Finnegans Wake Notes

403: HCE and ALP in bed at midnight 

403-5: The dreamer envisions a glorious sight of Shaun the Post 

405-7: Shaun described at his gorgings 

407-14: Shaun being interviewed 

414-19: The Fable of the Ondt and the Gracehoper 

419-21: Shaun denounces the Letter 

421-25: Shaun vilifies Shem and claims equal ability as a man of letters

426-27: Shaun collapses into a barrel and rolls backward down the river 

427-28: Issy bids Shaun a nostalgic farewell 

Analysis of Finnegans Wake, Page 403

Summary

Page 403 of Finnegans Wake presents an intricate passage blending dreamlike surrealism, mythological allusions, and Joyce’s hallmark linguistic playfulness. The text transitions between fragmented sounds, imagery, and a quasi-narrative voice describing a mysterious nocturnal scene. The overarching themes include the liminality of sleep, identity, and transformation. The language is rich in Hiberno-English, references to Irish culture and history, and moments of humour and innuendo.

Detailed Analysis

403.01–403.04

"Hark! Tolv two elf kater ten (it can't be) sax. Hork! Pedwar pemp foify tray (it must be) twelve."

• Sound and rhythm: The passage opens with fragmented auditory commands ("Hark!" and "Hork!"), evoking the tolling of bells or a call to attention. These interjections mimic the fragmented awareness of someone between wakefulness and sleep.
• Multilingual play: Numbers appear in Scandinavian ("tolv," meaning twelve) and Welsh ("pedwar pemp," meaning four and five), demonstrating Joyce’s linguistic diversity.
• Time and disorientation: The focus on numbers reflects a dreamer’s distorted sense of time, a recurring theme in Finnegans Wake.

403.05

"And low stole o’er the stillness the heartbeats of sleep."

• Poetic rhythm: This line shifts into a lyrical, meditative tone, contrasting with the fragmented earlier lines.
• Theme of sleep: The “heartbeats of sleep” suggest a liminal state between consciousness and unconsciousness, resonating with the book’s cyclical structure.

403.06

"White fogbow spans. The arch embattled. Mark as capsules."

• Imagery: The “white fogbow” and “arch embattled” evoke a dreamlike scene, possibly referencing the Irish landscape (e.g., misty bridges or arches symbolising liminal thresholds).
• Irish history: The “arch embattled” may also hint at Ireland’s historical conflicts, with the imagery suggesting a fortification.

403.07–403.08

"The nose of the man who was nought like the nasoes. It is self-tinted, wrinkling, ruddled."

• Allusion to Cicero: "Nasoes" recalls Cicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero, whose cognomen means "big-nosed"), blending classical reference with earthy humour.
• Playful description: The description of the man’s "ruddled" nose (reddened, wrinkled) humanises him with an almost grotesque realism, possibly a humorous jab at a figure of authority.

403.09–403.10

"He am Gascon Titubante of Tegmine – sub – Fagi whose fixtures are mobiling so wobiling befear my remembrandts."

• Gascon Titubante: A name combining a French regional identity ("Gascon") with "titubante," meaning staggering or reeling, evoking a comically unstable figure.
• References to Virgil: “Sub tegmine fagi” (under the beech tree) recalls Virgil’s Eclogues, connecting pastoral tradition to the surreal narrative.
• Dream logic: The imagery of “fixtures mobiling so wobiling” underscores the fluidity of the dream world.

403.11–403.14

"She, exhibit next, his Anastashie. She has prayings in lowdelph."

• "Anastashie": Possibly a play on "anastasia" (resurrection), suggesting themes of rebirth or cyclical return.
• "Lowdelph": Echoes the sound of a bell (a recurring motif) while hinting at a mythical or religious resonance.
• "Gugurtha! Gugurtha!": Likely referencing Jugurtha, a Numidian king from Roman history, blending historical and mythological layers.

403.15–403.17

"The most beautiful of woman of the veilch veilchen veilde."

• Multilingual layering: "Veilch" and "veilchen" (German for violet) suggest the obscured beauty of a woman shrouded in mystery, likely Anna Livia Plurabelle.
• Sexual undertones: “Obscidian luppas” and “her aal in her dhove's suckling” playfully suggest both maternal and erotic connotations.

403.18–403.24

"Methought as I was dropping asleep somepart in nonland of where’s please..."

• Liminality: The passage explicitly situates itself in the “nonland” between wakefulness and sleep, a central theme of the book.
• Vivid auditory imagery: The “peal of vixen’s laughter” and “midnight’s chimes” evoke a surreal, magical world.
• Irish history and culture: The “speckled church” might symbolise a specific Irish locale, while the “nighthood’s unseen violet” poetically captures the ephemeral nature of Irish landscapes.

Key Themes

Hiberno-English:

• Joyce’s linguistic play integrates Irish colloquialisms and idiomatic phrasing, contributing to the text’s musicality. For example, “Mersey me!” on 403.35 echoes the Irish tendency to adapt exclamations phonetically.

Irish Language and Placenames:

• The reference to the “speckled church” (403.21) evokes the Irish tradition of naming places after their natural or architectural features, reinforcing the book’s grounding in Irish cultural identity.

Myth and Philosophy:

• The invocation of figures like Anastashie (resurrection) and Jugurtha (historical rebellion) weaves together mythological and historical layers, reflecting the cyclical themes of history and identity.

Sexual Innuendo and Humour:

• The playful phrasing, such as “her aal in her dhove’s suckling” (403.16), balances maternal and erotic imagery, underscoring Joyce’s ability to blend the sacred and profane.

Dream Logic:

• The narrative’s fragmented, nonlinear structure mimics the fluidity of dreams, where identities and locations blur, and auditory and visual elements merge seamlessly.

Conclusion

Page 403 of Finnegans Wake exemplifies Joyce’s experimental style, weaving together Irish cultural references, playful sexual innuendo, and mythological allusions. Through its linguistic innovation and richly layered imagery, the passage immerses the reader in the fluid, dreamlike consciousness that defines the text. The interplay of humour, philosophy, and poetic lyricism underscores Joyce’s ambitious vision of language as a medium for exploring identity, history, and the human condition.