the deceptive nature of death, implying that Finnegan is not truly gone but will return, as suggested by the cyclical structure of the novel.
"Finiche!": A playful combination of Finnegan and finis (the Latin word for "end"). This signals Finnegan’s temporary demise, with the expectation of his eventual resurrection, highlighting the cyclical nature of history.

007.16-007.18: "Almost rubicund Salmosalar, ancient fromout the ages of the Agapemonides, he is smolten in our mist, woebecanned and packt away."

"Salmosalar": This is likely a reference to Salmon, possibly evoking the Salmon of Knowledge from Irish mythology. Salmon is a symbol of wisdom and continuity, which aligns with Finnegan’s legacy as a mythical figure. The "rubicund" (red or flushed) quality of the salmon symbolizes its enduring importance.
"Agapemonides": Refers to Agape (Greek for love) and monides (followers), possibly linking to a religious or philosophical community. This hints at the spiritual dimension of Finnegan’s character, suggesting that even though he is "packt away", his influence persists.

007.20-007.21: "Yet may we not see still the brontoichthyan form outlined aslumbered, even in our own nighttime by the sedge of the troutling stream"

"brontoichthyan": A portmanteau of brontosaurus (thunder lizard) and ichthyan (fish-like), suggesting a prehistoric or mythic creature. This image of a slumbering giant reinforces the idea that Finnegan, like a mythic creature, may have fallen but remains present in the landscape, particularly by rivers (evoking Anna Livia, the Liffey).
"troutling stream": Likely a reference to Irish rivers such as the Liffey, symbolizing nature, time, and history. The sedge (grass by the water) further reinforces the connection to Irish landscapes.

007.23-007.25: "Whatif she be in flags or flitters, reekierags or sundyechosies, with a mint of mines or beggar a pinnyweight."

"flags or flitters": This phrase suggests that Anna Livia (the personification of the river) can appear in different guises, whether rich or poor. Joyce uses this image to emphasize the fluidity and variability of time and history, where figures like Anna Livia shift between states of abundance and poverty.
"mint of mines or beggar a pinnyweight": Refers to the contrast between wealth and poverty. The River Liffey (and Ireland itself) has endured fluctuations in fortune, a theme Joyce weaves throughout the novel.

007.26-007.27: "Arrah, sure, we all love little Anny Ruiny, or, we mean to say, lovelittle Anna Rayiny, when unda her brella, mid piddle med puddle, she ninnygoes nannygoes nancing by."

"Anny Ruiny" and "Anna Rayiny": A clear reference to Anna Livia, transformed into "Ruiny" and "Rayiny", reflecting her dual nature as both the river that nourishes and the ruin that floods. Joyce uses these nicknames to emphasize the contradictory forces embodied in the figure of Anna Livia.
"unda her brella": Suggests a childlike image of Anna Livia walking with an umbrella, further reinforcing the innocence and fluidity of her character.

007.28-007.30: "Brontolone slaaps, yoh snoores. Upon Benn Heather, in Seeple Isout too. The cranic head on him, caster of his reasons, peer yuthner in yondmist."

"Brontolone slaaps": Another reference to the sleeping giant Finnegan, whose snoring evokes thunder ("Bronto" meaning thunder). The giant figure slumbering on a hilltop (like Benn Heather) represents both the mythic and monumental nature of Finnegan, whose presence continues to shape the landscape.

"Seeple Isout too": A phonetic rendering of "Steeple Is Out", suggesting that the church steeple (or other tall, upright structures) has fallen or disappeared. This adds to the theme of collapse and decay.

"The cranic head on him": The cranial imagery may refer to Finnegan’s thoughts and wisdom, now disconnected from the body. This may represent how fallen figures lose their ability to think or act but still possess symbolic importance.

007.31-007.32: "His clay feet, swarded in verdigrass, stick up starck where he last fellonem, by the mund of the magazine wall, where our maggy seen all, with her sisterin shawl."

"clay feet, swarded in verdigrass": This phrase contains a mix of mythological and earthly imagery. "Clay feet" suggests human fragility, and the "verdigrass" (green grass) covering them hints at how nature reclaims the body after death. The mythical hero is now absorbed into the land, connecting Finnegan to the natural cycle of decay and rebirth.

"mund of the magazine wall": "Mund" may refer to the world or the mouth, possibly suggesting a location of knowledge or conflict. Magazine wall could evoke images of fortifications, with "maggy seen all" possibly being a pun on the personification of wisdom, observing the events surrounding Finnegan’s fall.

007.33-007.36: "While over against this belles' alliance beyind Ill Sixty, ollollowed ill! bagsides of the fort, bom, tarabom, tarabom, lurk the ombushes, the site of the lyffing-in-wait of the upjock and hockums."

"belles' alliance": This might refer to female alliances or gatherings, perhaps recalling the women who mourn or observe Finnegan’s fall. Belles could reference the beautiful women (like Anna Livia), who play a key role in Irish myths.

"bom, tarabom, tarabom": These rhythmic words suggest drums or battle sounds, evoking a scene of conflict. The onomatopoeic sound here ties into the theme of war and ambush, blending mythic battles with historical struggles in Ireland.

"lyffing-in-wait of the upjock and hockums": The phrase refers to an ambush or attack, possibly alluding to historical Irish rebellions or conflicts. The use of "upjock" and "hockums" might signify attackers or tricksters, continuing Joyce’s focus on the battles and struggles that define Irish history.

Conclusion:

Page 7 of Finnegans Wake is rich in mythical, historical, and linguistic layers, blending Irish folklore with philosophical and religious imagery. Joyce's use of Hiberno-English, Latin, and playful wordplay creates a textured narrative that speaks to the cyclical nature of time, fall and resurrection, and the integration of human history with nature. The portrayal of Finnegan as a slumbering giant, absorbed into the landscape, reflects Ireland's own mythological past and natural beauty, while the humorous, often sexualized language infuses the text with a playful sense of vitality and rebirth.

Summary of Page 8 of Finnegans Wake: 8-10: Visit to Willingdone Museyroom

Page 8 of Finnegans Wake takes us deeper into the museomound (a mix of a museum and a mound, possibly a barrow), blending references to history, myth, and warfare in a highly fragmented, playful narrative. The passage portrays a visit to the Willingdone Museyroom, a satirical museum display of historical events, particularly battles. Joyce draws heavily on Irish history and European military history, including the Battle of Waterloo (referred to as "Waterloose") and the campaigns of Napoleon ("Lipoleum"). The descriptions blur the boundaries between fact and fiction, mingling military items and national figures with mythological elements and Joyce's signature wordplay.

The passage is rich in Hiberno-English and Irish placenames, while sexual innuendo and playful language are evident throughout, particularly in Joyce's portrayal of military figures and their phallic associations.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

008.01-008.02: "enjoyable of our mounding's mass, now Wallinstone national museum, with, in some greenish distance, the charmful waterloose country"

"Wallinstone national museum": Likely a playful distortion of Wellington, referencing the Duke of Wellington, who defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo (here referred to as "Waterloose"). The mention of "national museum" satirizes the way history is displayed and monumentalized, poking fun at the institutionalization of history.
"Waterloose country": A pun on Waterloo, reflecting Joyce’s Irish-centric view on European history. By changing "Waterloo" to "Waterloose," Joyce injects a playful element that hints at both the loss and chaos of battle. Waterloo becomes a fluid, shifting memory rather than a fixed historical event.

008.03-008.04: "the two quitewhite villagettes who hear show of themselves so gigglesomes minxt the follyages, the prettilees!"

"two quitewhite villagettes": These may be a reference to Wellington and Napoleon, portrayed as "villagettes", diminutive figures within this broader historical and mythological tableau. Joyce’s use of diminutives emphasizes the absurdity and irrelevance of these once-mighty figures.
"gigglesomes": This phrase conveys a childlike innocence, suggesting that these figures or characters (perhaps villagers or historical spectators) are laughing or mocking the pomp of military history.
"minxt the follyages": A blend of foliage and folly, further reinforcing the farcical nature of this historical display, where serious battles are reduced to playful absurdities.

008.05-008.06: "Penetrators are permitted into the museomound free. Welsh and he Paddy Patkinses, one shelenk!"

"Penetrators": Joyce uses this word with clear sexual innuendo, suggesting that those who visit the museomound (a blend of museum and burial mound) are engaging in an act of penetration. The mound itself can be seen as a feminine image, reinforcing the sexual undertones.
"Paddy Patkinses": A stereotypical Irish figure, Paddy Patkins represents the Irish people (contrasted with the Welsh) who are given one shilling ("shelank") for entry, satirizing the commercialization of history and the way national identities are commodified.

008.09-008.11: "Now yiz are in the Willingdone Museyroom. This is a Prooshious gunn. This is a ffrinch. Tip. This is the flag of the Prooshious, the Cap and Soracer."

"Willingdone Museyroom": Refers to the Duke of Wellington, whose name is phonetically transformed into "Willingdone." The Museyroom is a distorted museum that parodies the display of military artifacts and nationalism.
"Prooshious gunn": A playful distortion of Prussian, referring to the Prussian army and its role in Napoleon’s defeat. This is further evidence of Joyce’s satirical take on military and national symbols.
"Cap and Soracer": Likely a pun on cap and sword or cap and sorcerer, suggesting a blend of military power and magic or trickery. Joyce often critiques the mythologizing of military figures, who are portrayed as larger-than-life yet fundamentally human and flawed.

008.13-008.15: "This is the bullet that byng the flag of the Prooshious. This is the ffrinch that fire on the Bull that bang the flag of the Prooshious. Saloos the Crossgunn!"

"byng the flag": Likely a play on the word "bring", referring to the bullets that decide battles and shift national allegiances. The Prussian flag being shot at could signify the violence and absurdity of war, where nations are defined by bloodshed.
"Saloos the Crossgunn": Likely a pun on "salute" and "crossgun" (crossbow or military weapon), blending religious and military symbols. Joyce mocks the ritualistic reverence for military symbols, turning them into objects of playful satire.

008.16-008.18: "This is the triplewon hat of Lipoleum. Tip. Lipoleumhat. This is the Willingdone on his same white harse, the Cokenhape."

"triplewon hat of Lipoleum": Refers to Napoleon’s iconic hat, distorted into "Lipoleum" as a mix of Napoleon and linoleum (a mundane material), further diminishing his legendary status. "Triplewon" is a pun on "three-cornered", mocking the once-dignified figure.
"Willingdone on his same white harse": Another reference to Wellington (Willingdone) riding his "white horse", an image meant to convey power and majesty, but "harse" (a blend of horse and arse) deflates the dignity. Joyce constantly mocks these larger-than-life military figures by bringing them down to earthy, bodily realities.

008.22-008.23: "This is the three lipoleum boyne grouching down in the living detch. This is an inimyskilling inglis, this is a scotcher grey, this is a davy, stooping."

"three lipoleum boyne": References the Battle of the Boyne, an important conflict in Irish history between the forces of William of Orange and King James II. By merging the Boyne with Napoleonic imagery, Joyce conflates Irish and European military history, suggesting their similar absurdities.
"inimyskilling inglis": Likely a pun on Enniskillen, a town with military history, and enemy-killing English soldiers. The phrase emphasizes the role of the British army in both Irish conflicts and European wars.

008.24-008.25: "A Gallawghurs argaumunt. This is the petty lipoleum boy that was nayther bag nor bug."

"Gallawghurs argaumunt": Likely refers to Galloglass, mercenary warriors from medieval Irish history. Their "argument" could imply an internal conflict or skirmish, drawing on Ireland’s long history of factional warfare.
"nayther bag nor bug": This phrase uses Hiberno-English to describe a figure who doesn’t fit into any clear category. The petty lipoleum boy is neither a hero nor a villain, highlighting Joyce’s theme that historical figures are more complex than national myths suggest.

008.27: "Assaye, assaye! Touchole Fitz Tuomush. Dirty MacDyke. And Hairy O'Hurry. All of them arminus-varminus."

"Assaye, assaye!": Likely a reference to the Battle of Assaye (1803), where the Duke of Wellington (Willingdone) was victorious against the Maratha Empire. Joyce plays with the battle cry, mimicking the sound of "essay" or "assay", blending military victory with intellectual effort.

"Touchole Fitz Tuomush": This name plays with Irish naming conventions and adds a humorous touch with the use of "Touchole", hinting at sexual innuendo. "Fitz" refers to the Fitzgerald lineage (a common Irish noble name), while Tuomush sounds like "too much," suggesting excess and perhaps clumsiness.

"Dirty MacDyke": Joyce uses sexual innuendo here, where "MacDyke" can refer both to a Scottish clan and evoke images of sexual vulgarity. The combination of "Dirty" and "MacDyke" could be satirizing historical or mythic characters with exaggeratedly crude or rough traits, in keeping with Joyce’s playful treatment of historical figures.

"Hairy O'Hurry": Another humorous name combining "Hairy" (suggesting roughness or virility) and "O'Hurry", evoking a sense of haste or impatience. This could be seen as a caricature of heroic Irish figures, mocking their often romanticized depictions in folklore.

"arminus-varminus": This phrase blends the Latin "armin" (related to arms or weapons) with "varminus", which could imply a verminous, sneaky nature. Joyce is likely commenting on the brutal nature of warfare and the moral ambiguity of soldiers, turning them into almost comic, vermin-like figures.

008.28-008.30: "This is Delian alps. This is Mont Tivel, this is Mont Tipsey, this is the Grand Mons Injun. This is the crimealine of the alps hooping to sheltershock the three lipoleums."

"Delian alps": The Delian Alps blend the myth of Delos (the birthplace of Apollo in Greek mythology) with the Alps, possibly evoking Wellington’s campaigns across Europe, where the Alps would be a significant geographical marker.

"Mont Tivel, Mont Tipsey": Joyce transforms Mont Tivel and Mont Tipsey into playful parodies of historical places (possibly real mountains or battle sites) that get reduced to their comic, exaggerated forms. The name "Tipsey" could allude to drunkenness, mocking the seriousness of historical events.

"Grand Mons Injun": Likely a reference to Mont Saint-Jean, the ridge where the Battle of Waterloo occurred. Joyce transforms it into "Grand Mons Injun", playing on the word "Indian" and possibly referencing colonialism, exaggerating the battle into a mythical confrontation. This line draws attention to the way historical battles are mythologized, making them seem larger than life.

"crimealine of the alps hooping to sheltershock the three lipoleums": The "crimealine" may refer to the Crimea or Alps, blurring the lines between European battlefields. "Sheltershock" evokes the idea of shell shock (post-traumatic stress), but with a playful twist, emphasizing the chaos and absurdity of war. The three lipoleums continue to reference Napoleon’s campaigns, reducing them to comic struggles.

008.31-008.32: "This is the jinnies with their legahorns feinting to read in their handmade's book of stralegy while making their war undisides the Willingdone."

"the jinnies": Likely refers to women or soldiers (with possible connections to genies or spirits), who are engaged in strategic warfare. Their "legahorns" might reference hats (leghorns) or horns (indicating power or deception). The image of them "feinting to read" highlights the artificiality and pretense of military strategy, suggesting that the plans are more about appearance than real substance.

"handmade's book of stralegy": Refers to a handmade (homemade) book of strategy, further satirizing the idea of war planning. Joyce diminishes the seriousness of war by showing it as contrived and laughable.

008.34-008.36: "This is big Willingdone mormorial tallowscoop Wounderworker obscides on the flanks of the jinnies. Sexcaliber hrosspower."

"big Willingdone": A distorted reference to the Duke of Wellington, whom Joyce often casts as a grand yet laughable figure. Here, Wellington is portrayed as an oversized, almost comic hero.

"mormorial tallowscoop Wounderworker": This phrase likely parodies memorial statues of great military leaders, casting Wellington as a "Wounderworker" (working wounds rather than miracles). The phrase "tallowscoop" might suggest something grotesque or artificial, reducing Wellington’s memorial to an absurd spectacle. Ulysses reference 17.1819-21: 1 prospectus of The Wonderworker, the world's greatest remedy for rectal complaints

"Sexcaliber hrosspower": A pun on Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur, which here becomes "Sexcaliber", injecting the passage with sexual innuendo. The reference to horsepower (hrosspower) further exaggerates the mythic associations with heroism and power, turning them into comic symbols of masculinity and virility.

Conclusion:

Page 8 of Finnegans Wake illustrates Joyce’s intricate blending of Irish history, European military history, and mythology through dense Hiberno-English, wordplay, and satire. The depiction of the Willingdone Museyroom satirizes military pomp and nationalism, reducing great historical battles and figures to absurd, playful caricatures. Joyce’s use of sexual innuendo (e.g., "penetrators" and "mounds") and his linguistic play serve to undercut the seriousness of war, emphasizing its farcical nature. The playful destruction of military symbols reflects Joyce’s broader critique of history, where figures like Napoleon and Wellington are transformed into mere artifacts in a satirical museum.

Summary of Page 9 of Finnegans Wake:

Page 9 of Finnegans Wake continues Joyce's satirical depiction of historical battles and famous military figures, particularly Wellington (referred to as Willingdone) and Napoleon (referred to as Lipoleum). The text maintains its dense, parodic language, filled with Hiberno-English, wordplay, and references to both Irish history and European conflicts. The passage uses sexual innuendo, humorous reversals, and phonetically altered words to emphasize the absurdity of war, while also continuing the motif of rivalries between male military leaders.

Joyce mocks the nationalist glorification of figures like Wellington by reducing their accomplishments to childlike games and trivial squabbles. The passage also plays with Irish history, referencing figures like Oliver Cromwell and invoking places in Ireland such as Cork, alongside references to broader European and world events, including Belgium and Waterloo.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

009.01-009.02: "is me Belchum sneaking his phillippy out of his most Awful Grimmest Sunshat Cromwelly. Looted."

"Belchum": Refers to Belgium, which was a critical battleground during Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo. Joyce personifies Belgium as "Belchum", possibly combining "belch" (as in a belching sound, suggesting release or betrayal) with Belgium.

"phillippy": A possible pun on Philip, either Philip II of Spain or Philippic (a term for a fiery speech), suggesting that Belgium is sneaking away or betraying someone.

"Grimmest Sunshat Cromwelly": A reference to Oliver Cromwell, whose campaigns in Ireland are seen as brutal and grim. The "sunshat" could signify both a hat and the shutting out of the sun, referring to Cromwell’s dark and devastating legacy in Irish history, particularly the sacking of towns like Drogheda.

009.03-009.05: "This is the jinnies' hastings dispatch for to irrigate the Willingdone. Dispatch in thin red lines cross the shortfront of me Belchum. Yaw, yaw, yaw!"

"jinnies": Likely refers to female or diminutive forces, opposing the masculine military figures like Willingdone (Wellington). The use of feminized language ("jinnies") contrasts with the traditionally male-dominated narrative of war, perhaps mocking the pomp of military leadership.

"hastings dispatch": This could allude to dispatches from the Battle of Hastings or from any notable military campaign. The phrase hints at how military strategy is conveyed, but Joyce distorts it into something trivial, likening it to irrigation, as though war is a matter of controlling water flow.

"thin red lines": This phrase refers to the famous Thin Red Line of British soldiers (notably during the Crimean War), where soldiers held their ground against a much larger enemy. Joyce turns this serious military image into a farce, reducing it to a childish dispatch across the "shortfront" of Belgium.

009.06-009.07: "The jinnies is jillous agincourting all the lipoleums. And the lipoleums is gonn boycottoncrezy onto the one Willingdone."

"agincourting": A pun on the Battle of Agincourt, a significant English victory during the Hundred Years’ War. By turning it into a verb, Joyce creates a playful battle of courtship or courtly interaction, further reducing grand military history to games and mock battles.

"boycottoncrezy": A portmanteau of "boycott" and "cotton-crazy", suggesting a form of rebellion or refusal, mixed with an element of economic or industrial madness (as in the cotton industry). This reflects the chaos and absurdity of historical confrontations, particularly between Willingdone (Wellington) and Lipoleum (Napoleon).

009.10-009.12: "This is bode Belchum, bonnet to busby, breaking his secred word with a ball up his ear to the Willingdone. This is the Willingdone's hur-old dispitchback."

"bode Belchum": Once again personifying Belgium, this phrase could be referencing Belgium’s role as a battleground between European powers, with Belgium betraying its word (a nod to the shifting alliances during the Napoleonic Wars).

"bonnet to busby": Refers to different types of headwear, possibly symbolizing different military ranks or nationalities. A busby is a military headdress, often associated with British forces, adding to the idea of military costumes and the theatrical nature of war.

"hur-old dispitchback": This refers to Wellington sending a dispatch back (a report or message), but Joyce adds a playful twist by distorting the language ("hur-old"). The idea of messages and dispatches is key to military strategy, but Joyce mocks it by turning it into something clumsy and antiquated.

009.14: "Damn fairy ann, Voutre. Willingdone. That was the first joke of Willingdone, tic for tac."

"Damn fairy ann": Possibly a reference to fairy tales or the diminishment of Ann, a female character. Joyce uses this as a way of mocking the grandeur of war and its heroes, turning it into a "fairy tale" or fantasy. There is also a play on Irish mythology, where fairies (the Aos Sí) are considered powerful figures, but here they are trivialized.

"tic for tac": A playful reversal of the phrase "tit for tat", indicating a back-and-forth conflict. This could reference how Wellington and Napoleon (Willingdone and Lipoleum) continuously engaged in battles with each other.

009.19-009.20: "This is Roo-shious balls. This is a ttrinch. This is mistletropes. This is Canon Futter with the popynose. After his hundred days' indulgence."

"Roo-shious balls": Likely refers to Russia, hinting at Napoleon’s failed invasion of Russia (one of the key turning points that led to his downfall). The "balls" could either refer to cannonballs or the follies of war, further emphasizing the absurdity of grand military ambitions.

"ttrinch": A distorted version of trench, referencing trench warfare. Joyce uses double letters to make the word feel heavy and clumsy, possibly mocking the immobility and stalemate of trench warfare.

"Canon Futter with the popynose": A pun on "cannon fodder" (soldiers regarded as expendable), with Canon Futter turned into a character. The "popynose" likely refers to a figure with a bulbous or exaggerated nose, adding a caricature-like quality to this figure.

009.23-009.24: "This is the Willingdone, by the splinters of Cork, order fire. Tonnerre!"

"splinters of Cork": Refers to Cork, a major city in Ireland, historically significant in Irish struggles for independence. The phrase evokes imagery of splintered wood or armies in disarray, suggesting that even Wellington’s command is not immune to chaos.

"Tonnerre": French for "thunder", possibly representing the sound of battle or the clash of cannons. Joyce combines French and English, underscoring the Napoleonic Wars and the Anglo-French rivalry.

009.24: "(Bullsear! Play!) This is camelry, this is floodens, this is the"

"Bullsear! Play!": This phrase plays on bullseye, a term used to describe hitting the mark in target shooting, and "play", indicating both a military engagement and a childlike game. Joyce mocks the seriousness of war by reducing it to a game, where the "bullseye" is trivial and playful.

"camelry": Refers to camel cavalry, possibly alluding to the Napoleonic campaigns in Egypt. Joyce uses this exotic image to add an element of absurdity to the proceedings, further detaching the reader from the heroic narratives of war.

"floodens": A possible reference to the floods of soldiers or even floodwaters (evoking the chaotic, uncontrollable nature of battle). Joyce frequently uses water imagery to suggest both destruction and renewal, a common motif in Irish literature, particularly with Anna Livia Plurabelle as the personification of the River Liffey.

009.25: "solphereens in action, this is their mobbily, this is panickburns."

"solphereens": A distorted form of soldier-phalanx, representing soldiers in action, possibly derived from the French word "sphère" (sphere), suggesting a circular formation or a group. It likely refers to Napoleon’s armies, renowned for their innovative tactics.

"mobbily": Likely a playful take on mobility, referencing the movement of troops in battle. The humorous tone emphasizes the disorganization or chaotic energy of warfare.

"panickburns": A portmanteau of panic and burns, possibly referencing both panic attacks during battle and the burning of towns or villages. Joyce mocks the chaos of war and its tragic consequences, turning even horrific events into absurd, humorous language.

009.26: "Almeidagad! Arthiz too loose! This is Willingdone cry. Brum!"

"Almeidagad!": Likely an exclamation based on the Battle of Almeida, part of the Peninsular War (1807–1814), which Wellington fought. By blending this reference with "god", Joyce mocks the grandiosity of military proclamations, reducing it to farce.

"Arthiz too loose!": Could reference Arthur Wellesley (the Duke of Wellington), indicating that his control is slipping. The phrase "too loose" might also suggest the disarray of his forces, again highlighting the chaos of battle.

"Brum! Brum! Cumbrum!": This onomatopoeic phrase mimics the sound of drums or cannons during battle. Joyce emphasizes the mechanical, repetitive nature of war, where noise and destruction dominate the landscape.

009.27: "This is jinnies cry. Underwetter! Goat strip Finnlambs!"

"jinnies cry": Refers again to the feminized "jinnies", who are in opposition to Willingdone. Their cries suggest a retreat or protest during battle, further feminizing the male-dominated space of military history.

"Underwetter!": A distortion of underwater, this phrase likely signifies chaos and submersion in the battle. The water imagery is recurrent in Joyce's work, often symbolizing the submersion of history and memory.

"Goat strip Finnlambs!": This surreal phrase could refer to Finn MacCool, the Irish mythological hero, playing on his name by adding "lambs" to suggest innocence or vulnerability. The goat is often a symbol of sacrifice or lust, adding a layer of sexual innuendo to the battle imagery.

009.28-009.30: "This is jinnies rinning away to their ousterlists dowan a bunkersheels. With a nip nippy nip and a trip trippy trip so airy."

"rinnig away": A distorted form of "running away", describing the retreat of the jinnies. The playful language suggests that even their retreat is filled with comic absurdity, further reducing the seriousness of military conflict.

"ousterlists dowan a bunkersheels": Likely a playful distortion of "outskirts" and "bunker hills", referring to the jinnies retreating to the outskirts of the battlefield. The reference to Bunker Hill could also tie into the American Revolutionary War, blending multiple historical references.

"nip nippy nip and a trip trippy trip": This nursery rhyme-like language reduces the retreat to a childlike dance or game, further emphasizing the farcical nature of war.

009.31: "This is me Belchum's tinkyou tankyou silvoor plate for citchin the crapes in the cool of his canister. Poor the pay!"

"tinkyou tankyou silvoor plate": A playful phrase referring to silverware or a medal, perhaps mocking the decorations and honors given to military figures after battle. The repetitive "tinkyou tankyou" further emphasizes the hollow, performative nature of such honors.

"citchin the crapes in the cool of his canister": This phrase could refer to a soldier catching grapes (cannonballs) in his helmet or canister, symbolizing the futility of trying to survive or win in such chaotic circumstances. The absurd imagery adds to the sense of war as a nonsensical, chaotic event.

009.33-009.35: "This is the Willingdone branlish his same marmorial tallowscoop Sophy-Key-Po for his royal divorsion on the rinnaway jinnies."

"branlish": A playful distortion of "brandish", indicating Wellington (Willingdone) brandishing a weapon or symbol of authority. The word "branlish" emphasizes the performance of power, mocking the idea of military dominance.

"marmorial tallowscoop": Refers to a marmorial monument, blending the idea of a memorial statue with a tallow scoop, an absurd and melting symbol of impermanence. Joyce seems to be mocking the idea of grandiose military monuments, showing how they melt or decay over time.

"Sophy-Key-Po": Could be a distorted reference to Sophia, Wellington’s sister-in-law, or Sophia of Hanover, blending personal and royal elements. This play on names indicates Wellington’s diversion or distraction from the actual battle at hand, again undercutting his authority.

009.36: "Gambariste della porca! Dalaveras fimmieras! This is the pettiest"

"Gambariste della porca!": A mock Italian exclamation, possibly meaning "acrobats of the pig" or something similarly absurd. This phrase mocks the performance of battle, comparing military action to a circus or spectacle.

"Dalaveras fimmieras!": Another mock-Italian phrase that continues the absurdity, emphasizing how the foreign and familiar blend together in Joyce’s distorted language. By mimicking other languages, Joyce shows the global scope of warfare, but also its inherent absurdity.

Conclusion:

Page 9 of Finnegans Wake continues Joyce's satirical dissection of history, with a focus on the absurdity of war and military leadership. Figures like Wellington and Napoleon are portrayed as comic, flawed characters, reduced to childlike rivalries. Joyce's use of Hiberno-English, Irish history, and mythology grounds the text in an Irish perspective, while the broader references to European battles underscore the universality of these themes. Joyce's playful sexual innuendo and linguistic gymnastics reinforce his critique of the masculine egos behind warfare, portraying historical events as farce rather than grandeur.

Summary of Page 10 of Finnegans Wake: 10: The Earwicker house 10-12: Biddy the hen finds the letter in the midden heap

On page 10 of Finnegans Wake, Joyce continues his satirical deconstruction of European military history, once again focusing on the rivalry between Wellington (Willingdone) and Napoleon (Lipoleum). The text is packed with Hiberno-English wordplay, Irish historical references, and complex layers of cultural critique. Joyce uses absurd language and imagery to mock the pomp and grandeur of military figures, turning the symbolic rivalry between Wellington and Napoleon into a comedic farce, especially as he plays with Napoleon’s hat and Wellington’s imperial white horse. The text is full of playful sexual innuendo and ridiculous military posturing, reducing these grand historical figures to farcical characters. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

010.01-010.02: "of the lipoleums, Toffeethief, that spy on the Willingdone from his big white harse, the Capeinhope."

"lipoleums": Continuing the reference to Napoleon (Lipoleum), Joyce portrays him as a fallen figure whose remnants are still being observed or "spied upon" by a character named Toffeethief. This might be a humorous dig at Britain, implying that it "stole" military victories through spying and deceit.

"big white harse, the Capeinhope": The white horse symbolizes military power and dominance. The word "harse" (blending "horse" with "arse") undercuts the heroism often associated with this image, making it ridiculous. The reference to Capeinhope could allude to Cape of Good Hope, implying British colonial expansion and imperial power.

010.03-010.05: "Stonewall Willingdone is an old maxy montrumeny. Lipoleums is nice hung bushellors. This is hiena hinnessy laughing alout at the Willingdone."

"Stonewall Willingdone": A clear reference to Wellington, comparing him to a stone wall, symbolizing his steadfastness in battle. Joyce undermines this with "montrumeny" (monument), suggesting that figures like Wellington are relics, mere monuments of a past era, disconnected from the present.

"Lipoleums is nice hung bushellors": This phrase plays with sexual innuendo, hinting that Napoleon (Lipoleum) is "nicely hung," possibly poking fun at traditional images of masculine power. Joyce uses this innuendo to reduce Napoleon’s military might to an absurd sexual reference.

"hiena hinnessy laughing alout": A likely reference to Hennessy, the famous Irish whiskey, coupled with a hyena’s laugh. This suggests mocking laughter, potentially from Irish subjects, at the British military and its imperial ambitions. It underlines the absurdity of the colonial project, with "hinnessy" referring to both whiskey and the laughing hyena as symbols of mockery.

010.08-010.09: "the wixy old Willingdone picket up the half of the threefoiled hat of lipoleums fromoud of the bluddle filth."

"threefoiled hat of lipoleums": Refers to Napoleon’s iconic tricorne hat, which symbolizes his former power. Wellington picking up half of the hat from the bluddle filth (a Joyceian blend of blood and mud) suggests the aftermath of a battle, where Napoleon’s legacy has been reduced to a muddied and bloodied remnant. The imagery highlights the absurdity of war, reducing grand military symbols to childish props in a dirty battlefield.

010.13-010.14: "This is the same white harse of the Willingdone, Culpenhelp, waggling his tailoscrupp with the half of a hat of lipoleums to insoult on the hinndoo seeboy."

"Culpenhelp": A pun on culpa (Latin for guilt) and help, possibly indicating Wellington’s role in British imperial guilt, especially regarding the treatment of colonial subjects like the Indian sepoys.

"hinndoo seeboy": Refers to the Indian sepoys (soldiers employed by the British army during colonial rule). Joyce connects British imperialism with its colonial exploitation of India, subtly paralleling Ireland’s own colonial experience under British rule.

"tailoscrupp": A blend of "tail" and "scrub", emphasizing how Wellington’s horse, a symbol of imperial power, is wagging its tail mockingly with Napoleon’s hat attached to it. This is a further insult to Napoleon’s diminished power and a critique of the petty rivalry between the two leaders.

010.16-010.17: "This is the seeboy, madrashattaras, upjump and pumpim, cry to the Willingdone: Ap Pukkaru! Pukka Yurap!"

"madrashattaras": Likely a reference to Madras (modern-day Chennai), indicating the Indian colonial connection. The sepoys (Indian soldiers) are represented here as rebellious figures, jumping up and pumping their fists at Wellington.

"Pukkaru! Pukka Yurap!": "Pukka" means authentic or solid in Hindi. The sepoy cries out in mockery of European power ("Yurap"), underlining the absurdity of British imperialism and showing how colonial subjects turn European language against the empire.

010.21: "How Copenhagen ended. This way the museyroom. Mind your boots goan out."

"How Copenhagen ended": Refers to Wellington’s campaign in Copenhagen, but Joyce treats it as a trivial afterthought, reducing this historical event to a museum exhibit ("museyroom"), suggesting that history itself has become commodified and stripped of real significance.

"Mind your boots goan out": This phrase, delivered in Hiberno-English, gives the whole scene a mundane, everyday quality, showing how epic military history is just as trivial as the daily details of life. It also reflects Irish speech patterns, grounding the text in local linguistic traditions.

010.33-010.34: "gnarlybird ygathering, a runalittle, doalittle, preealittle, pouralittle, wipealittle, kicksalittle, severalittle, eatalittle, whinealittle, kenalittle, helfalittle, pelfalittle gnarlybird."

"gnarlybird": A likely reference to a mythical bird, possibly inspired by Irish folklore. The repetitive verbs ("runalittle, doalittle") mimic the rhythms of Irish oral storytelling and could represent the cyclical nature of history and life. The bird could symbolize a harbinger of doom or change, aligning with Irish myths where birds often signify messengers of the Otherworld.

The repetitive actions suggest the mundane, cyclical nature of existence, hinting at how history repeats itself in small, almost ridiculous ways.

010.35: "Under his seven wrothschields lies one, Lumproar."

"seven wrothschields": Likely a distorted reference to the Rothschild family, symbolizing wealth and power. By combining "wroth" (wrath) and "shields", Joyce suggests that even the wealthy and powerful (like Wellington and the Rothschilds) hide behind layers of anger and protection.

"Lumproar": Possibly a personified figure, "Lumproar" could symbolize the rage of the oppressed, lying beneath the seven shields of power, waiting to erupt. It highlights the tension between the privileged classes and the oppressed masses in history.

Conclusion:

Page 10 of Finnegans Wake exemplifies Joyce’s signature style, blending Hiberno-English, mythology, history, and satire into a dense, playful narrative. He mocks the grandeur of military figures, turning Wellington and Napoleon into absurd caricatures, while also inserting Irish cultural references and sexual innuendo. Joyce critiques imperialism, especially British colonialism in Ireland and India, using humor to expose the petty rivalries and power struggles of European history. The page reflects Joyce’s broader thematic concerns with history, power, and the cyclical nature of human conflict

Summary of What is Happening on Page 11 of Finnegans Wake

Page 11 of Finnegans Wake continues to explore Anna Livia Plurabelle (ALP), the archetypal feminine figure, symbolizing the River Liffey and the cyclical nature of life, history, and rebirth. ALP’s actions on this page reflect both a maternal and mysterious figure as she “steals” from the past to enrich the present, preparing for the future. There are multiple references to natural cycles, mythology, and Irish culture, all embedded in Joyce's multilayered language. The passage describes her gathering of objects, which represent remnants of the past, while also setting the stage for a future where the children are happy and the conflicts are resolved.

This page is full of Hiberno-English expressions, Irish historical references, and allusions to mythological and religious themes. The feminine and maternal roles of ALP are highlighted, emphasizing the idea of birth, nurturing, and cyclical renewal. Throughout, Joyce's playful language contains sexual innuendo, typical of his style, blending the sacred with the profane, the erotic with the maternal.

Line-by-Line Detailed Analysis

011.01-011.02: "The three of crows have flapped it southenly, kraaking of de baccle to the kvarters of that sky whence triboos answer; Wail, tis well!"

"Three of crows": Crows often symbolize death or omens in both Irish and other mythologies. They may also refer to the three soldiers or figures like the three old men, who often appear in the novel as representatives of different worldly perspectives. The crow is particularly associated with Morrígan, the Irish war goddess, who appears in the form of a crow to foretell death.
"Kraaking": The onomatopoeic rendering of a crow’s call, blending into “kraken,” possibly representing chaos or some monstrous force emerging. The sound itself serves as a form of prophecy, echoing across the sky.
"debacle": A hint of battle or conflict, possibly a reference to military defeats or societal upheavals.
"triboos": Could be a distorted form of tribune or tribes, linking to ancient assemblies or courts, or it could be a play on “tribute,” alluding to the call for answers or responses from the natural or mythic world.

011.03-011.05: "She niver comes out when Thon's on shower or when Thon's flash with his Nixy girls or when Thon's blowing toomcracks down the gaels of Thon."

"She": Refers to ALP, the mother figure or the River Liffey itself, whose passivity in moments of chaos is noted here. She stays hidden when Thon—possibly an allegorical representation of Thor, the Norse thunder god, or nature itself—is creating havoc.
"Nixy girls": This could reference water spirits, linking back to the nymphs and fairies of Irish mythology who are often tied to bodies of water. ALP, as the river, is surrounded by these figures but remains outside their tumultuous world.

011.09-011.10: "she comes, a peacefugle, a parody's bird, a peri potmother..."

"peacefugle": A portmanteau of peace and fugle (German for bird), suggesting that ALP is a symbol of peace but also fleeting and elusive. Joyce continues to emphasize the bird-like qualities of ALP, drawing from the avian imagery common in Celtic mythology, where birds often represent transcendence.
"peri": Refers to a fairy or supernatural being from Persian mythology, known for their beauty and grace. This aligns with the mythological aspects of ALP as a maternal and redemptive figure.

011.11-011.13: "flick flask fleckflinging its pixylighting pacts' huemeramybows, picking here, pecking there, pussypussy plunderpussy."

"pixylighting": A playful combination of pixies and lightning, indicating magical, mischievous forces at play, echoing the fairy lore of Ireland.
"pussypussy plunderpussy": This phrase plays on both childish language and sexual innuendo, demonstrating Joyce's characteristic blending of innocence with eroticism. ALP, as a maternal figure, also represents feminine sexuality, and the "plundering" here may allude to her role in taking from the past or gathering the remnants of history.

011.14-011.16: "there's to be a gorgeups truce for happinest childher everwere."

"gorgeups": A distortion of gorgeous, indicating beauty or delight. This line suggests that despite the current conflict, there will be a future truce or peace for children everywhere. ALP is the force that ensures this peace, gathering elements of the past to create a better future.

011.19-011.24: "curtrages and rattlin buttins, nappy spattees and flasks of all nations, clavicures and scampulars..."

ALP collects all kinds of objects from the past, from flasks and buttons to religious symbols like scapulars, showing how history is made up of scattered remnants. These objects could represent mementos of past lives or fragments of forgotten histories.
"flasks of all nations": Reflects Joyce’s global perspective, where he incorporates elements from various cultures, but Irishness remains central to ALP’s identity.

011.27-011.28: "With Kiss. Kiss Criss. Cross Criss. Kiss Cross. Undo lives 'end. Slain."

"Kiss Criss Cross": Repetition of words evokes both sexual intimacy and playful innocence. Joyce often blurs the line between the erotic and innocent, here using language to reflect ALP’s dual nature as both a nurturing mother and an eroticized feminine figure.
"Undo lives 'end": A reference to resurrection and cyclicality—even at the end of life, there is the potential for renewal.

011.29-011.31: "to steal our historic presents from the past postpropheticals so as to will make us all lordy heirs and ladymaidesses of a pretty nice kettle of fruit."

ALP is seen stealing from the past to create a better future. The "historic presents" she gathers are the pieces of forgotten history that she carries forward. Joyce suggests that we are all heirs to the past, whether we realize it or not.
"kettle of fruit": Likely a metaphor for the richness of the past, implying that what ALP gathers will be a feast of memory for future generations.

011.33-011.36: "She is livving in our midst of debt and laffing through all plores for us (her birth is uncontrollable), with a naperon for her mask and her sabboes kickin arias."

"livving in our midst of debt": This suggests that ALP (and perhaps Ireland itself) carries the weight of history and past debts, both literal and metaphorical, yet continues to laugh and thrive.
"her birth is uncontrollable": Emphasizes the natural force of ALP, who represents the eternal flow of time and life. She is beyond the control of society, politics, or culture, much like the River Liffey, which continues to flow through Dublin, unaffected by human history.
"sabboes kickin arias": Refers to clogs (wooden shoes) kicking up a tune, suggesting that ALP, despite her burdens, remains joyful and expressive. The arias could hint at Irish music or folk culture, where the ordinary and the joyful are celebrated despite hardships.

Themes and Motifs

Cyclicality and Time: ALP’s actions—gathering the past to inform the future—reflect Joyce’s larger theme of cyclical history. Her character is tied to the River Liffey, symbolizing the flow of time and how history is constantly being recycled and reinterpreted.
Feminine Archetypes: ALP is both nurturing and erotic, embodying the feminine duality

Page 11 of Finnegans Wake focuses on the continued exploration of Anna Livia Plurabelle (ALP), who symbolizes the River Liffey and the eternal feminine, as well as the fluidity of history, time, and memory. Joyce's portrayal of ALP combines maternal imagery with mystical references, making her a nurturing, yet elusive figure. She appears as a gatherer of objects and memories from the past, taking on the role of a cosmic figure in charge of maintaining continuity between historical moments and future possibilities. This sequence, like many in the novel, is filled with playful language, often bordering on eroticism but also showcasing Joyce's dense layering of mythological and historical references.

Summary of What is Happening on Page 12 of Finnegans Wake: 12-13: Dublin landscape

Page 12 of Finnegans Wake continues the flow of fragmented, kaleidoscopic narratives typical of Joyce's style. It features multiple themes, including reflections on work, life, and the cyclical nature of history. The page touches on gender roles, labor, class tensions, and financial survival, using dense wordplay and sexual innuendo. Anna Livia Plurabelle (ALP) appears again, representing the feminine force, and the text humorously navigates Hiberno-English, weaving in Irish history and cultural references through Joyce's intricate wordplay.

The imagery blends domesticity with references to labor, finances, and sexuality, while also invoking cycles of history, allusions to Irish geography, and philosophical reflections. The passage mixes colloquial Irish speech with grand, sometimes absurd, reflections on work, survival, and social structure, touching on ideas of mortality, resurrection, and the persistence of life.

Line-by-Line Detailed Analysis:

012.01-012.02: "for in the byways of high improvidence that's what makes life-work leaving and the world's a cell for citters to cit in."

"byways of high improvidence": The phrase suggests the unpredictable course of life, full of both chance and neglect. It refers to the unexpected and sometimes careless ways people live and work. Improvidence here hints at lack of foresight or the inability to plan for the future.
"citters to cit in": A play on "sitters to sit in," possibly referring to citizens confined by life’s circumstances. The phrase reflects the notion of life as confining and cyclical, particularly in relation to economic and social structures. The “world as a cell” evokes a prison, echoing the existential constraints faced by individuals, especially in an Irish context of colonial oppression.

012.03-012.04: "Let young wimman run away with the story and let young min talk smooth behind the butteler's back."

"wimman": The misspelling of "women" adds a layer of colloquialism, reflecting Joyce’s Hiberno-English dialect. The passage humorously suggests that women control the narrative, while men sneak around with smooth talk.
"behind the butteler's back": Likely a reference to social class dynamics—the servants and lower-class figures act behind the scenes while those in privileged positions (like the butler) remain unaware or indifferent. This could also hint at Joyce’s fascination with the hidden lives of ordinary people.

012.05-012.06: "Did ye save any tin? says he. Did I what? with a grin says she."

"tin": A colloquial Irish expression for money, signaling the financial concerns of the working class. The playful exchange reflects a married couple discussing their financial survival.
"Did I what?": A typical Irish idiomatic phrase, showing Joyce’s deep immersion in Hiberno-English. It reflects ALP’s quick-witted, humorous reply, inverting the expected meaning.

012.07-012.10: "Though the length of the land lies under liquidation (floote!)... she’ll loan a vesta and hire some peat..."

"under liquidation": A reference to economic hardship, possibly alluding to the collapse of the Irish economy or the broader effects of colonialism. The line suggests that despite financial ruin, ALP is resourceful, lending out a "vesta" (a match) to ignite the fire, symbolizing her ability to keep things going.
"peat": A traditional Irish fuel, used here to symbolize survival and domestic labor. Even in economic hardship, there is resourcefulness in tradition and labor.

012.11-012.12: "Poffpoff. And even if Humpty shell fall frumpty times as awkward again..."

"Humpty shell fall": A clear allusion to the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme, linking to Humpty Dumpty's fall as a metaphor for the downfall of figures in power (perhaps HCE). The line also invokes the broader theme of fall and resurrection, a recurrent motif in Finnegans Wake, hinting at the inevitability of collapse followed by attempts at recovery.

012.15-012.17: "So true is it that therewhere's a turnover the tay is wet too and when you think you ketch sight of a hind make sure but you're cocked by a hin."

"turnover" and "tay": A pun on tea (typical of Joyce’s wordplay), suggesting that with every upheaval or change (whether political, social, or personal), something else gets affected—here, even the tea spills when there's a turnover. This reflects the unpredictability of life and how little things can be impacted by larger forces.
"hind" and "hin": A humorous play on words, where what seems like the back (hind) of something is revealed to be a hen (hin) instead. This line reflects deception, misinterpretation, and the unexpected surprises in life.

012.18-012.20: "Then as she is on her behaviourite job of quainance bandy, fruting for firstlings and taking her tithe..."

"behaviourite job": Refers to ALP’s duties as a mother figure or caretaker. The play on "favorite" and "behavior" suggests she is nurturing the next generation and performing her roles dutifully.
"fruting for firstlings": Refers to gathering the first fruits of labor, a biblical reference to harvest or tithing, connecting ALP’s role to fertility and nurturing.

012.25-012.26: "Stand up, mickos! Make strake for minnas! By order, Nicholas Proud."

"mickos": A slang term for Irishmen, possibly addressing working-class men or laborers. This signals a call to action or attention, possibly reflective of military orders or working-class struggles. The Irish Guards – known affectionately throughout the Army as 'The Micks' – is an Irish Regiment which has proven its loyalty and grit on many tough operations. Its soldiers have the privilege of guarding the Royal Family. They recruit from the island of Ireland, United Kingdom and beyond.
"Nicholas Proud": Likely a mock-authoritative figure, possibly a foreman or symbol of authority, issuing commands in this imagined scene. The name carries a satirical tone, hinting at Joyce’s critique of class systems.

012.31-012.32: "Olaf's on the rise and Ivor's on the lift and Sitric's place's between them."

Olaf, Ivor, Sitric: References to Viking kings who ruled over Dublin in the medieval period, anchoring the text in Irish history. These figures represent the layers of history embedded in the city, reminding the reader of Ireland’s complex past with invasions and cultural integration. The area of Stoneybatter in Dublin still has lots of Viking related street names e.g. Harold Road, Ivar Street, Norseman Place, Ostman Place, Olaf Road, Sigurd Road, Sitric Road, Thor Place, Viking Road, Viking Place, Oxmantown Road. The distinct hamlet that the Norseman founded was called Austmanna-tún (Homestead of the Eastmen), later corrupted to Ostmentown and finally Oxmantown. The name in Irish, Baile Lochlannach, is sometimes roughly translated as "Scandinavian Homestead".
"on the rise... on the lift": Suggests a cyclical progression of power, further emphasizing the rise and fall of rulers, a key theme in Finnegans Wake.

012.33-012.34: "scraping along to sneeze out a likelihood that will solve and salve life's robulous rebus..."

"solve and salve": Refers to the search for meaning or resolution to the puzzles of life (life’s “rebus”), which is full of contradictions and challenges. Joyce uses complex wordplay to hint at how life is unsolvable yet we continuously try to make sense of it.

Themes and Motifs:

Cyclicality and Fall/Resurrection: The Humpty Dumpty imagery and frequent references to falling and rising reflect the cyclical nature of life, where downfalls are inevitable, but so are rebirths.

Economic Struggles: The references to "tin," "peat," and "liquidation" highlight the economic concerns of working-class survival, blending domestic labor and financial hardship with Joyce's wordplay.

Irish History and Geography: The Viking kings (Olaf, Ivor, Sitric) invoke Dublin’s medieval past, while Joyce’s use of Irish dialect (such as "mickos") reinforces the local Irish flavor of the text. The constant allusions to class and economics speak to Ireland’s broader struggles, especially in the colonial context.

Sexual Innuendo: Phrases like "pussypussy plunderpussy" and "Did ye save any tin?" reflect Joyce's tendency to embed sexual wordplay and innuendo into everyday speech, blending the mundane with the erotic.

Mythological and Religious Motifs: The fertility imagery (fruits, firstlings) and biblicalPage 12 of Finnegans Wake continues to deepen Joyce’s exploration of themes related to economic struggle, domesticity, gender dynamics, and Irish culture, with rich layers of wordplay, Hiberno-English, and allusions to Irish history and mythology.

Summary of Page 13 in Finnegans Wake: 13-15: Pre-history of Ireland—the invaders (including the birth of Shem and Shaun, p. 14)

On page 13 of Finnegans Wake, Joyce continues his exploration of Irish history, mythology, and language, particularly focusing on the intersection of colonialism, Irish identity, and linguistic hybridity. This section is filled with Hiberno-English, wordplay, and Joyce's characteristic blending of history with mythology and personal narrative. Joyce's Dublin is central to the narrative, both as a physical location and a mythological space, marked by a sense of impermanence and cultural echoes. This passage highlights the fluidity of time, as Joyce interlaces moments from different historical periods into a singular, complex narrative.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis

013.01: "sound of Irish sense. Really? Here English might be seen."

"Irish sense" refers to the distinct worldview and logic that arises from Irish history and culture, often in contrast to English norms and values. Joyce is playing on the tension between English and Irish identities, particularly how English might be seen dominating Irish life during colonial times.
This can be read as a critique of the colonial imposition of English language and culture on Ireland, as well as the subtle ways that Irishness persists despite this dominance.

013.02: "Royally? One sovereign punned to petery pence. Regally? The silence speaks the scene. Fake!"

"One sovereign punned to petery pence": The sovereign, here representing British power and currency, is reduced to "petery pence", a humorous devaluation of British authority. Peter’s Pence traditionally refers to donations made to the Pope, adding a layer of irony by mixing British and Catholic religious imagery.
Ulysses 1.638 Stephen associates his search for intellectual autonomy with his country's desire for independence. In Telemachus he tells Haines that he is "the servant of two masters," indicting "The imperial British state" and "the holy Roman catholic and apostolic church." His determination to free himself from the control of both repressive institutions comes up again in Circe (U15.4228), and Oxen of the Sun shows that he is acutely aware of the imperial bargain linking the two.
The statement "Fake!" punctuates this critique, suggesting that both royalty and regality are mere facades, a pretense that does not align with reality, perhaps a commentary on the artificiality of British rule in Ireland.

013.04: "So This Is Dyoublong?"

A distorted form of Dublin, with "Dyoublong?" sounding like "Do you belong?" Joyce is commenting on belonging and identity—who truly belongs in Dublin, the colonized or the colonizers? The phonetic manipulation of Dublin reflects how the city’s identity has been shaped by the interaction of Irish and English cultures.

013.05: "Hush! Caution! Echoland!"

Echoland: Ireland is referred to as "Echoland," implying that the country is haunted by its colonial past. The echoes of history reverberate through the present, making Ireland a place where the past is always present, particularly in its language and culture.

013.06-013.08: "How charmingly exquisite! It reminds you of the outwashed engravure that we used to be blurring on the blotchwall of his innkempt house."

The "outwashed engravure" suggests a blurred, faded historical image—Ireland’s history and culture have been washed out by colonialism, yet the remnants persist. Joyce juxtaposes this faded grandeur with domestic decay ("blotchwall of his innkempt house"), suggesting that Irish history is intertwined with the everyday struggles of ordinary people.

013.10-013.11: "the remains of the outworn gravemure where used to be blurried the Ptollmens of the Incabus."

"Ptollmens of the Incabus": This line plays with mythological and historical references. "Ptollmens" could refer to the Ptolemies, a Greek dynasty in Egypt, but in Joyce's narrative, it reflects the blending of Irish history with classical mythology. Incabus (Incubus) adds an eerie, supernatural dimension, evoking thoughts of both fertility demons and buried pasts.
The idea of "blurried" remains suggests the erosion of history over time, but also the persistence of these old influences in the modern world.

013.15-013.16: "By the mausolime wall. Fimfim fimfim. With a grand funferall."

"Mausolime": A play on "mausoleum," possibly referring to a ruined monument or an Irish tomb, alluding to both death and historical erasure.
"Funferall": A hybrid of "funeral" and "funfair," reflecting the absurdity and paradox of life and death in Irish culture. Irish wakes, which combine mourning with festivity, are evoked here, aligning with Joyce's theme of cyclical death and rebirth.

013.20-013.22: "Four things therefore, saith our herodotary Mammon Lujius in his grand old historiorum, wrote near Boriorum..."

Mammon Lujius: This may refer to Mammon, the Biblical figure symbolizing wealth and greed, blending with Herodotus, the Greek historian. Joyce’s fictional historian seems to satirize the grandiosity of traditional history books, critiquing the colonial and capitalist greed that has shaped much of Ireland’s history.
Boriorum: This could be a pun on Borough or Borean, hinting at a place near Dublin or an arctic, remote region, again playing on Ireland’s isolation.

013.24-013.26: "Unum. (Adar.) A bulbenboss surmounted upon an alderman. Ay, ay! Duum. (Nizam.) A shoe on a puir old wobban."

Bulbenboss: Likely a reference to Ben Bulben, a mountain in County Sligo associated with Irish mythology. Surmounted upon an alderman may suggest the dominance of nature (Irish identity) over British-imposed bureaucrats (aldermen), blending landscape with colonial politics.
Nizam: A title from Indian history, possibly referencing British colonialism in India, tying Ireland’s colonial experience to that of other nations.

013.27: "An auburn mayde, o'brine a'bride, to be desarted."

Auburn mayde: This likely refers to Ireland as a woman (often depicted with auburn hair in Irish nationalist iconography). The phrase "to be desarted" conveys abandonment, referencing how Ireland was forsaken by its rulers and subjected to colonial rule.

013.29-013.32: "So, how idlers' wind turning pages on pages, as innocens with anaclete play popeye antipop, the leaves of the living in the boke of the deeds..."

Idlers' wind turning pages: This evokes the image of time passing, history being written and rewritten. Joyce suggests that history is cyclical, constantly changing with the whims of "idlers"—those in power or control, idly dictating the future.
"Boke of the deeds": A biblical allusion to the Book of Deeds, the record of actions—both sacred and profane. Joyce continues his exploration of history as text, an ever-evolving narrative subject to interpretation.

013.33-013.36: "Men like to ants or emmets wondern upon a groot hwide Whallfisk which lay in a Runnel."

Men like ants: This phrase likens humanity to ants, small and insignificant in the grand scope of time, suggesting that history is shaped by forces much larger than individuals.
Whallfisk: A whale, symbolizing massive historical forces that lie dormant, such as colonialism, national identity, or even the concept of the nation-state itself. The whale might symbolize Ireland's history, vast and submerged.
Baal's fire: Beltane: ancient Celtic May Day celebration, on which large bonfires were lit on the hills of Ireland (Irish Bealtaine, popularly etymologised in old Irish texts as 'Baal's fire')

Themes and Motifs

Cyclical Nature of History: The use of repetition and the constant references to time and cycles reflect Joyce’s belief in the circular nature of history, particularly in the Irish context. Joyce shows that Ireland's history, full of conflict and colonization, keeps repeating itself.

Colonialism and Identity: The page engages with Ireland’s colonial past and its identity crisis under British rule. Joyce's use of Hiberno-English reflects the hybridity of Irish culture under English domination, showing how Irish identity has been shaped by language and power dynamics.

Mythology and History: By incorporating Irish landmarks like Ben Bulben and mythological figures like the auburn maid, Joyce blends mythology with history, suggesting that Irish culture is deeply rooted in mythic structures, which continue to influence its modern identity.

Sexual Innuendo: Joyce’s playful use of language and double entendres persists throughout this page, particularly in the descriptions of the auburn maid and the "Whallfisk" lying in a runnel. These figures evoke both sexual imagery and mythological symbols, with Joyce playing on the fertility and sensuality associated with Ireland itself.

This page serves as an encapsulation of Joyce’s thematic concerns: the fluidity of time, the blurring of history and myth, and the complex intersections of Irish and English identity. Through dense wordplay, mythological allusions, and satire, Joyce critiques historical narratives and celebrates the polyphonic nature of language and culture in Ireland.

Page 14 of Finnegans Wake continues to explore the intersection of Irish history, mythology, and language with Joyce's characteristic linguistic experimentation. The text, rich in Hiberno-English, employs puns, wordplay, and historical references to layer multiple meanings and voices. This page continues Joyce's engagement with the themes of time, mythic cycles, and the collapse of linear history, where past and present blend, evoking both real and mythologized Irish culture.

Summary of Page 14

The page opens with a description of a woman with a wicker basket ("Kish") retrieving turf from the bog, an everyday image of Irish rural life, but quickly transforms into a symbolic exploration. The passage continues with references to historical events, including mythical battles and historical figures, such as Caddy and Primas, who play both allegorical and historical roles. The shifting narrative structure also brings in a monastic scribe and hints of Biblical floods, transforming what might seem like mundane events into moments of mythological significance. Throughout the text, Joyce’s playful use of sexual innuendo and historical satire becomes evident, merging humor with grand historical and mythic allusions.

Line-by-Line Analysis

014.01-014.02: "hadde a wickered Kish for to hale dead turves from the bog lookit under the blay of her Kish"

"wickered Kish": A Kish is a traditional Irish basket made from wicker, used to carry goods such as turf (peat) from the bog. Turf-cutting is a quintessential image of rural Irish life, deeply connected to Irish agricultural history. The act of "hale dead turves" evokes images of the Irish landscape and the subsistence lifestyle of many rural Irish communities.
The phrase "under the blay of her Kish" introduces Joyce’s typical sexual innuendo, as "blay" (a dialect form of "belly") could be read as a double entendre. The woman's work becomes metaphorically linked to more intimate, bodily imagery, a blending of domestic labor and feminine sexuality.

014.04: "so rich in sweat."

This phrase underscores the physical labor and the intense effort involved in rural work but could also suggest a sexual connotation, linking the rich sweat of the laborer to bodily fluids, continuing Joyce’s characteristic playful treatment of sexuality.

014.07-014.10: "556 A.D. At this time it fell out that a brazenlockt damsel grieved... Bloody wars in Ballyaughacleeaghbally."

"556 A.D.": Joyce situates the narrative within a mythic timeframe, but the specific date might refer to early Christian Ireland when monasticism began to take hold. The blending of historical events with mythic figures like the "brazenlockt damsel" hints at how Irish history is often narrated through both fact and legend.
"Bloody wars in Ballyaughacleeaghbally": Irish name for Dublin Baile Atha Cliath. Bloody wars hints at Ireland’s tumultuous history of conflict, whether in mythic form (such as the Cattle Raid of Cooley captured in An Tain) or real historical conflicts.

014.11-014.15: "1132 A.D. Two sons at an hour were bom... Blotty words for Dublin."

Joyce jumps forward in time, blending mythic and historical moments. The two sons, Caddy and Primas, play archetypal roles: Caddy as a figure of art and Primas as a figure of military order. This evokes the dichotomy between culture and military power.
"Blotty words for Dublin": This phrase can be understood as a critique of colonial narratives. "Blotty" plays on bloody (referencing conflict and violence) but also suggests censorship or revision in historical accounts.

014.17-014.19: "the billy flood rose or an elk charged him... the sultrup worldwright from the excelsissimost empyrean"

"billy flood": This phrase blends Biblical and Irish mythic references, possibly evoking Noah’s flood while also pointing to the Celtic tradition of water deities and floods as representations of transformation and destruction.
"sultrup worldwright": This might refer to God or some cosmic force responsible for the cycles of creation and destruction. Joyce mocks the grandiosity of creation myths by combining the divine with down-to-earth phrases like "worldwright" (a worker or artisan of worlds).

014.29-014.31: "lift we our ears, eyes of the darkness, from the tome of Liber Lividus"

"Liber Lividus": This seems to be a fictional tome, invented by Joyce, meaning "Book of the Livid" (pale or angry). It suggests a historical text of suffering, anger, or perhaps forbidden knowledge. This could be Joyce's critique of history books that leave out or distort Ireland's cultural and political legacy.
The lifting of ears and eyes evokes awakening or enlightenment, as if the reader (or the Irish people) is emerging from a dark, obscured understanding of history into a clearer awareness.

014.32-014.34: "Lean neath stone pine the pastor lies with his crook; young pricket by pricket’s sister nibbleth on returned viridities"

"pricket by pricket’s sister": A pricket is a young deer, but the term also has sexual undertones. The nibbling suggests sensuality and playful sexuality between the young deer, which also might represent innocence and youth in a pastoral setting.
The reference to "returned viridities" (greenery) suggests the cyclical return of nature and fertility, which could be seen as symbolic of the renewal of Irish culture after years of colonization or oppression.

014.36: "the cornflowers have been staying at Ballymun"

Ballymun is an actual location in Dublin, though Joyce may be invoking it more symbolically. Cornflowers are often associated with remembrance and nostalgia, possibly referring to Ireland’s past glories that remain in memory rather than reality. In Irish history, places like Ballymun often bear the weight of socio-political narratives (it was later known for its large-scale public housing projects).

Themes and Motifs

Time and Cyclical History: As with much of Finnegans Wake, time on this page is nonlinear. Joyce weaves together moments from 556 A.D., 1132 A.D., and other indeterminate times. This cyclical structure reflects how Irish history, myth, and culture continually recycle themselves.

Language and Identity: Joyce's use of Hiberno-English blends Irish colloquialisms and mythological references with English-language structures, embodying Ireland’s colonial linguistic legacy. Words like "Kish" (an Irish word for a basket) highlight the blending of languages that characterizes Irish identity under colonial rule.

Myth and Reality: Joyce consistently blurs the line between mythology and historical fact, particularly through the anachronistic use of figures like Caddy and Primas. This blending suggests that history is as much a construct as myth, with both serving to define Irish culture and national identity.

Sexual Innuendo: As seen in phrases like "under the blay of her Kish" and "nibbleth on returned viridities", Joyce continues to layer sexual imagery into pastoral or historical contexts, playing on the fertility of both land and body, and the connection between nature, sex, and creation.

Page 14 showcases Joyce’s mastery of multi-layered narrative, where the everyday is transformed into something mythic, and history is rewritten through the lens of Irish humor, sensuality, and political critique. Through the use of Hiberno-English, mythic allusions, and dense wordplay, Joyce continues to challenge the reader's perception of time, identity, and history.

Summary of Page 15: 15-18: Mutt and Jute recount the Battle of Clontarf

On page 15 of Finnegans Wake, Joyce continues his complex interweaving of language, history, myth, and place, focusing on themes of transformation, love, and the passage of time. This page sees the emergence of both natural and human imagery, evoking the idea of the recurring cycles of history and nature. Through his playful manipulation of language and historical allusions, Joyce creates a tapestry that is at once rooted in the specific Irish landscape and transcendent of any single historical moment.

Page 15 moves between references to natural phenomena and human history, illustrating the continuity between the cycles of nature and those of civilization. Hiberno-English expressions and phrases steeped in Irish history continue to dominate the text, providing a distinctly Irish cultural context. Joyce utilizes metaphors of flowers and plants to symbolize love and war, with references to ancient and medieval conflicts in Ireland. The language is full of sexual innuendo and playful turns of phrase, merging the natural with the erotic and the historical with the mythical.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis

015.01-015.03: "the duskrose has choosed out Goatstown's hedges, twolips have pressed togatherthem by sweet Rush, townland of twinedlights"

"duskrose": This flower could symbolize love or passion, but its appearance at dusk suggests something fleeting or ephemeral. It is personified as having "choosed," giving it agency in the landscape.
"Goatstown's hedges": Goatstown is a real suburb of Dublin, and Joyce's inclusion of this place connects the text to the local geography. The use of hedges evokes the Irish countryside and its traditional boundaries.
"twolips have pressed togatherthem": This phrase is a pun on "tulips" and the image of lips pressing together, suggesting a kiss. The combination of nature and eroticism typifies Joyce's playful treatment of language.
"Rush": This town in North County Dublin is referenced in a way that blends the literal place with the connotation of rushing, possibly hinting at the urgency or intensity of love.

015.03-015.05: "the whitethorn and the redthorn have fairygeyed the mayvalleys of Knockmaroon"

"whitethorn and redthorn": These plants, also known as hawthorn, are traditionally associated with fairy lore in Ireland, where hawthorn trees are considered to be sacred or associated with the otherworld.
"fairygeyed": Joyce invents a term that suggests the trees have been enchanted or transformed by fairy magic, indicating the mythic quality of the Irish landscape.
"Knockmaroon": A locality near the Phoenix Park in Dublin, Knockmaroon connects the narrative to a real place while also playing on the word "knock" (hill) in Irish placenames.

015.05-015.08: "the Formoreans have brittled the tooath of the Danes and the Oxman has been pestered by the Firebugs"

"Formoreans": The Fomorians are figures from Irish mythology, often portrayed as ancient, supernatural beings who were in conflict with the Tuatha Dé Danann, the mythological ancestors of the Irish.
"tooath of the Danes": This phrase plays on the Tuatha Dé Danann, with a nod to the historical Danish invasions of Ireland, blending mythology with historical reality.
"Oxman": Likely refers to the Norsemen or Vikings, known as "Ostmen" in medieval Irish history. The "Firebugs" might symbolize their invaders or raiders, pestering the inhabitants. Also, probable reference to another mythical Irish race the Firbolgs.
"Joynts have thrown up jerrybuilding": The "Joynts" might refer to various clans or groups in Irish history, while "jerrybuilding" (shoddy construction) could symbolize the superficial or temporary nature of certain historical institutions.

015.09-015.11: "these paxsealing buttonholes have quadrilled across the centuries"

"paxsealing": A term Joyce creates that evokes both peace (pax) and sealing or binding agreements, possibly referencing historical treaties in Ireland.
"quadrilled across the centuries": The quadrille was a popular dance, suggesting a pattern of history that repeats itself in cycles, echoing the motif of circularity in Finnegans Wake.

015.12-015.13: "The babbelers with their thangas vain have been (confusium hold them!)"

"babbelers": This wordplay connects to the Tower of Babel, where different languages caused confusion, symbolizing linguistic chaos and miscommunication.
"thangas": Could refer to tongues (languages or languages spoken), implying the futility of human communication in the face of confusion and disorder. The Irish for language is teanga.

015.21-015.23: "do all bold floras of the field to their shyfaun lovers say only: Cull me ere I wilt to thee!"

"bold floras": Refers to flowers, which Joyce personifies, linking them to erotic desire and natural cycles.
"shyfaun lovers": Alludes to fauns (mythical creatures associated with fertility and the pastoral), introducing a note of sexual playfulness.
The phrase "Cull me ere I wilt to thee!" is both a sexual innuendo (expressing desire) and a reference to the ephemerality of beauty and life, emphasizing the urgency of seizing the moment.

015.24-015.26: "Lave a whale a while in a whillbarrow... to have fins and flippers that shimmy and shake."

"Lave a whale": "Lave" (leave or allow) plays on the sounds of "whale" and "wheelbarrow," creating a humorous image of a whale in a wheelbarrow.
The "fins and flippers that shimmy and shake" could suggest both the movement of the whale and a sexual connotation, with "shimmy" being a dance move associated with eroticism.

015.28-015.30: "In the name of Anem this carl on the kopje in pelted thongs a parth a lone who the joebiggar be he?"

"Anem": This name may evoke "Amen," giving a religious tone to the passage. Alternatively, "Anem" could suggest "anemone" (a flower), continuing the natural imagery.
"Carl on the kopje": Refers to a man on a hill, potentially invoking the image of Cúchulainn, an Irish mythological hero often depicted standing on a hill, ready for battle.
"pelted thongs": Suggests both a primitive state of dress (wearing thongs) and the throwing of stones or objects, which can hint at tribal or ancient combat.

Themes and Motifs

Nature and Eroticism: The repeated references to flowers, kissing ("twolips"), and blushing underscore the intertwining of nature and sexual imagery, portraying the natural world as inherently erotic.
Irish History and Mythology: The mentions of Fomorians, Tuatha Dé Danann, and other mythic elements ground the passage in Irish cultural memory, blending folklore with historical allusion.
Cycles of Time and History: The language often evokes circular patterns, such as the quadrilled dance, symbolizing the repetition of historical events.
Language and Communication: Joyce continues to play with the sounds and meanings of words, suggesting the limitations of language while also celebrating its playfulness and fluidity.

Page 15 of Finnegans Wake provides a dense and layered continuation of the novel’s themes, showcasing Joyce's genius in merging language, myth, history, and sensuality into a rich and challenging text that rewards close reading.

Page 16 of Finnegans Wake is dense with Joyce’s characteristic wordplay, mythological references, and layered dialogue. It features an interaction between Jute and Mutt, characters often seen as representing the confrontation between the invading foreigner (Jute) and the native Irishman (Mutt). The dialogue takes on the qualities of a linguistic experiment as the two struggle to communicate, and the passage is rich in Hiberno-English, philosophical undertones, and Joyce’s characteristic sexual innuendo.

Summary of What Happens on Page 16:

Page 16 centers on a comic exchange between Jute and Mutt, reminiscent of early human interactions and miscommunication. The language they speak is broken and simplified, resembling a pidgin or a primal form of English. The conversation might symbolize the coming together of different cultures or civilizations, particularly the ancient conflicts and eventual synthesis between Irish natives and foreign invaders.

The dialogue is framed by references to mythical and historical conflicts, alluding to the complexities of identity and communication, with Joyce portraying the tension between the native and the outsider. Sexual innuendo is woven into the text, emphasizing the corporeal aspects of language and misunderstanding.

Detailed Analysis:

016.01-016.03: "froriose. What a quhare soort of a mahan. It is evident the michindaddy."

The opening phrase “froriose” appears to blend “fror” (cold) with “rose,” potentially suggesting a contradiction or a blending of opposites, symbolizing the merging of two cultures or ideologies.
“What a quhare soort of a mahan” plays on Hiberno-English pronunciation ("queer sort of man"), establishing Jute’s perspective on Mutt, an observation that could be applied to the misunderstandings between invaders and natives throughout history.
"michindaddy" may be a playful distortion of "machinedaddy," invoking both paternal authority and mechanization, or industrial dominance. It could hint at British technological superiority or the patriarchal power structures in place during Ireland’s colonization.

016.04-016.05: "Come on, fool porterfull, hosiered women blown monk sewer? Scuse us, chorley guy!"

“Fool porterfull” could be a nod to Shakespeare’s Macbeth, where the Porter drunkenly muses on the gates of Hell, suggesting that Jute perceives Ireland or Mutt as a form of comic inferno.
“Hosiered women blown monk sewer” is likely a crude sexual innuendo, with the wordplay suggesting the sexual exploitation of women (“blown” as a reference to sexual acts) and “sewer” hinting at filth or degradation.

016.06-016.07: "You tollerday donsk? N. You tolkatiff scowegian? Nn. You spigotty an- glease? Nnn. You phonio saxo? Nnnn. Clear all so! 'Tis a Jute."

This is a comic miscommunication in which Jute asks Mutt whether he speaks various languages, including English, Norwegian, and Saxon (which likely references old English dialects). Mutt’s repeated “Nnnn” responses suggest his inability to speak these languages or the linguistic divide between them. The final declaration, “’Tis a Jute”, solidifies Jute’s identity as the outsider.

016.08-016.09: "Let us swop hats and excheck a few strong verbs weak oach eather yapyazzard abast the blooty creeks."

The phrase “Let us swap hats” evokes cultural exchange, but the mangled syntax indicates how such exchanges are rarely straightforward or equal.
"Strong verbs weak" references grammar, with a play on strong and weak verbs from linguistic theory. This suggests the fragmentation and evolution of language over time.

016.10-016.17: The exchange between Jute and Mutt continues, with Jute asking, “Are you jeff?” and Mutt responding in a garbled fashion.

This section appears to highlight the breakdown of communication between them. “Jeff” could be a play on “deaf”, hinting at misunderstanding or ignorance.
"Mutt — I became a stun a stummer": Mutt admits that he is struggling with his speech, which might represent the condition of the Irish people who have been silenced or misunderstood historically.

016.21-016.22: "Mutt — The Inns of Dungtarf where Used awe to be he."

This line likely references the history of Ireland, likely hinting at Battle of Clontarf (Irish Chluain Tarbh), though distorted by language. “Dungtarf” (means Bull Shit), blending history and place into a surreal mix of the real and imagined.

016.24-016.28: "Mutt. — Has? Has at? Hasatency? Urp, Boohooru! Booru Usurp! I trumple from rath in mine mines when I rimimirim!"

"Rath" is an Irish term for a fort, often a ringfort, which were ancient dwellings in Ireland. Mutt’s declaration could be a reference to Ireland’s ancient fortifications, now crumbling, and his lamentation (“boohooru”) suggests sorrow over the usurpation of Irish lands by colonizers. Also, refers to Brian Boru killed at the Battle of Clontarf 1014.

016.30-016.32: "Jute. — Let me fore all your hasitancy cross your qualm with trink gilt. Here have sylvan coyne, a piece of oak."

“Sylvan coyne” references pagan and natural imagery, likely evoking ancient Irish tree worship and Druidic rites. “Piece of oak” could also hint at Celtic mythology, where the oak tree is a symbol of strength and endurance.

016.33-016.34: "Mutt. — Louee, louee! How wooden I not know it, the intelligible greytcloak of Cedric Silkyshag!"

“Louee” may be a reference to Louis, but likely one of the defeated Norse leaders Sitric Slikbeard at the Battle of Clontarf, while Cedric Silkyshag combines a play on King Cedric and a suggestive sexual innuendo (“Silkyshag”). The sexual undertones are emphasized here through the exaggerated and absurd description.

Themes:

Miscommunication: The dialogue between Jute and Mutt exemplifies the breakdown of language, symbolizing how foreign invaders and native peoples often fail to understand one another fully.
Colonialism and Identity: Jute represents the colonizer, and Mutt symbolizes the colonized Irish, struggling to communicate and maintain identity in the face of foreign dominance.
Mythology and History: References to Celtic myths, forts, and legendary figures blend with the history of Ireland’s invasions and colonization, suggesting that Ireland’s history is an amalgamation of real events and mythic stories.
Sexual Innuendo: Joyce’s playful sexual wordplay appears throughout this page, particularly in descriptions of language and interaction between characters, underscoring the connection between power, language, and the body.

Page 16 of Finnegans Wake uses the interaction between Jute and Mutt to explore themes of identity, history, language, and misunderstanding, all within Joyce’s framework of complex linguistic play and deep-rooted historical and cultural references.

Summary of Page 17 of Finnegans Wake:

Page 17 continues the fractured conversation between Jute and Mutt, symbolic of Ireland’s complex historical and cultural dialogues between invader and native. Their exchange is rife with confusion, miscommunication, and wordplay, reflecting Joyce’s theme of linguistic evolution, historical revisionism, and the chaotic intersection of myth, history, and philosophy. The page is also rich in references to Irish geography and Hiberno-English dialect, while hinting at the deep layers of history buried within Ireland’s soil—both literal and figurative.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

017.01-017.05: "where the liveries, Monomark. There where the mis- sers moony, Minnikin passe."

Joyce uses the imagery of liveries (uniforms of service) and Monomark, a play on words suggesting uniformity or corporate branding, perhaps a commentary on the colonization of Irish lands.
"Mis- sers moony" could allude to Irish monks (missers) or perhaps misers, while “Minnikin passe” evokes small things (minnikin) passing through time or space. Also, refers to a chain of Dublin pubs owned by the Mooney famiy e.g. The Abbey Mooney, The Parnell Mooney, The Earl Mooney.

017.03-017.05: "Jute. — Simply because as Taciturn pretells, our wrongstoryshortener, he dumptied the wholeborrow of rubbages on to soil here."

"Taciturn" references Tacitus, the Roman historian, who wrote on Britain and Ireland, and "wrongstoryshortener" implies historical distortion or revisionism, perhaps reflecting Joyce’s critique of imperial histories.
"Rubbages" could be a blend of "rubbish" and "baggage," symbolizing the way history is carelessly dumped or rewritten, particularly by colonizers.

017.06-017.07: "Mutt. — Just how a puddinstone inat the brookcells by a riverpool."

This passage evokes a natural Irish landscape (brook and riverpool) while “puddinstone” might refer to a geological formation, grounding the conversation in Ireland’s ancient past. It reinforces the theme of Ireland’s buried histories.

017.08-017.12: "Load Allmarshy! Wid wad for a norse like? Somular with a bull on a clompturf."

This section plays with Hiberno-English pronunciation and dialect. “Allmarshy” could refer to the All Marshes, an image of desolate or untamed Irish landscape, whereas “norse” is a distorted version of "horse."
“Bull on a clompturf” is a phrase that further deepens the connection to Ireland’s rural and agricultural roots.

017.13-017.16: "Boildoyle and rawhoney on me when I can beuraly forsstand a weird from sturk to finnic in such a pat-what as your rutterdamrotter."

Here, Joyce interjects with playful Hiberno-English, "Boildoyle" and "rawhoney" (Dublin suburbs of Bardoyle and Reheny), a likely combination of slang for food, mixed with confusion about "rutterdamrotter", a garbled foreign-sounding phrase. The line also hints at the difficulty of understanding between two people from different linguistic or cultural backgrounds.

017.17-017.24: "Mutt. — Walk a dun blink roundward this albutisle and you skull see how olde ye plaine of my Elters, hunfree and ours..."

“Albutisle” could be a reference to Alba (an ancient name for Britain), while "Elters" refers to ancestors. Mutt is directing Jute to understand Ireland’s ancient history, referring to Hunfree, possibly Humphrey, a stand-in for Irish rulers or figures.
"Where wone to wail whimbrel to peewee o'er the saltings": This phrase evokes a pastoral and rural Ireland, emphasizing whimbrels (birds) and salt marshes, suggesting the timeless natural beauty of Ireland that contrasts with the historical violence and upheaval.

017.25-017.29: "Mearmerge two races, swete and brack. Morthering rue."

Joyce juxtaposes two races—sweet and brack (salty)—to highlight the merging of cultures, perhaps referring to the Celtic and Viking influences in Ireland.
"Morthering rue" plays on murder and mourning, indicating the tragic history of conquest and colonization.

017.30-017.32: "Now are all tombed to the mound, isges to isges, erde from erde."

A clear reference to burial and funereal rites, "isges to isges" parodies the Christian funeral phrase "ashes to ashes, dust to dust," but with pagan or pre-Christian undertones. Mounds refer to ancient Irish burial sites, reinforcing the theme of Ireland’s layered history.

017.33-017.36: "babylone the great-grandhotelled with tit tit tittlehouse... drukn on ild."

Here, Joyce injects playful sexual innuendo with “tit tit tittlehouse”, referencing Babylon in a modernized, humorous context. Babylon becomes a metaphor for modern urban decay or confusion, playing into the idea of history repeating itself.
"Drukn on ild" likely refers to being drunk on old times, emphasizing how Ireland’s history can intoxicate, mystify, or overwhelm those who try to comprehend it.

Themes and Motifs:

Irish History and Geography: The references to Irish landscapes—like the marshes, rivers, and mounds—are vital to understanding Ireland’s deep historical roots. Joyce emphasizes how Ireland’s landscape holds the traces of ancient peoples, from the Celts to the Vikings, and the burial mounds symbolize the layers of history buried under the surface.

Linguistic Play: Joyce’s use of Hiberno-English is central to the page, reflecting the distorted communication between the colonizer and the colonized. His characters speak in garbled dialects, creating a metaphor for the confusion and breakdown of language, particularly in colonial contexts.

Death and Burial: The references to tombs, burial mounds, and death are a continuation of Joyce’s motif of the past being buried, not just physically, but metaphorically, in the layers of language, culture, and misunderstanding.

Sexual Innuendo: The playful sexual references, such as "tit tit tittlehouse", reflect Joyce’s humor and his blending of the sacred and profane. In his work, sexual imagery often contrasts with more elevated or spiritual themes, underscoring the complexity of human experience.

Philosophical Undertones: The dialogue between Jute and Mutt reflects philosophical themes, including history as cyclical and the fragility of human understanding. Joyce critiques the idea that history is a clear, understandable narrative; instead, it’s fragmented, obscured by language and cultural clashes.

Conclusion:

Page 17 of Finnegans Wake is a dense, multi-layered exploration of Ireland’s history, culture, and language, with Joyce masterfully using Hiberno-English to reflect the fractured communication between colonizers and natives. The playful dialogue, rich in mythological references, sexual innuendo, and wordplay, highlights the complexity of Ireland’s historical narrative and the ways in which language both connects and divides.

Summary of Page 18: 18-20: The development of the Alphabet and Numbers

Page 18 of Finnegans Wake presents a continuation of the dialogue between Jute and Mutt, two characters who represent different aspects of language, culture, and history. The conversation delves into themes of time, decay, and the cyclical nature of history, while also playing with Joyce's signature linguistic innovations, including the use of Hiberno-English, references to Irish history, and philosophical reflections.

This page focuses on the confusion and fragmented communication between Jute and Mutt as they discuss the crumbling of history, the fall of empires, and the transient nature of existence. Their conversation is full of fragmented phrases, historical allusions, and wordplay, blending various cultural references, including Irish history, mythology, and philosophy. They explore ruins (both literal and metaphorical) and the decay of civilisations, which is reflected in the crumbling syntax and playful language. The page also contains instances of sexual innuendo, as Joyce continues to intertwine humour with deeper existential themes.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

Use of Hiberno-English and References to Irish History, Language, and Culture:

Line 018.01:

Jute. — 'Zmorde!
This exclamation is likely a contraction of "God's murder!", an expression often used in Hiberno-English as an oath of shock or disbelief. It reflects the Irish speech patterns that Joyce frequently draws upon, blending blasphemy with colloquial language.

Line 018.03-018.04:

Despond's sung. And thanacestross mound have swollup them all. This ourth of years is not save brickdust...
The word "Despond" invokes despair, and "thanacestross" seems to combine "Thanatos" (the Greek personification of death) with "cross", suggesting death and Christian burial traditions. "Swollup" is a playful take on "swallowed up," suggesting how history and the earth consume past civilisations. The phrase "This ourth of years" refers to the idea that over time, all things return to dust, evoking a sense of historical erosion.

Line 018.06:

O'c'stle, n'wc'stle, tr'c'stle, crumbling!
This line uses a playful fragmentation of the word "castle", symbolising the crumbling of historical power structures. Castles are often associated with Ireland’s tumultuous history, representing the power of colonisers and the native resistance. Joyce breaks the word into pieces to reflect how history itself disintegrates, both physically (in the form of ruins) and metaphorically.

Line 018.10-018.11:

The gyant Forficules with Amni the fay.
"Forficules" refers to earwigs, insects associated with dirt and decay, while "Amni the fay" refers to a fairy or mythical figure. This line may invoke Irish folklore and myth, where figures such as fairies exist alongside the remnants of history. Joyce often intertwines the mythical with the historical to create a sense of Ireland's deep connection to its past and its folklore.

Philosophical Reflections and Historical Cycles:

Line 018.19-018.20:

Can you rede (since We and Thou had it out already) its world? It is the same told of all. Many. Miscegenations on miscegenations.
The reference to "rede" (read) evokes the idea of interpreting history, as if the ruins and fragments of civilisation are like a text to be deciphered. "We and Thou had it out already" refers to the biblical or historical discourse about the human condition. The mention of "miscegenations" speaks to the blending and intermingling of cultures and peoples over time, which is a recurring theme in Finnegans Wake as Joyce explores how civilisations mix, evolve, and decay.

Line 018.22:

Forsin. Thy thingdome is given to the Meades and Porsons.
"Forsin" could be a play on "for sin", suggesting that kingdoms fall due to sin. The phrase "Thy thingdome" could mockingly refer to the transient nature of kingdoms, as they are passed from one ruling power to another. The "Meades and Porsons" refer to historical peoples, perhaps the Medes and Persians, evoking the cyclical nature of empire-building and collapse.

Playful Sexual Innuendo:

Line 018.34-018.36:

Mounting and arming bellicose figurines see here. Futhorc, this liffle effingee is for a firefing called a flintforfall. Face at the eased! O I fay! Face at the waist! Ho, you fie! Upwap and dump em, Face to Face!
This passage is full of sexual innuendo. "Mounting and arming" suggests both military and sexual imagery, with "bellicose figurines" representing warriors but also evoking a playful metaphor for sexual encounters. The wordplay here hints at physical interactions, with "Face at the eased!" and "Face at the waist!" suggesting sexual positioning, while "Upwap and dump em, Face to Face!" carries both sexual and combative connotations. Joyce's language here mixes battle imagery with playful references to bodily movement.

Humour and Wordplay:

Line 018.05-018.06:

He who runes may rede it on all fours. O'c'stle, n'wc'stle, tr'c'stle, crumbling!
The humour in this line lies in the use of the phrase "He who runes may rede it on all fours," which is a playful twist on the old saying "He who runs may read." Joyce adds "runes," referring to ancient script, and "rede," meaning to interpret or understand. This line plays with the idea of deciphering the past through fragments, while mocking the notion that history can be easily understood.

Line 018.16:

Oye am thonthorstrok, thing mud.
Jute’s line is a comic play on the phrase "I am thunderstruck," with the playful substitution of "thonthorstrok" suggesting a humorous mispronunciation or an exaggerated state of confusion. "Thing mud" adds to the absurdity, as it could mean "thinking muddled", continuing the theme of miscommunication.

Lines 018.17-018.18: "Stoop if you are abcedminded, to this claybook, what curios of signs..."
The word "abcedminded" is a play on "absent-minded" but also refers to the alphabet (A-B-C), signalling a focus on the written word. Joyce’s "claybook" could refer to ancient tablets, evoking the imagery of deciphering hieroglyphs or runes—layers of history that need to be interpreted by future generations. This fits with Joyce’s broader theme of how history is encoded in language. The act of "stooping" suggests that knowledge is buried and requires humility to uncover.

Line 018.19: "Can you rede... its world?"
"Rede" is an archaic term for "interpret," underscoring the task of understanding the encoded history in the "claybook." This invitation to the reader to engage with the text also reflects the reader's relationship with Finnegans Wake itself, which requires careful interpretation due to its complex and playful use of language.

Line 018.21: "They lived und laughed ant loved end left."
This line exemplifies Joyce’s ability to capture the entire human experience in a rhythmic, poetic sequence. Here, he distorts syntax slightly to show how life, in its simplest terms, is a cycle of living, loving, and leaving. There is humour in the playful distortion of words like "ant" and "end," suggesting that even serious topics like life and death can be approached with lightness.

Line 018.26-018.28: "...that sweeten sensation that drives desire that adheres to attachment that dogs death that bitches birth..."
This section traces a philosophical chain of cause and effect, moving from sensation to desire, attachment, death, and birth. Joyce’s use of "bitches birth" introduces a playful and provocative sexual innuendo, taking an earthy, animalistic view of the life cycle, while also hinting at the irreverence with which he treats the sacred. The repetition of "that" creates a rhythm, mirroring the cyclical nature of existence.

Lines 018.29-018.30: "A terricolous vivelyonview this; queer and it continues to be quaky."
"Terricolous" means "earth-dwelling," and the phrase "vivelyonview" is a distortion of "vivian view," possibly meaning "a lively view." This wordplay reflects Joyce’s fluid blending of meanings. The passage describes the instability and shifting nature of the world, with "queer" and "quaky" highlighting that the interpretation of history, like the earth itself, is never stable or fixed.

Line 018.32: "furrowards, bagawards, like yoxen at the turnpaht."
This line introduces Hiberno-English forms and Irish dialect. "Yoxen" is an Irish dialect form of "oxen," and "turnpaht" reflects a phonetic spelling of "turnpike." This passage likens the passage of time to ploughing fields, suggesting that just as oxen leave furrows in the soil, history leaves its marks on the world.

Lines 018.34-018.36: "Mounting and arming bellicose figurines... Face at the waist! Ho, you fie! Upwap and dump em, Face to Face!"
This passage contains playful sexual innuendo, with "mounting" and "arming" serving both as military references and as suggestions of sexual activity. The phrase "Upwap and dump em, Face to Face!" is overtly suggestive, reflecting Joyce’s penchant for weaving physical, sexual imagery into discussions of historical and philosophical concepts.

Irish and Cultural References:

Line 018.06: "O'c'stle, n'wc'stle, tr'c'stle, crumbling!"
This fragmented sequence plays with the word "castle" (O'c'stle, likely meaning "Oldcastle," a town in Ireland), evoking images of ancient Irish castles now in ruins. Joyce is referencing the cyclical decline of Irish history and civilisation, particularly in the context of colonisation and the passage of time.

Line 018.22: "Thy thingdome is given to the Meades and Porsons."
This likely alludes to the biblical story of the fall of Babylon ("the kingdom is given"), but Joyce turns it into "thingdome," suggesting the passing of material things. "Meades" and "Porsons" could be distorted references to the Medes and Persians, further suggesting the theme of historical cycles and the fall of empires. Joyce’s inclusion of these figures reinforces the blending of Eastern and Western history.

Humour and Playfulness:

Line 018.22-018.23: "The meandertale, aloss and again..."
Joyce’s phrase "meandertale" is a humorous compression of "meandering tale," poking fun at the winding and often circular nature of historical narratives. The constant "loss and again" reflects the cyclical rise and fall of civilisations and empires.

Line 018.35: "Face at the waist! Ho, you fie!"
This playful line is rich in sexual innuendo, as "face at the waist" suggests a bawdy scenario, but it is also a humorous take on historical battles and the absurdities of warfare. Joyce often juxtaposes the epic and the intimate, reducing grand historical narratives to moments of human interaction.

Conclusion:

Page 18 of Finnegans Wake exemplifies Joyce’s experimental style, blending linguistic play, historical reflection, and philosophical musings. The dialogue between Jute and Mutt is rich with allusions to Irish history and culture, particularly through the use of Hiberno-English and references to mythical and historical figures. Joyce’s playful sexual innuendo and humour enhance the complexity of the text, while the fragmented language mirrors the cyclical decay of history.

Page 19 of Finnegans Wake continues Joyce’s complex, multilayered narrative, focusing on history, language, and cycles of life and death. It is filled with wordplay, historical allusions, and playful sexual innuendo, much of which is cloaked in the dense prose and linguistic acrobatics that Joyce employs throughout the novel. The dialogue and description are heavily influenced by Hiberno-English, Irish history, and mythology, as well as philosophical musings about existence and the human condition. Let’s dive into a detailed analysis of this page, line by line.

Summary of What is Happening on Page 19

The action on page 19 is difficult to summarise in a linear fashion, as is typical of Finnegans Wake. The text moves between a reflection on history and language (particularly the role of writing and symbols), the cyclical nature of life, and more abstract imagery that evokes Ireland’s history and culture. This passage contains both references to the mythical and the mundane, and Joyce plays with notions of writing and storytelling as ongoing, ever-evolving processes.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis

019.01-019.04
“Part so ptee does duty for the holos we soon grow to use of an allforabit. Here (please to stoop) are selveran cued peteet peas of quite a pecuniar interest inaslittle as they are the pellets that make the tomtummy's pay roll.”

The phrase "allforabit" plays on the idea of small things having a broader significance. The request to “please stoop” draws attention to small, seemingly insignificant details (perhaps in the historical record) that later gain importance. The “pellets” may symbolise coins or other small units of value, connecting to Irish history and economics. Joyce often employs Irish rhythms in his prose, and this line plays with phonetic similarities that evoke the sound of Irish speech.

019.05-019.07
“Right rank ragnar rocks and with these rox orangotangos rangled rough and rightgorong. Wisha, wisha, whydidtha? Thik is for thorn that's thuck in its thoil like thumfool's thraitor thrust for vengeance.”

This line demonstrates Joyce’s wordplay and rhythmic use of Hiberno-English, particularly in the playful use of "wisha" (a common Irish expression of exasperation) and the deliberate misspelling to evoke a sense of spoken language. The word "ragnar" may hint at Ragnarök, the end of the world in Norse mythology, while the "thorn" stuck in its “thoil” (soil) suggests Ireland’s struggle for independence, or the "thorn" of colonial oppression.

019.07-019.09
“What a mnice old mness it all mnakes! A middenhide hoard of objects! Olives, beets, kimmells, dollies, alfrids, beatties, cormacks and daltons.”

The phrase “What a mnice old mness” is Joyce’s playful take on the phrase "nice old mess," with deliberate misspellings that hint at the confusion and chaos of history. The "middenhide" refers to a midden, or a garbage heap, which could symbolise the remnants of history and culture. The list of names ("alfrids, beatties, cormacks, and daltons") evokes the mingling of different peoples and cultures, both in Ireland and globally.

019.13-019.15
“Sss! See the snake wurrums everyside! Our durlbin is sworming in sneaks. They came to our island from triangular Toucheaterre beyond the wet prairie rared up in the midst of the cargon of prohibitive pomefructs...”

The reference to “snakes” and “wurrums” recalls the myth of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland, a symbolic representation of the removal of paganism. The “triangular Toucheaterre” might evoke the arrival of foreign invaders or colonisers to Ireland, further drawing on Ireland’s colonial history. The "cargon of prohibitive pomefructs" could be a playful allusion to the biblical Garden of Eden, connecting sin and prohibition with colonial influence.

019.19-019.20
“Racketeers and bottloggers. Axe on thwacks on thracks, axenwise.”

Here, Joyce introduces a modern element with references to “racketeers and bottloggers,” terms associated with Prohibition-era America. The rhythm of “Axe on thwacks on thracks” creates a sound reminiscent of chopping or cutting, possibly symbolising the disruption caused by such figures in society, or evoking images of battles or historical conflicts.

019.27-019.30
“To say too us to be every tim, nick and larry of us, sons of the sod, sons, littlesons, yea and lealittlesons, when usses not to be, every sue, siss and sally of us, dugters of Nan! Accusative ahnsire! Damadam to infinities!”

This passage is filled with the rhythms and repetitions of Hiberno-English, as Joyce plays with the idea of lineage and identity in Irish history. The "sons of the sod" refers to Irishmen, while "dugters of Nan" refers to Irish women. Joyce contrasts male and female, playing with the formal structure of language (“Accusative ahnsire!”) to bring out the cyclical nature of Irish existence, history, and the ongoing struggle for identity.

019.34-019.36
“You gave me a boot (signs on it!) and I ate the wind. I quizzed you a quid (with for what?) and you went to the quod.”

This passage employs playful humour through wordplay. The phrase “You gave me a boot” could refer to being kicked or receiving a physical object (a boot), while “I ate the wind” is an absurdist, metaphorical statement. The exchange of a "quid" (a pound) leading to imprisonment (“quod”) is another humorous juxtaposition, playing on economic and legal language to create a witty, nonsensical scenario.

References to Irish Language, History, and Culture

Hiberno-English: Joyce’s use of Irish-influenced English is pervasive throughout Finnegans Wake. The rhythms of speech, the playful misspellings, and phonetic spellings of words are all deliberate attempts to capture the sound and rhythm of Irish speech, as well as the way language shifts in meaning across cultures.

Snakes and St. Patrick: The reference to snakes (019.13) recalls the myth of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland, which is symbolically linked to the arrival of Christianity and the expulsion of paganism.

Colonialism: References to the "snakes" and the invaders from "Toucheaterre" (019.13-019.14) hint at Ireland’s experience of colonisation and invasion, as well as the mingling of foreign and native cultures.

Playful Sexual Innuendo and Humour

The line “This liffle effingee is for a firefing called a flintforfall” (019.34) can be read as a playful sexual innuendo, with the “effingee” standing in for a phallic symbol (“firefing”) and the “flintforfall” evoking images of sexual action.

The entire tone of the passage is infused with a kind of linguistic absurdity, mixing high philosophical concepts with base humour, wordplay, and slapstick rhythms, which is characteristic of Joyce’s style in Finnegans Wake.

In this passage, Joyce masterfully intertwines historical allusion, linguistic experimentation, and cultural commentary with his signature humour, all while reflecting on the cyclical nature of history and the Irish experience.

Summary of Page 20:

On page 20 of Finnegans Wake, Joyce continues his linguistic exploration of the cyclical nature of life, the power of print and writing, and the strange, surreal world that Finnegans Wake inhabits. The imagery evokes mythological, historical, and cultural elements, emphasizing themes of repetition, transformation, and confusion between the physical world and the printed word.

The passage plays heavily on the idea that language, history, and myth overlap in complicated ways, bringing together references to the medium of print (as Joyce does throughout the novel), the impermanence of matter (dust, clay), and existential musings about time and mortality.

Analysis by Line Numbers:

020.01–020.04:

"Under the ban of our infrarational senses fore the last milch-camel, the heartvein throbbing between his eyebrowns, has still to moor before the tomb of his cousin charmian where his date is tethered by the palm that's hers."

Here, Joyce intertwines myth and bodily imagery, comparing the end of something ancient and nourishing (the "last milch-camel") with imagery that evokes the heart and pulse of life ("heartvein throbbing between his eyebrowns"). This could symbolize the connection between mythological histories (the camel) and personal or human mortality ("the tomb of his cousin charmian").

The "tethered palm" suggests stasis, a connection to life that is at once tied down but still vital. This theme of the intertwining of myth, history, and life is characteristic of Joyce’s style throughout the Wake.

020.05–020.07:

"A bone, a pebble, a ramskin; chip them, chap them, cut them up allways; leave them to terracook in the muttheringpot:"

These lines create a surreal and humorous image of fragmented items — "bone," "pebble," and "ramskin" — being chopped and cooked in a "muttheringpot." The "muttheringpot" is a play on words, combining "muttering" (suggesting a quiet, ceaseless noise) with "mother" or the root of creation. This pot could symbolize the continuous churning of history, language, and culture, always simmering and transforming over time. The humor here is subtle, with Joyce playing on the mundanity of life (cooking, churning) in the context of grand myth and history.

020.08–020.09:

"And Gutenmorg with his cromagnom charter, tintingfast and great primer must once for omniboss step rubricredd out of the wordpress else is there no virtue more in alcohoran."

Here Joyce uses the figure of Gutenberg ("Gutenmorg") to represent the creation and dissemination of written language. The "cromagnom charter" might be a playful take on the notion of ancient or prehistoric man, suggesting that even the earliest humans were involved in the creation of "charters" or codified language. "Rubricredd out of the wordpress" evokes both the printing press (rubrication as a medieval practice of using red ink) and the modern idea of "wordpress," highlighting the tension between old and new media.

This passage is particularly rich in humor, especially with Joyce’s play on the serious topic of the evolution of writing, combining it with nonsensical and archaic elements ("omnibus," "rubricredd").

020.13–020.14:

"Till ye finally (though not yet endlike) meet with the acquaintance of Mister Typus, Mistress Tope and all the little typtopies."

This line uses personification to inject humour into Joyce’s meditation on writing. "Mister Typus" and "Mistress Tope" represent the typesetters or the figures responsible for print, while "typtopies" are the playful, smaller offspring of these personified typesetters. The reference to "typtopies" is humorous and mocks the rigid formality of typesetting, reducing it to a playful domestic image of a family of letters or words.

020.23–020.24:

"One's upon a thyme and two's behind their lettice leap and three's among the strubbely beds."

This is a distorted, playful take on the classic fairy-tale opening "Once upon a time." Joyce shifts the familiar phrase into surrealism with "thyme" (a pun on the herb and time) and adds rhythmic wordplay to confuse the reader’s expectation of narrative logic. The line toys with the act of storytelling itself, incorporating nonsensical elements ("lettice leap" and "strubbely beds") to add humour and absurdity to the act of beginning a story.

020.29–020.30:

"Of a noarch and a chopwife; of a pomme full grave and a fammy of levity; or of golden youths that wanted gelding; or of what the mischievmiss made a man do."

Here, Joyce blends images of domestic life with bawdy humour. A "noarch" (a blend of "monarch" and "no") and a "chopwife" (a woman who chops, perhaps figuratively as in nagging or literally as in cooking) create a comic pairing. Joyce’s play on the "pomme" (apple, a symbol of temptation and sin) and "fammy of levity" (a lighthearted family) adds more lightness to the narrative.

The innuendo is most evident in "golden youths that wanted gelding" (youths desiring castration) and "the mischievmiss made a man do," hinting at male desire and temptation, common themes in Joyce’s writing. The humour here is both bawdy and philosophical, reflecting on the absurdity of human relationships, desires, and actions.

020.35–020.36:

"She's the very besch Winnie blows Nay on good. Flou inn, flow ann. Hohore! So it's sure it was her not we!"

This passage, with its strange phraseology ("besch Winnie blows Nay on good"), seems to mimic a folksy, colloquial voice. The repetition of "Flou inn, flow ann" has a playful, rhythmic quality, echoing the natural flow of speech while suggesting something like water ("flow") or movement. There’s also a comedic ambiguity regarding who or what is responsible for the situation described, as the final exclamation "So it's sure it was her not we!" adds a humorous, finger-pointing conclusion.

Conclusion:

Page 20 of Finnegans Wake is filled with linguistic play, historical references, and bawdy humour. Joyce’s complex wordplay involves puns on printing and writing ("Gutenmorg," "typtopies"), as well as playful meditations on mythology and life’s cycles. In addition to philosophical musings on history, language, and existence, the page brims with sexual innuendo and comic absurdity, from "golden youths wanting gelding" to the constant reversals of responsibility and identity in lines like "it was her not we!"

Summary of Page 21: 21-23: The Tale of Jan van Hoother and the Prankquean

Page 21 of Finnegans Wake continues the fluid, mythic narrative characteristic of the book, introducing the character of the prankquean, a trickster-like figure who engages with Jarl van Hoother (a figure that may reference Nordic mythology or Irish legend) and his household. The passage brings forth elements of Irish mythology, gender roles, and social satire, all couched in Joyce's wordplay, which mixes Hiberno-English with his unique lexicon.

The text depicts a surreal, cyclical story where the prankquean kidnaps a child, Tristopher, and embarks on a long journey, only to return again later to Jarl van Hoother's castle. This episode blends creation myths, comedic innuendo, and themes of fertility and transgression. Joyce's language—full of compound words, puns, and historical references—creates a world where history, myth, and legend overlap.

Line-by-Line Analysis:

021.01–021.02:

"Mien, we are in rearing of a norewhig. So weenybeenyveenyteeny."

This line plays with the idea of a "norewhig" (likely a neologism for "Norwegian" or a reference to a political figure), blending Hiberno-English with childlike, diminutive language: "weenybeenyveenyteeny." This phrase plays on the notion of something small and insignificant in a grand context, mocking the lofty political or mythological tone of the moment.

021.05–021.06:

"It was of a night, late, lang time agone, in an auldstane eld, when Adam was delvin and his madameen spinning watersilts..."

This passage evokes the language of fairy tales and legends with the phrase "lang time agone." The phrase "auldstane eld" is a blend of Scots and Irish terms, suggesting an ancient, stone-filled landscape—reminiscent of Ireland's prehistoric past. Joyce references Adam and Eve in a comedic, mundane light, with Adam digging (delvin) and Eve spinning water. This invokes a pastoral, innocent prehistory, mocking the biblical narrative by turning it into a domestic scene.

021.15–021.19:

"And the prankquean pulled a rosy one and made her wit foreninst the dour. And she lit up and fireland was ablaze. And spoke she to the dour in her petty perusienne: Mark the Wans, why do I am alook alike a poss of porterpease?"

The "prankquean" is a trickster figure, her name blending "prank" and "queen." She challenges Jarl van Hoother in a way that ignites conflict ("fireland was ablaze"). Her question, "Why do I am alook alike a poss of porterpease?" is a humorous take on identity, with "porterpease" suggesting peas in a pot or a drunk (porter being a type of beer). The comedic inversion of grammar ("do I am alook") adds to the playful nature of this passage, with Joyce deliberately distorting the language to evoke both absurdity and reflection on communication.

021.22–021.24:

"And Jarl van Hoother war lessed after her with soft dovesgall: Stop deef stop come back to my earin stop."

Jarl van Hoother's plea to the prankquean to return after she kidnaps Tristopher is comedic and exaggerated. His request, "Stop deef stop come back to my earin stop," mocks the formal style of telegrams or official communications, turning his command into an ineffectual, comical plea.

021.25–021.28:

"And there was a brannewail that same sabboath night of falling angles somewhere in Erio. And the prankquean went for her forty years' walk in Tourlemonde..."

"Brannewail" combines "brand" (fire) and "wail" (crying), signaling a dramatic event or fall from grace, with "falling angles" likely referring to fallen angels, invoking a mythic or religious downfall in "Erio" (Ireland). The prankquean's "forty years' walk" references biblical wandering, further drawing on mythic, religious, and legendary connotations.

021.30–021.33:

"So then she started to rain and to rain and, be redtom, she was back again at Jarl van Hoother's in a brace of samers and the jiminy with her in her pinafrond..."

Here, the prankquean returns after a long journey, creating a cyclical structure. The phrase "be redtom" plays on "redemption" or a similar religious term, and her "pinafrond" (a mix of "pinafore" and "frond") suggests a playful description of her clothing. Joyce's playful use of language here mixes the mundane and the mythic.

021.35–021.36:

"And Jarl van Hoother had his baretholobruised heels drowned in his cellarmalt, shaking warm hands with himself..."

This phrase is a subtle bit of sexual innuendo. Jarl van Hoother "shaking warm hands with himself" while drunk ("cellarmalt") could be read as a euphemism for masturbation, delivered humorously and indirectly. Joyce’s humour here lies in the incongruity of the image and the gentle absurdity of the description.

Use of Hiberno-English:

Joyce’s use of Hiberno-English can be seen throughout page 21, where he incorporates Irish syntax and vocabulary into his unique lexicon. For example, phrases like "be redtom" and "be dermot" (a likely reference to an Irish saint or historical figure) incorporate Hiberno-English exclamations. His use of "dour" for door and the rhythm of certain sentences reflect the speech patterns of Irish English, blending them with his inventive style.

References to Irish Culture and Mythology:

The mention of "Erio" as a poetic form of Ireland, as well as the prankquean’s role as a disruptive, trickster-like figure, aligns with Irish mythology and folklore, where such figures are common. Her role as a queen who ignites conflict and returns cyclically may evoke characters like the Morrígan, a shape-shifting goddess associated with war and fate in Irish mythology. The cyclical, repetitive structure of the prankquean’s actions mirrors the repetition of Irish history and its struggles for sovereignty.

Conclusion:

Page 21 of Finnegans Wake is filled with complex layers of humour, mythology, and history, couched in Joyce’s playful and experimental language. Through characters like the prankquean and Jarl van Hoother, Joyce explores themes of power, gender, and history, all while subverting traditional narratives with his characteristic blend of linguistic creativity and wit.

Page 22 of Finnegans Wake is an extension of the comedic yet chaotic episode involving the Prankquean, a figure who disrupts the order of Jarl van Hoother’s world. The narrative on this page is rich in allegory, Irish mythology, and historical references, alongside Joyce’s signature wordplay, humour, and rhythmic storytelling.

Summary:

On this page, the Prankquean continues to provoke and challenge Jarl van Hoother, repeating the cyclical nature of her visits to his castle. The Prankquean engages in a ritual of "taking" and "setting down" Jiminy, her captive, while the Jarl remains powerless, signifying a battle of wits, power, and identity. The page ends with Jarl von Hoother's dramatic reappearance, filled with pomp and a parody of heroic grandeur. This playful interaction and confrontation underscore the instability of language, identity, and power in Joyce's universe.

Detailed Analysis:

022.01-022.02: “the dummy in their first infancy were below on the tearsheet, wringing and coughing, like brodar and histher.”

Language and Hiberno-English: "brodar and histher" is a humorous distortion of "brother and sister", reflecting Joyce's use of phonetic play and dialectal transformations, possibly drawing on Hiberno-English pronunciations. "Tearsheet" may allude to weeping or lamentation, a theme tied to vulnerability or childhood.
Humour: The description of the children wringing and coughing mimics a chaotic, almost slapstick scene, highlighting their helplessness while adding a layer of physical comedy.

022.05-022.06: "Mark the Twy, why do I am alook alike two poss of porterpease?"

Sexual Innuendo: The Prankquean's use of the phrase "two poss of porterpease" carries potential sexual undertones. The repetition of "twy" and the play on “two peas in a pod” suggest both duality and closeness, possibly evoking a metaphor for lovers. The absurdity of her questioning adds humour and a teasing dynamic.
Wordplay and Phonetics: The punning on "twy" as two and "porterpease" (porter being a drink associated with Ireland) exemplifies Joyce’s love for the multi-layered sounds of words and their shifting meanings.

022.10-022.11: "Stop domb stop come back with my earring stop"

Phonetic Irish English: "domb" is a playful distortion of "dumb", and the command “come back with my earring” evokes the absurdity of the situation, as Jarl von Hoother pleads with the Prankquean.
Humour: The repetitive and nonsensical pleading of Jarl reflects his helplessness, and the use of “earring” here might also signify a token of power or control that the Prankquean has stolen. It adds a layer of farce to the scene.

022.12-022.13: "there was a wild old grannewwail that laurency night of starshootings somewhere iin Erio."

Cultural Reference: “Erio” is a reference to Eire (Ireland), and the phrase “grannewwail” (grand wail) might point to the mourning or keening traditions in Irish culture and also refers to the Irish name of Grace O'Malley Gráinne Mhaol anglicised as Granuaile.
Irish History: The imagery of starshootings could evoke cosmic or supernatural events, perhaps alluding to moments of great cultural or historical significance in Ireland.

022.14: "she punched the curses of cromcruwell with the nail of a top into the jiminy"

Historical Reference: "Cromcruwell" is a playful merging of Cromwell (Oliver Cromwell, the English military leader reviled in Irish history) and possibly a mythological or folkloric figure Crom Dubh (an Irish druid that clashed with St. Patrick), adding humour through the distortion of his name.
Political Allusion: Cromwell’s legacy in Ireland is deeply negative due to his campaigns, and here, Joyce humorously imagines the Prankquean symbolically defeating Cromwell’s curses by punching them “into the jiminy” (Jiminy Cricket being an innocent, moral figure from folklore, symbolising conscience).

022.22-022.23: "Jarl von Hoother had his hurricane hips up to his pantrybox, ruminating in his holdfour stomachs"

Humour: The phrase “hurricane hips” and the notion of "four stomachs" playfully parody the body of Jarl, presenting him as a grotesque, almost bovine figure. The description contrasts the seriousness with absurdity, undercutting any heroic image he might have had.
Cultural Reference: Jarl von Hoother is Joyce’s invention, but his portrayal as an ineffectual ruler speaks to archetypal figures in Irish myths who are often portrayed as rulers overcome by supernatural forces.

022.27: "the valleys lay twinkling"

Nature Imagery: This lyrical description contrasts with the chaotic scene of abduction and conflict, reminding the reader of Joyce’s deep connection to the Irish landscape.
Sexual Innuendo: The “twinkling valleys” may subtly suggest a sexual connotation, as valleys are often metaphors for female sexuality. This line might reflect the Prankquean's power and allure as she navigates through this landscape.

022.32-022.34: "Jarl von Hoother Boanerges himself, the old terror of the dames, came hip hop handihap out through the pikeopened arkway of his three shuttoned castles"

Humour and Heroic Parody: Joyce creates humour by portraying Jarl von Hoother in grandiose terms, mocking traditional heroic epics. The phrase “terror of the dames” suggests both a fearsome warrior and a comically failed womanizer.
Historical Allusion: "Boanerges" is a biblical reference (Mark 3:17), meaning "sons of thunder", which underscores Jarl’s attempt at grandeur, yet this grandeur is constantly undermined by Joyce’s ironic wordplay.

In this section of Finnegans Wake, Joyce plays with history, language, and narrative structure, blending Irish myth with sexual innuendo and humour. The interaction between the Prankquean and Jarl von Hoother is farcical, mixing the sacred and the profane, as well as the mythological and the mundane. Through playful linguistic innovation, Joyce continues to explore the instability of power, identity, and knowledge.

Summary: 23-24: The Fall

On page 23 of Finnegans Wake, Joyce continues to weave together his vast tapestry of wordplay, mythological references, and historical allusions. This section sees the continuation of the surreal narrative that blends various elements of Irish history, culture, and linguistic experimentation.

In this passage, we witness a chaotic yet poetic unfolding of language as Joyce details what seems to be a ritualistic or mythological interaction. The characters and events described are framed in a whimsical, almost dreamlike narrative that reflects on history, gender dynamics, and authority. The prankquean (a mischievous queen figure) continues her confrontation with Jarl von Hoother (a possibly mythic or historical lord figure), involving the swapping of roles, riddles, and witty exchanges. Joyce’s language on this page is as dense as ever, filled with playful sexual innuendo, historical layers, and linguistic inventions that make the text both baffling and amusing.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

023.01-023.02: "framed panuncular cumbottes like a rudd yellan gruebleen or- angeman in his violet indigonation"

Humour and Wordplay: Joyce’s description here blends colours and emotions with nonsensical combinations, such as "gruebleen" (possibly blending "grue," meaning something gruesome, and "bleen," a portmanteau of blue and green) and "indigonation" (a play on the colour indigo and "indignation"). These coinages playfully confuse the reader while hinting at intense emotions, possibly associated with battles or confrontations.

023.04-023.06: "And he clopped his rude hand to his eacy hitch and he ordurd and his thick spch spck for her to shut up shop, dappy."

Hiberno-English Influence: The phrase "clopped his rude hand" and "shut up shop" recall the idiomatic expressions from Hiberno-English, where such actions would be a casual way of commanding someone to stop what they’re doing. Joyce’s use of Hiberno-English adds to the musicality and earthiness of the dialogue.

023.07: "(Perkodhus kurun barg gruauya gokgorlayor gromgremmit ghundhurth- ruma thuna radi dilli faititilli bumull unukkunun!)"

Playful Nonsense and Sound: This sequence exemplifies Joyce’s tendency to mimic sounds in multiple languages for the work thunder (this is the second thunder word out of 10).

023.09: "And that was the first peace of illiterative porthery in all the flamend floody flatuous world."

Humour and Satire: Joyce pokes fun at poetic forms with "illiterative porthery" (a playful take on "alliterative poetry"), suggesting that this chaotic scene marks the birth of a kind of nonsensical literature in the absurd, "flamend floody flatuous" world, which may allude to the biblical Flood.

023.13-023.14: "the prankquean was to hold her dummyship and the jimminies was to keep the peacewave and van Hoother was to git the wind up."

Sexual Innuendo: The "dummyship" of the prankquean, or her silence, contrasts with the "jimminies" who must "keep the peacewave." The playful phrase "git the wind up" could carry sexual undertones, suggesting anxiety or fear in the face of a possible sexual encounter, or simply anxiety about losing control.

023.15-023.16: "O foenix culprit! Ex nickylow malo comes mickelmassed bonum."

Religious and Historical Reference: "Foenix" plays on "phoenix," symbolising rebirth or renewal, while "nickylow malo" and "mickelmassed bonum" are references to good arising from evil (ex malo bonum). The phrase can also be seen as a parody of Catholic teachings, blending sacred and comic language.

023.20-023.21: "Quarry silex, Homfrie Noanswa! Undy gentian festyknees, Livia No- answa?"

Irish Historical Figures and Battles: "Silex" refers to flint or stone, often associated with primitive tools and weapons. "Homfrie" and "Livia" are likely references to historical or mythical figures. Joyce’s language here may nod to Irish figures or battles where similar quarrying or gathering took place. "Noanswa" could be a playful combination of "no answer," reflecting the unknowability of historical truth.

023.25-023.26: "She he she ho she ha to la. Hairfluke, if he could bad twig her!"

Playful Sexual Innuendo: This passage plays with sounds and repetition, potentially hinting at sexual rhythms or flirtations between the characters. "Bad twig her" could mean "notice her too late," with "twig" being a slang term for understanding something. Joyce’s subtle humour here arises from the blending of childlike playful sounds and adult sexual implications.

023.29-023.31: "Landloughed by his neaghboormistress and perpetrified in his offsprung, sabes and suckers, the moaning pipers could tell him to his faceback"

Hiberno-English and Humour: "Landloughed" might play on "landlocked" or "laughed at," with "neaghboormistress" combining "neighbour" and "mistress." Joyce creates humorous imagery of someone being laughed at or ridiculed by their "neighbour mistress" while also being "perpetrified" (possibly a portmanteau of "perpetual" and "petrified"). "Faceback" further plays on Joyce’s favourite trick of reversing words for added irony and humour.

023.31-023.33: "sabes and suckers, the moaning pipers could tell him to his faceback, the louthly one whose loab we are devorers of"

Sexual and Religious Overtones: The "moaning pipers" could be an erotic image, while "devorers" (devourers) suggests a Eucharistic reference, blending religious imagery with bodily desires. Joyce often layers his text with these double meanings, using language to invoke both sacred and profane associations.

Hiberno-English and Irish References:

Hiberno-English Influence: Joyce employs the rhythm and idiomatic structure of Hiberno-English throughout this passage. The phrase "git the wind up" is a colloquial expression, suggesting a nervous or frightened reaction, typical of Irish English usage.
Irish Mythology and History: There are allusions to Irish history, battles, and mythological references, particularly in the phrasing and rhythmic structure that mirror old Gaelic storytelling and oral tradition. The prankquean's journey and her engagements with van Hoother can be seen as an allegory for mythological battles or confrontations, layered with both humour and cultural critique.

Conclusion:

Page 23 of Finnegans Wake exemplifies Joyce’s ability to blend humour, myth, and linguistic playfulness in a complex narrative. His use of Hiberno-English adds a distinct rhythm and flavour to the text, while the underlying sexual innuendo, historical references, and mythical allusions create a multi-layered reading experience. Joyce’s ability to turn language into a game, filled with sound, rhythm, and layered meaning, makes Finnegans Wake a continually intriguing work to decipher, and this page, in particular, reflects many of his favourite themes and techniques.

On page 24 of Finnegans Wake, Joyce continues his playful exploration of language, history, and culture, with this section focusing on the mythical Finn McCool and the themes of death, resurrection, and legacy. The language is rich with Hiberno-English idioms, puns, and references to Irish history and mythology.

Summary:

This page centres on Finn McCool, depicted as an ancient patriarch figure who dug into the earth, lived and worked for his people, and "earned his dread," a reference to his mythical and heroic status. There is a sense of continuity and renewal as the passage speaks of Finn being awakened by the "whispring grassies" and the possibility of him rising again when the "fiery bird disembers," alluding to the phoenix, a symbol of resurrection. Joyce also employs a conversational tone, with characters addressing Finn and giving him advice, urging him to rest in peace and not to wander. The imagery and language reflect themes of death, the afterlife, and the ongoing influence of the past on the present.

Detailed Analysis:

024.03-024.04: "He dug in and dug out by the skill of his tilth for himself and all belonging to him and he sweated his crew beneath his auspice"

Hiberno-English: The phrase "dug in and dug out" is typical of Hiberno-English, reflecting the pragmatic and physical work that Finn McCool undertakes. The word "tilth" refers to cultivation, linking Finn to the land and the work of maintaining it.
Mythological Reference: Finn McCool is often depicted as a giant or a hero in Irish mythology, closely associated with the land and its people. His role as a leader is emphasised here, as he "sweated his crew" and worked for the benefit of his people.

024.05-024.06: "he urned his dread, that dragon volant, and he made louse for us and delivered us to boll weevils amain"

Humour and Mythical Imagery: Joyce plays with words here, blending "urned" (suggesting death and cremation) with "earned" (suggesting achievement). The phrase "dragon volant" may symbolise death or an enemy, while the "boll weevils" refer to pests, linking the idea of destruction and decay. The combination of serious mythological language with everyday agricultural pests creates a humorous juxtaposition.

024.07-024.08: "Unfru-Chikda-Uru-Wukru... our ancestor most worshipful"

Mythical Naming and Nonsense: Joyce invents a comical, almost nonsensical name for this figure, blending syllables to create a mock-heroic title for Finn McCool. This playful naming undercuts the seriousness of the figure, showing Joyce's irreverent approach to myth and legend.

024.14-024.15: "Have you whines for my wedding, did you bring bride and bedding, will you whoop for my deading is a? Wake? Usqueadbaugham!"

Irish Wake Tradition and Wordplay: This passage refers to the traditional Irish wake, a celebration of both life and death, filled with laughter, mourning, and drink ("Usqueadbaugham" is a play on "uisce beatha," the Irish word for whiskey). Joyce uses a playful rhythm here, showing how the lines between life, death, and celebration are blurred in Irish culture.

024.16-024.17: "Now be aisy, good Mr Finnimore, sir. And take your laysure like a god on pension and don't be walking abroad."

Conversational Tone and Humour: The casual, conversational tone here, full of Hiberno-English idioms ("be aisy," meaning "take it easy"), creates a humorous contrast to the epic figure of Finn. The speaker advises Finn to rest and not "walk abroad," a humorous image of an ancient hero being urged to retire peacefully.

024.22-024.23: "Meeting some sick old bankrupt or the Cottericks' donkey with his shoe hanging, clankatachankata"

Humour in the Mundane: The image of Finn McCool encountering a sick old man or a donkey with a loose shoe adds a layer of absurdity and humour. Joyce brings the mythical down to the level of the everyday, mixing the epic with the ordinary.

024.29-024.31: "You're better off, sir, where you are, primesigned in the full of your dress, bloodeagle waistcoat and all"

Playful Innuendo and Visual Imagery: "Primesigned" is a play on "primed" or "ready," while "bloodeagle waistcoat" could be an allusion to the Norse blood eagle ritual, although here it is mixed with clothing imagery to create a surreal and humorous picture. Joyce often mixes violent or serious themes with absurdity, making Finn both a fearsome and comical figure.

024.34-024.35: "in the land of souls with Homin and Broin Baroke and pole ole Lonan and Nobucketnozzler and the Guinnghis Khan."

Humour in Mythical Naming: Joyce’s invented names here, like "Nobucketnozzler," are humorous and whimsical, mocking the grandeur of epic and mythic figures by giving them absurd titles. "Guinnghis Khan" (a play on Genghis Khan) also adds to the comic layering of historical and mythical references.

Hiberno-English and Irish Cultural References:

Joyce’s use of Hiberno-English on this page serves to ground the text in the rhythms and idioms of Irish speech. Phrases like "be aisy" and "take your laysure" reflect the casual, relaxed tone of Irish conversational English, even when discussing grand, mythological figures.
The reference to the "fiery bird disembers" (024.11) suggests the phoenix, a symbol of resurrection, linking this passage to themes of rebirth and the cyclical nature of life and death, common in Irish mythology.
The setting of the Irish countryside is evoked through references to places like "Kapelavaster" (possibly a corruption of "Cappal na Vatsear") and "Healiopolis," mixing Irish place names with mythic and religious references.

Conclusion:

Page 24 of Finnegans Wake is a rich example of Joyce's layering of Irish myth, history, and everyday life with playful wordplay and humour. The character of Finn McCool is both revered and mocked, and Joyce’s language shifts between the sublime and the ridiculous. His use of Hiberno-English and invented words adds texture and rhythm to the text, making it both challenging and amusing. The playful innuendo, casual tone, and mythological references combine to create a unique narrative style that reflects Joyce’s mastery of language and his ability to mix high and low culture in surprising and delightful ways.

Summary: 25: Finnegan's Wake revisited 25-29: Restless Finnegan is told about the present age

Page 25 of Finnegans Wake focuses on the narrator’s adulation of Finn McCool, or HCE (Here Comes Everybody), as the epic hero of Irish legend. This section touches on themes of fame, folklore, reverence, and camaraderie, blending traditional Irish myth with Joyce’s own modern commentary. Throughout this passage, Joyce uses Hiberno-English, mythological references, and layered innuendos to mock and celebrate Irish history, heritage, and the cultural reverence for heroic figures.

The narrator speaks with admiration and reverence for the hero, Finn McCool, described in mythical terms and imbued with divine reverence. Finn's legacy extends across Ireland and beyond, with his “fame spreading” and being honored by locals who offer gifts and sacrifices. The language used elevates Finn’s status to that of a mythical figure, drawing on both Irish myth and Christian allusions. Joyce uses Hiberno-English to emphasize an authentic Irish voice and cadence, and various humorous, bawdy, and absurd references highlight Joyce’s playful engagement with myth, creating a comical portrayal of Irish history and heroes.

Detailed Analysis:

025.01-025.04: “you presents, won’t we, fenians? And it isn’t our spittle we’ll stint you of, is it, druids?”

Hiberno-English and Irish History: Joyce uses Hiberno-English (“you presents,” “spittle we’ll stint”) and references Irish history and culture, specifically the Fenians and Druids. The Fenians, a 19th-century nationalist organization, connect this ancient figure to more recent Irish nationalist movements, while the Druids invoke pre-Christian Irish religious figures, mixing myth and history.
Humour: The line about “spittle” adds a crude humour, undercutting the reverence by implying that, though revered, Finn’s followers won’t “stint” on even the lowliest offerings.

025.09-025.12: “Your fame is spreading like Basilico’s ointment...”

Myth and Folklore: Here, Joyce refers to Finn McCool’s legendary fame spreading throughout Ireland, likening it humorously to “Basilico’s ointment,” perhaps a satirical take on the supposed healing powers of folk remedies. This ties to Joyce’s often irreverent look at revered or grand traditions by linking Finn’s mythical renown to something more mundane.
Playful Language and Absurdity: Joyce blends the grandiosity of Finn’s legend with everyday products and colloquial language, creating a humorous down-to-earth quality in an otherwise mythical portrayal.

025.13-025.14: “the menhere’s always talking of you sitting around on the pig’s cheeks under the sacred rooftree”

Irish Mythology: “Menhere” may evoke the “menhir,” or standing stones found in Celtic regions, traditionally associated with ancient rituals. The “sacred rooftree” represents the legendary gathering places of Irish leaders or gods, yet “sitting on the pig’s cheeks” is an unexpected, humorous image, contrasting the mundane with the divine.
Humour in Imagery: Joyce’s image of Finn on “pig’s cheeks” adds an earthy, almost irreverent humor to the heroic figure, aligning with his practice of humanizing and grounding mythological figures in ordinary imagery.

025.15-025.16: “our supershillelagh where the palmsweat on high is the mark of your manument.”

Symbolism and Wordplay: The “supershillelagh” combines the shillelagh, a traditional Irish wooden cudgel, with monumental language. The “palmsweat” refers to the physical toil and reverence for Finn, and “manument” is a play on “monument” and “man,” symbolizing Finn’s enduring legacy.
Dual Meaning: This phrase blends reverence and humour, with the phallic “supershillelagh” as an innuendo, playfully suggesting the virile prowess attributed to Finn’s legacy, while “palmsweat” alludes to the labour required to honor such a figure.

025.18-025.19: “If you were bowed and soild and letdown itself from the oner of the load it was that paddyplanters might pack up plenty”

Irish Culture and Labour: The “paddyplanters” nod to the Irish laborers and farmers who toiled in difficult conditions. Joyce often references Ireland’s agrarian past to underline the heroism attributed to the working class, implying that Finn’s endurance helped pave the way for future generations.
Hiberno-English and Alliteration: “Bowed and soild and letdown” reflects Joyce’s penchant for Hiberno-English and his love for rhythmic, alliterative phrases, which add musicality to the text while grounding it in Irish vernacular.

025.22-025.23: “The game old Gunne... that was a planter for you, a spicer of them all.”

Playful Language and Sexual Innuendo: “Game old Gunne” uses wordplay to potentially refer to both a cannon and a virile man. The sexual innuendo here—“a spicer of them all”—suggests Finn’s boldness and hints at sexual prowess, a theme Joyce frequently wove into the text, often with humor and irony.

025.27-025.28: “There was never a warlord in Great Erinnes and Brettland, no, nor in all Pike County like you, they say.”

Irish and British Geography: “Great Erinnes” (Ireland) and “Brettland” (Britain) represent Ireland and Britain, respectively, with “Pike County” likely referencing a rural area in the United States, humorously expanding Finn’s fame across the Atlantic. This blending of Irish, British, and American places reinforces the mythical scope of Finn’s influence.
Humorous Hyperbole: By exaggerating Finn’s reputation to include foreign lands, Joyce humorously emphasizes the supposed universality of Finn’s heroism.

025.30-025.31: “That you could fell an elmstree twelve urchins couldn’t ring round and hoist high the stone that Liam failed.”

Myth and Folklore: This sentence uses hyperbole, a common trope in myth, where the hero possesses extraordinary strength. Here, Finn’s strength is exaggerated, portraying him as able to perform tasks beyond ordinary mortals.
Irish Language and Folklore Influence: “Urchins” here may refer to mischievous boys, another hint at the playful quality of Irish folklore where heroes often engage in feats of strength that awe the younger generations.

025.35-025.36: “who was the batter could better Your Grace? Mick Mac Magnus MacCawley can take you off to...”

Wordplay and Humour: The word “batter” could refer to both physical strength (a battering force) and culinary batter, creating a comical juxtaposition. Mick Mac Magnus MacCawley, with his triple-name repetition, adds to the humor, caricaturing the epic names of Irish heroes in an exaggerated fashion, typical of Joyce’s playful humor.

Conclusion:

Page 25 of Finnegans Wake celebrates Finn McCool’s legendary status while humorously grounding his myth in Irish colloquialism and vernacular. Joyce uses Hiberno-English, mythological exaggeration, and inventive wordplay to portray Finn’s strength, resilience, and sexual prowess. References to Irish culture, history, and heroic figures like the Fenians and Druids connect the mythical Finn to Ireland’s broader nationalist legacy, while Joyce’s humour and sexual innuendo reveal a lighthearted critique of Ireland’s reverence for its legendary past. This page epitomises Joyce’s unique ability to mix reverence with irreverence, creating a dense, humorous text that celebrates and parodies Irish mythology.

Summary of Page 26

Page 26 of Finnegans Wake presents a layered narrative blending historical, mythological, and cultural references within Joyce’s unique use of Hiberno-English. This passage pays tribute to and critiques the grandeur of mythical heroes, blending solemnity and satire to present Irish figures through a mythic yet comically inflated lens. Themes of nationalism, cosmology, and rebirth emerge, reflecting on Ireland’s enduring culture while simultaneously poking fun at the mythologising of heroes and historical events.

Line-by-Line Analysis

026.01-026.03
"the pure perfection and Leatherbags Reynolds tries your shuffle and cut. But as Hopkins and Hopkins puts it, you were the pale eggynaggy and a kis to tilly up."
This phrase reflects Joyce’s humorous style, utilising nicknames to elevate everyday figures with almost mythical significance. “Leatherbags Reynolds” may symbolise political or economic figures, while “shuffle and cut” is both a card-game reference and potentially an innuendo, alluding to life’s unpredictable nature. “Pale eggynaggy” likely references a delicate or sheltered figure, exaggerated with irony to subvert any notion of heroism.

026.06-026.08
"So may the priest of seven worms and scalding tayboil, Papa Vestray, come never anear you as your hair grows wheater beside the Liffey that's in Heaven!"
This line invokes a sense of parody regarding priests and figures of authority, with “Papa Vestray” likely mocking religious or academic figures. “Seven worms” could symbolise the seven deadly sins or the seven sacraments, satirising the idea of holiness. The reference to the “Liffey that’s in Heaven” elevates Ireland itself to a heavenly realm, infusing Irish national identity with both reverence and irony.

026.09-026.10
"Hep, hep, hurrah there! Hero! Seven times thereto we salute you!"
Here, Joyce draws on the tone of patriotic salutes, invoking celebratory language to honour the protagonist while subtly mocking nationalistic pride. Repeating “Hep, hep, hurrah” evokes traditional celebratory cries, yet its exaggerated form suggests that the praise may be superficial or satirical.

026.12-026.14
"Your heart is in the system of the Shewolf and your crested head is in the tropic of Copricapron. Your feet are in the cloister of Virgo."
Joyce incorporates cosmology, with “Shewolf” possibly alluding to Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome, and the connection of Irish heroism to ancient myth. “Copricapron” is a humorous blend of “Capricorn,” possibly indicating earthy strength. Associating the hero’s body parts with stars and constellations mythologises the hero while grounding him in Irish identity.

026.17-026.22
"The headboddylwatcher of the chempel of Isid, Totumcalmum, saith: I know thee, metherjar, I know thee, salvation boat."
This line invokes religious ritual and knowledge, with “Totumcalmum” evoking Latin liturgy or ecclesiastical language. Joyce could be merging “total calm” and “metherjar” (another term for “mead jar”) to combine religious solemnity with Irish folklore and drinking culture. This line suggests that both spiritual knowledge and earthly indulgence define Irish identity.

026.25-026.29
"Everything's going on the same or so it appeals to all of us, in the old holmsted here. Coughings all over the sanctuary, bad scrant to me aunt Florenza."
This line reflects Joyce’s commentary on daily life, with the “old holmsted” representing Ireland as a static yet enduring cultural space. “Coughings all over the sanctuary” suggests both the mundane and the holy coexisting, possibly criticising stagnant traditions. “Bad scrant” (bad luck) is a distinctly Irish expression, enhancing the authenticity of the Hiberno-English dialect.

026.30-026.34
"The same shop slop in the window. Jacob's lettercrackers and Dr Tipple's Vi-Cocoa and the Eswuards' desippated soup beside Mother Seagull's syrup."
Joyce uses humour here to critique consumerism. By listing mundane goods like “lettercrackers” and “desippated soup,” he mocks the predictability of consumer culture, suggesting that the same products, year after year, reflect a cultural stagnation.

026.35-026.36
"The lads is attending school nessans regular, sir, spelling beesknees with hathatansy and turning out tables by mudapplication."
This sentence humorously refers to the “school of hard knocks” or informal education. The misspelling in “beesknees” and “hathatansy” creates an ironic take on literacy, perhaps implying that Ireland’s youth learn through life’s hardships more than through formal schooling.

Themes and Motifs

Irish Identity and Mythology
Joyce’s repeated references to mythological figures and cosmological symbols emphasise Ireland’s complex identity, blending myth with everyday reality. He humorously elevates Irish figures to celestial status while grounding them in the physical and mundane, portraying the Irish identity as one that is both mythical and intimately rooted in land and tradition.

Religious and Cultural Satire
There is a continual satire of religion and authority figures on this page, as seen in phrases like “Papa Vestray” and “Totumcalmum.” By mingling sacred terminology with secular references, Joyce critiques organised religion’s role in Irish society while acknowledging its cultural influence.

Playful Sexual Innuendo
Innuendos like “shuffle and cut” and “pure perfection” add a humorous, irreverent tone, as Joyce uses such euphemisms to hint at bodily and erotic themes. This innuendo undercuts the lofty language, reminding the reader of the grounded, human experiences that underlie myth and history.

Page 26 illustrates Joyce’s skill in combining reverence and irreverence. Through a mixture of Hiberno-English, mythological references, and satirical commentary, Joyce portrays Irish identity as both grand and fallible, a dynamic that is central to Finnegans Wake.

Summary of Page 27

On page 27, Joyce paints a lively portrait of community life, blending humorous character descriptions and childhood reminiscences with suggestions of Irish religious and social structures. The page continues developing the familial and local ties that bind the characters, along with subtle innuendos that add complexity to their interactions. Hiberno-English phrases and cultural references deepen the Irish setting, while the passage’s rhythm and linguistic playfulness invite readers into the intimate and sometimes irreverent world of the Wake.

Line-by-Line Analysis

027.01-027.03: “after Tom Bowe Glassarse or Timmy the Tosser. 'Tisraely the truth! No isn't it, roman pathoricks?”

Analysis: Joyce uses playful, exaggerated names like “Tom Bowe Glassarse” and “Timmy the Tosser” to create humour and set a casual, almost folklore-like tone. These names blend humour with caricature, exaggerating the quirks of local characters. The phrase “‘Tisraely the truth” puns on Benjamin Disraeli (famous 19th century British politician who opposed Gladstone and Irish Home Rule) and “truly,” while “roman pathoricks” is a playful distortion of “Roman Catholics,” hinting at the pervasive influence of Catholicism in Ireland.

027.04: “and you’ll be a grandfer yet entirely when the ritehand seizes what the lovearm knows.”

Analysis: This line’s “ritehand” versus “lovearm” introduces a hint of sexual innuendo as it plays with the notion of physical and emotional connection. The term “grandfer” is Hiberno-English for “grandfather,” and this phrase suggests a balance between duty and affection, possibly alluding to the relationship between religious practices and secular emotions.

027.05-027.07: “Kevin’s just a doat with his cherub cheek, chalking oghres on walls, and his little lamp and schoolbelt and bag of knicks…”

Analysis: Joyce describes a boy named Kevin as a “doat” (Irish for a sweetheart or darling), highlighting his innocent charm. The use of “cherub cheek” and “chalking oghres” (drawing ogres) gives Kevin an almost angelic but mischievous character. This imagery recalls an idyllic Irish childhood, where small acts of rebellion like “playing postman’s knock” are innocent and endearing.

027.08-027.10: “the devil does be in that knirps of a Jerry sometimes, the tarandtan plaidboy…”

Analysis: The phrase “the devil does be in that knirps” uses Hiberno-English, indicating that young Jerry is a bit of a troublemaker. The word “knirps” (likely meaning a small child or rascal) combines humour with affection, while “tarandtan plaidboy” conjures an image of a rowdy child in traditional Irish or Scottish attire, further embedding cultural imagery in Joyce’s description.

027.12-027.16: “Hetty Jane’s a child of Mary… with a tourch of ivy to rekindle the flame on Felix Day.”

Analysis: “Hetty Jane’s a child of Mary” places Hetty within a religious context, possibly as a young woman devoted to Mary or the Catholic faith. The reference to “rekindle the flame on Felix Day” evokes traditional religious ceremonies and rituals in Ireland, such as the lighting of candles or ivy symbolism, which are tied to local celebrations.

027.17-027.21: “With the tabarine tamtammers of the whirligigmagees. Beats that cachucha flat. 'Twould dilate your heart to go.”

Analysis: Joyce’s “tabarine tamtammers” combines “tambourine” and “tamtam” (drum sounds), evoking the lively atmosphere of Irish music and dance. “Whirligigmagees” references whirling dances or carnival-like scenes, reinforcing a sense of festivity. The line “beats that cachucha flat” humourously contrasts this Irish liveliness with the Spanish “cachucha” dance, asserting the distinct charm of Irish culture.

027.22-027.25: “Aisy now, you decent man, with your knees and lie quiet and repose your honour’s lordship!”

Analysis: This line embodies the comforting, informal tone of Irish English, particularly with “Aisy now” (take it easy) and “decent man,” typical colloquial expressions. It’s a mix of gentle scolding and respectful encouragement, as if calming an elderly gentleman or a community leader who is being urged to rest.

027.27-027.30: “Be nayther angst of Wramawitch! Here’s lumbos. Where misties swaddlum, where misches lodge none, where mystries pour kind on, O sleepy! So be yet!”

Analysis: Joyce’s phrases here border on incantation, playing with words like “misties,” “misches,” and “mystries,” blending mystery and reverie. These rhythmic sounds mimic a lullaby or prayer, creating a comforting, almost mystical atmosphere that enhances the Irish folk quality of the passage.

027.32-027.34: “She’ll do no jugglywuggly with her war souvenir postcards to help to build me murial, tippers! I’ll trip your traps!”

Analysis: “Jugglywuggly” adds a whimsical quality, conveying suspicion in a playful tone. Joyce creates humour in “war souvenir postcards” as cheap, almost ridiculous mementos. “Murial” (mural or memorial) evokes something grandiose, contrasting with the triviality of postcards, suggesting a character’s inflated self-importance.

027.35-027.36: “So you won’t be up a stump entirely. Nor shed your remnants. The sternwheel’s crawling strong.”

Analysis: The phrase “up a stump” (in a difficult situation) and “shed your remnants” (perhaps meaning to let go of belongings or memories) reflects an Irish acceptance of hardship. The “sternwheel’s crawling strong” gives the impression of slow, inevitable progress, an apt metaphor for the continuity of Irish tradition and resilience.

Conclusion

On page 27, Joyce presents a tapestry of characters, each coloured by affection and eccentricity, set against a backdrop of Irish ritual and humour. His use of Hiberno-English expressions, playful character names, and rhythmically rich language invites readers to experience Ireland’s cultural vibrancy. Joyce’s intimate, sometimes irreverent humour, laced with social and religious references, engages readers in a nostalgic yet critical exploration of Irish identity and community.

Summary of Page 28

On page 28, Joyce presents a richly layered, affectionate portrait of a female figure, using innuendo, humour, and references to Irish culture and history. This character is likened to royalty (“queenoveire”), and her appeal is both maternal and flirtatious. Through shifting scenes, the reader encounters the woman in various domestic, social, and fantastical settings, such as attending fairs, reading the news, and imagining romantic adventures. Joyce uses Hiberno-English expressions, cultural references, and layered wordplay to bring out both the humour and the warmth of this character.

Detailed Analysis of Selected Lines

028.01-028.02: “seen your missus in the hall. Like the queenoveire.”

Analysis: This line refers to the female figure as “queenoveire,” playing on “Queen of Ireland.” Joyce is likely evoking Queen Eire (a personification of Ireland) or Queen Erin. This grand title for an ordinary woman humorously elevates her, reflecting Irish colloquial flattery and suggesting that she is, in her own right, a sovereign figure within the home.

028.04: “Dibble a hayfork's wrong with her only her lex's salig.”

Analysis: Here, Joyce employs Hiberno-English phrasing: “dibble a hayfork's wrong” means “nothing at all is wrong.” “Lex's salig” is likely a distortion of “legs are failing,” suggesting either a literal or metaphorical weariness, perhaps from age or life’s burdens. This colloquial phrasing underscores her resilience and vitality even amidst fatigue.

028.05-028.08: “Boald Tib does be yawning and smirking cat's hours on the Pollockses' woolly round tabouretcushion watching her sewing a dream together, the tailor's daughter, stitch to her last.”

Analysis: Joyce uses a mix of imagery and onomatopoeic language to evoke a domestic scene. The woman is “sewing a dream together,” a phrase that carries both literal and metaphorical meaning, suggesting the creation of dreams or nurturing life’s continuity. The phrase “stitch to her last” implies a tireless work ethic and resilience, attributes often culturally associated with Irish women.

028.13-028.15: “What with reins here and ribbons there all your hands were employed so she never knew was she on land or at sea or swooped through the blue like Airwinger’s bride.”

Analysis: This passage has an air of sexual innuendo. “Reins” and “ribbons” evoke playful, romantic control, likening the experience to a wild, thrilling ride that blurs reality and fantasy. “Airwinger’s bride” likely alludes to an ethereal figure, suggesting that she is swept away in romance or fantasy, capturing the theme of Irish women’s desire and spirit.

028.17-028.20: “Fond of a concertina and pairs passing when she's had her forty winks for supper after kanekannan and abbely dimpling and is in her merlin chair assotted, reading her Evening World.”

Analysis: The woman’s fondness for a “concertina and pairs passing” hints at social gatherings and music, part of Irish communal life. “Forty winks for supper” humourously suggests she enjoys a short nap after her evening meal. The “Evening World” (possibly a reference to a newspaper) places her in a setting where she connects with the wider world, hinting at her curiosity and engagement with current events.

028.22-028.23: “Death, a leopard, kills fellah in Fez. Angry scenes at Stormount.”

Analysis: Joyce mimics the sensationalism of news headlines here. “Death, a leopard, kills fellah in Fez” and “Angry scenes at Stormount” (an oblique reference to Stormont, the Northern Ireland Parliament) provide a contrast to the everyday life of the woman, suggesting her interest in global events while grounding her in an Irish political and cultural context.

028.26-028.27: “She’s seeking her way, a chickle a chuckle, in and out of their serial story, Les Loves of Selskar et Pervenche.”

Analysis: “Les Loves of Selskar et Pervenche” is a fictional, romantic serial story, hinting at her penchant for escapist reading. The alliteration in “a chickle a chuckle” conveys a light-hearted, joyful tone, and the phrase “seeking her way” suggests a journey or exploration, metaphorically linked to the plot of her life.

028.28-028.29: “There’ll be bluebells blowing in salty sepulchres the night she signs her final tear. Zee End.”

Analysis: The phrase “bluebells blowing in salty sepulchres” is poetic and melancholic, evoking the inevitable end of life. Joyce’s addition of “Zee End” mirrors the dramatic conclusion of a film or story, underlining the theatricality and self-contained nature of her life narrative, reminiscent of a palimpsest, where new stories are layered upon old ones.

028.30-028.33: “Anna Stacey’s how are you! Worther waist in the noblest, says Adams and Sons, the wouldpay actionneers. Her hair’s as brown as ever it was. And wivvy and wavy.”

Analysis: “Anna Stacey’s how are you!” uses assonance and phonetic play to mimic a familiar greeting, perhaps addressed to Anna Livia Plurabelle herself. The description of her hair as “wivvy and wavy” with “worther waist in the noblest” (likely meaning worthiest waist) suggests her enduring beauty. This humorous and affectionate description captures her timelessness and allure.

028.35-028.36: “For, be that samesake sibsubstitute of a hooky salmon, there’s already a big rody ram lad at random on the premises of his…”

Analysis: The “hooky salmon” likely refers to an emblem of Ireland, or possibly to her partner. The “big rody ram lad” may be a child or young man, hinting at the cyclical nature of life. The phrase suggests that while one generation ends, another begins, embodying the theme of circularity and continuity.

Conclusion

On page 28, Joyce uses Finnegans Wake’s unique language and playful prose to create a portrait of a woman who embodies both the mundane and the mythical. Through Hiberno-English expressions, lyrical wordplay, and Irish cultural references, Joyce’s text layers humour with the profound, drawing readers into a vision of Irish femininity that is both personal and universal. The page exemplifies his use of innuendo, alliteration, and rhythmic phrasing to evoke a character who is a bridge between generations and an embodiment of the enduring Irish spirit.

Summary of Page 29: 29: H.C.E. introduced

Page 29 of Finnegans Wake is deeply layered with mythological references, parodic characterisation, and cultural intertextuality, portraying HCE (Here Comes Everybody) as a figure of both mythic grandeur and human fallibility. This page presents HCE as an everyman whose notoriety and mythos persist across generations. Joyce’s language on this page blends Hiberno-English, wordplay, and neologisms, providing a complex view of HCE’s identity as shaped by communal memory, history, and mythology.

This page delves into the communal retelling of HCE’s character, casting him as both revered and ridiculed, with a focus on his influence, fame, and infamous actions. The text references HCE’s mythical past and places him in Dublin’s social and cultural fabric, often referring to him in exaggerated terms and with grandiose imagery that borders on the absurd. HCE’s legend grows with each retelling, intertwining with aspects of Irish folklore, history, and religion, reflecting the paradox of a figure whose role is both foundational and flawed.

Detailed Analysis

029.01-029.02: “haunt of the hungred bordles, as it is told me. Shop Illicit, flourishing like a lordmajor or a buaboabaybohm…”

Analysis: Joyce begins with “haunt of the hungred bordles,” suggesting a place familiar with both poverty and indulgence. “Shop Illicit” signals the shady aspects of HCE’s character, while “flourishing like a lordmajor or a buaboabaybohm” exaggerates his influence, likening him to Dublin’s Lord Mayor. The term “buaboabaybohm” carries a satirical twist, possibly mocking the bourgeois or grandiose airs HCE assumes. This description establishes HCE as a simultaneously noble and notorious figure, embodying contradictions.

029.03-029.05: “litting flop a deadlop (aloose!) to lee but lifting a bennbranch a yardalong (ivoeh!) on the breezy side (for showm!)…”

Analysis: Joyce uses nautical and physical imagery here to convey HCE’s instability, suggesting he is “aloose” and prone to “deadlop”—an image of stumbling or falling short. The phrase “lifting a bennbranch” evokes the idea of holding a ceremonial branch, suggesting a desire for dignity or authority. The word “ivoeh” mimics an exclamation, while “for showm!” implies HCE’s actions may be more about appearance than substance, capturing his self-inflation and the humorous failures that often follow.

029.07-029.08: “with a pocked wife in pickle that's a flyfire and three lice nittle clinkers, two twilling bugs and one midgit pucelle.”

Analysis: Joyce paints a chaotic domestic scene around HCE, where his wife is described as “pocked” (suggesting both flawed and problematic) and “in pickle” (in trouble). This humorous portrayal of his family as “three lice nittle clinkers” reinforces the sense of disorder and absurdity that surrounds HCE. The phrasing playfully diminishes his family to a comic assemblage, highlighting Joyce’s use of exaggeration and innuendo to depict familial discord.

029.09-029.10: “And aither he cursed and recursed and was everseen doing what your fourfootlers saw or he was never done seeing what you coolpigeons know…”

Analysis: This line describes HCE’s tendency toward repetitive behaviour, as “cursed and recursed” implies cycles of condemnation and redemption. “Fourfootlers” (possibly animals or grounded observers) contrasts with “coolpigeons” (free-flying, perhaps more detached), presenting two perspectives on his actions. The line humorously implies that HCE is perpetually engaged in either committing questionable acts or witnessing them.

029.12-029.15: “Though Eset fibble it to the zephiroth and Artsa zoom it round her heavens for ever. Creator he has created for his creatured ones a creation.”

Analysis: “Eset” appears to be a variant of “Isis,” the Egyptian goddess, and “zephiroth” refers to a mystical concept in Kabbalah. Here, Joyce plays with the divine act of creation, linking HCE to mythic origins and cycles of birth and rebirth. The line “Creator he has created for his creatured ones a creation” humorously conveys HCE’s self-aggrandisement, suggesting that his actions have mythological significance.

029.16-029.18: “tis sure for one thing, what sherif Toragh voucherfors and Mapqiq makes put out…”

Analysis: Here, Joyce introduces characters like “sherif Toragh,” a figure that may connote law or religious authority, lending a sense of judgment to HCE’s legacy. “Mapqiq” resembles the Arabic word for judge, implying an official view on HCE’s reputation. The line satirises the bureaucratic and quasi-religious frameworks that surround HCE, presenting him as both scrutinised and mythologised.

029.21-029.23: “with a bumrush in a hull of a wherry, the twin turbane dhow, The Bey for Dybbling, this archipelago’s first visiting schooner…”

Analysis: Joyce’s description of HCE arriving “with a bumrush” in a “wherry” or small boat echoes mythological and colonial imagery. “The Bey for Dybbling” humorously transforms Dublin, suggesting HCE’s arrival as an epic event. Joyce layers Dublin with mythic and exotic imagery, positioning HCE as an outsider who arrives with great impact, merging Eastern and Irish references with a whimsical tone.

029.27-029.29: “changing cane sugar into sethulose starch (Tuttut's cess to him!) as also that, batin the bulkihood he bloats about when innebbiated…”

Analysis: This phrase implies HCE’s grandiosity when intoxicated, as “bulkihood” suggests a physical and figurative bloatedness. The term “innebbiated” (a playful twist on “inebriated”) mocks his drunken exaggerations. Joyce contrasts HCE’s real achievements (turning “cane sugar into starch”) with his grandiose self-presentation, humorously revealing his tendency to embellish his worth.

029.33-029.34: “even hamissim of himashim that he, sober serious, he is ee and no counter he who will be ultimendly respunchable…”

Analysis: This line showcases Joyce’s recursive language, as “hamissim of himashim” reflects the theme of duplicity and layered identity. “Respunchable” humorously tweaks “responsible” to add a sense of comic finality, suggesting that HCE ultimately bears the weight of his own myth. The mixture of Hebrew-like phonetics and colloquial English presents HCE as a figure who transcends language boundaries, embodying both myth and fallible humanity.

029.35-029.36: “for the hubbub caused in Edenborough.”

Analysis: Joyce merges Edinburgh with “Eden,” portraying HCE as both the cause of chaos and a fallen figure. This final line references a “hubbub” reminiscent of the Fall of Man, positioning HCE within a biblical framework. Joyce wittily juxtaposes the celestial “Eden” with the earthly “borough,” suggesting that HCE’s mythos contains both sublime and scandalous elements.

Conclusion

Page 29 of Finnegans Wake presents HCE as an archetypal figure whose legacy blends humour, reverence, and ridicule. Through Hiberno-English expressions, neologisms, and layered references, Joyce constructs HCE’s identity as simultaneously local and mythic. HCE’s flaws, exaggerated accomplishments, and mythic associations reflect humanity’s tendency to mythologise its own, often imperfect figures. Joyce’s wordplay on this page highlights the paradox of HCE’s role in Dublin: both admired and derided, grounded in Irish culture yet mythologised into universal themes.

Chapter I

Finnegans Wake Notes

Privacy Settings

Select all services

Website Translator

YouTube Video