Finnegans Wake Notes

196-201: Two washerwomen on the banks of the Liffey gossip about ALP and HCE 

201: Anna Livia Plurabelle's message 

201-4: Gossip about the love life of the young Anna Livia 

204-5: Washerwomen interrupt their gossip to wash Lily Kinsella's drawers

205-12: ALP steals off to distribute presents to all her children 

212-16: Darkness falls as the washerwomen turn into a tree and a rock 

Line 196.01-196.08 reads:

"O tell me all about Anna Livia! I want to hear all about Anna Livia. Well, you know Anna Livia? Yes, of course, we all know Anna Livia. Tell me all. Tell me now. You'll die when you hear. Well, you know, when the old cheb went futt and did what you know. Yes, I know, go on. Wash quit and don't be dabbling. Tuck up your sleeves and loosen your talk-tapes."

one of the most famous sections of Finnegans Wake, known as Anna Livia Plurabelle. This chapter deals primarily with the figure of Anna Livia, who symbolizes the River Liffey in Dublin but also represents the archetypal feminine force, specifically the mother figure, tied to nature and water. Anna Livia Plurabelle is central to the novel’s themes of cyclical renewal, transformation, and the flow of time, much like a river itself.

Key Elements of the Lines:

Dialogue Structure:

• This passage is presented as part of a dialogue, which is a common device in Finnegans Wake. Here, two washerwomen gossip about Anna Livia Plurabelle, the feminine embodiment of the river. The dialogue is playful and colloquial, creating the tone of an intimate conversation full of innuendo and shared understanding.
• The repetition of the phrase "I want to hear all about Anna Livia" and "Tell me all" mirrors the natural flow of a river, suggesting the movement of water, conversation, and narrative.
• This framing reflects the oral storytelling tradition, where history, myth, and gossip intermingle.

Anna Livia as the River:

• Anna Livia represents Dublin's River Liffey, but she also takes on a universal significance as a symbol of all rivers, embodying the cyclical nature of life, death, and renewal. Just as rivers flow endlessly, so too do the stories and histories of human experience.
• Joyce intertwines Anna Livia’s identity with the natural landscape, emphasizing that she is both an individual and a broader, mythological force, a personification of the eternal, life-giving river.
• The washerwomen’s dialogue reflects a deep connection to the river’s movements, evoking the myth of motherhood and water, where rivers are life-giving and constantly in flux, much like the flow of generations and stories over time.

Wordplay and Linguistic Experimentation:

• Phrases like "when the old cheb went futt" and "loosen your talk-tapes" are examples of Joyce’s trademark portmanteaus and onomatopoeic language, where he blends words to create new meanings or mimic sounds.
• "Cheb" could be a colloquial distortion of "chap" (man), while "futt" may imitate the sound of a deflating or collapsing event, suggesting a fall or failure—potentially an allusion to Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker (HCE), the male counterpart to Anna Livia in the novel. "Futt" is reminiscent of flatulence, typical of Joyce’s bawdy humor, and emphasizes the playful, sometimes coarse nature of human affairs.
• The phrase "loosen your talk-tapes" reflects a kind of unbridling of language, where the washerwomen are urged to speak freely, mirroring how the river flows without restriction. It plays on the idea of letting go of inhibitions in storytelling or gossip, just as Joyce’s characters let language itself run wild in the narrative.

Themes of Gossip and Memory:

• This passage is steeped in gossip, an important mode of communication in Joyce’s exploration of how stories and myths are passed down through generations. The washerwomen act as the carriers of oral history, shaping and reshaping narratives about Anna Livia as they talk.
• Gossip in Finnegans Wake takes on a mythic quality. Though the tone is intimate and local, the themes it engages with—birth, life, fall, renewal—are universal. The dialogue illustrates how everyday conversations participate in the formation of cultural and historical memory.
• The tone of the conversation, light and conspiratorial, also reflects the novel’s larger concerns with truth and exaggeration. As the women share the story of Anna Livia, they are also creating myths around her, emphasizing how personal histories are subject to embellishment and transformation.

Symbolic Significance:

Anna Livia as the Feminine Principle: Anna Livia Plurabelle represents the feminine force in contrast to the masculine figure of HCE. She is fluid, ever-changing, nurturing yet uncontrollable, embodying nature, fertility, and the life-giving properties of water. As the river, she represents cyclical time—a key theme in Finnegans Wake—where life and death are interconnected in a continuous flow.

The Flow of Language: The movement in the dialogue reflects the flowing, unbounded nature of language in Joyce’s world. Language, like water, has no fixed form; it changes shape depending on who is using it and how. This fluidity is mirrored in the way the washerwomen speak, with their sentences flowing into one another, echoing the stream of consciousness style that Joyce pioneered.

Orality and Storytelling: The request to "tell me all" and "tell me now" invokes the oral tradition of storytelling, where stories are shared, retold, and reinterpreted. This ties into Joyce’s broader theme of how history, memory, and identity are constructed through language and narrative. The washerwomen’s tale of Anna Livia is part of this ongoing process of storytelling that weaves together the individual and the collective, the mundane and the mythic.

Conclusion:

This passage is quintessential Joyce: playful, layered, and rich with meaning. Through the figure of Anna Livia Plurabelle, Joyce explores the relationship between language, nature, and myth. The washerwomen’s dialogue reflects the novel’s concerns with the cyclical nature of time, the flow of language, and the interplay between the personal and the universal. As they speak, they participate in the creation of myth and history, just as Joyce’s novel itself becomes a living myth in the hands of the reader.

Page 196 of Finnegans Wake features a prominent and intricate dialogue about Anna Livia Plurabelle, the archetypal feminine figure who represents the River Liffey and the eternal, flowing presence of nature. This section of the novel is packed with Hiberno-English, Irish culture, and mythological references. Here is a detailed line-by-line breakdown of the selected passage:

196.01-196.05: "O tell me all about Anna Livia! I want to hear all about Anna Livia. Well, you know Anna Livia? Yes, of course, we all know Anna Livia."

Anna Livia Plurabelle: Anna Livia symbolizes the River Liffey, a key figure in the novel’s exploration of Irish geography and history. In Irish myth and legend, rivers are often personified as feminine forces, and Anna Livia embodies this tradition. The River Liffey flows through Dublin, which is central to Joyce’s work and personal experience. Anna Livia serves as a mother figure and a symbol of fertility and renewal in Irish mythology.

Hiberno-English: The dialogue between the washerwomen reflects typical Irish conversational structure. The repetition of "Tell me all about Anna Livia!" and "Well, you know Anna Livia?" mimics the rhythm and back-and-forth quality of Irish gossip and oral storytelling, emphasizing the communal nature of the conversation. The phrase “Tell me all” is a direct and colloquial form often found in Irish speech, where personal stories and history are interwoven into casual conversation.

196.06: "You’ll die when you hear. Well, you know, when the old cheb went futt and did what you know."

"the old cheb went futt": The word "cheb" could be a corruption of "chap", reflecting Joyce's use of Hiberno-English slang. "Futt" is a phonetic representation of a sound, possibly alluding to flatulence or something comical, playing on Irish humor. It hints at an event or action that the characters are familiar with but left unspoken, relying on shared understanding, typical of the allusive and indirect communication style found in rural Irish communities.

Use of ambiguity: This vague reference ("did what you know") mirrors the kind of coded speech found in gossip and local storytelling. The listener knows the event being referred to, creating a sense of community and shared experience, typical in Irish conversational dynamics.

196.07-196.08: "Wash quit and don’t be dabbling. Tuck up your sleeves and loosen your talk-tapes."

Washerwomen's work: The imagery of washing connects to the everyday tasks of women by the riverside. The washerwomen are symbolic of Ireland’s rural working class and their interaction with nature. Their work mirrors the cyclical nature of life, echoing the themes of rebirth and renewal found throughout the text.

Hiberno-English idioms: The phrases "Wash quit" and "don’t be dabbling" reflect the conversational style and pragmatic tone of Hiberno-English. "Loosen your talk-tapes" suggests freeing up one's conversation, inviting a more open and unrestricted storytelling, again reflecting the fluid nature of language in Joyce's text.

196.09-196.10: "And don’t butt me — hike! — when you bend. Or whatever it was they threed to make out he thried to two in the Fiendish park."

Playful language: The word "butt" could mean to push, and "hike" may evoke a jerking movement, again reflecting the physicality of the washerwomen’s work. The onomatopoeic quality of Joyce's language here, and throughout the novel, mimics the sounds of their labor.

"Fiendish park": This is a reference to Phoenix Park in Dublin, where various historical events occurred, including the infamous Phoenix Park Murders in 1882. Joyce could be invoking both a real historical setting and a mythologized one, where the park becomes a space of intrigue, violence, and political strife. This line suggests an illicit or mysterious event, fitting with the novel’s theme of hidden narratives and personal histories.

196.11-196.13: "He’s an awful old reppe. Look at the shirt of him! Look at the dirt of it! He has all my water black on me."

"reppe": Likely derived from "reprobate", a term in Hiberno-English for a morally dubious or mischievous man, often used affectionately or humorously. The colloquial expression is in keeping with the gossiping tone of the washerwomen.

The dirt of the shirt: This refers to the physical labor of washing clothes, but also metaphorically reflects the stains of history, particularly in relation to men and their faults. Joyce’s attention to domestic details becomes a broader commentary on the dirtiness of public and private affairs—moral, social, or political.

196.14-196.16: "How many goes is it I wonder I washed it? I know by heart the places he likes to saale, duddurty devil!"

• "saale": This could be a phonetic rendering of "soil," reflecting the dialectical quality of Hiberno-English in which certain consonants are softened or altered. "Duddurty devil" also reflects Irish colloquialism, an affectionate scolding that carries moral overtones. The washing of the shirt becomes symbolic of trying to cleanse or correct these faults, with each attempt failing to fully remove the stain.

196.19: "And how long was he under loch and neagh?"

• Irish lakes: This is a reference to Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in Ireland. It brings Irish geography into the narrative, grounding the events in real, physical Irish spaces. Lough Neagh is a site rich in mythological and historical significance, adding layers of meaning to the narrative. The phrase could imply a period of imprisonment or isolation, referring to political or mythic figures who have been banished or submerged, echoing the theme of resurrection or emergence.

196.20-196.22: "It was put in the newses what he did, nicies and priers, the King fierceas Humphrey."

• "King fierceas Humphrey": This is an allusion to Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker (HCE), a central character in the novel, whose initials echo Here Comes Everybody, suggesting the universality of his experiences. HCE represents a fallen patriarchal figure, whose moral failings are the subject of public scandal, much like Irish historical figures who have been judged by both history and local gossip.

Conclusion:

Page 196 of Finnegans Wake is filled with Irish linguistic features, mythological and geographical references, and reflects Joyce's deep engagement with Irish history and culture. The interplay of Hiberno-English with multilingual puns creates a text that is both locally grounded in Ireland and universally expansive. The references to Irish rivers, lakes, and places, combined with the washerwomen’s labor, reinforce the cyclical nature of life, history, and identity that Joyce explores throughout the novel. This passage encapsulates the essence of oral storytelling, the mixing of the domestic and the mythic, and the continuous flow of language and history that characterizes Finnegans Wake.

Detailed Analysis of Finnegans Wake Page 197

Page 197 of Finnegans Wake showcases Joyce’s characteristic playfulness with language, sexual innuendo, and Irish cultural references, employing Hiberno-English, as well as touches of Irish history and geography. Let’s break down the passage and analyze specific aspects such as Joyce’s use of Hiberno-English, Irish placenames, Irish history and culture, and his characteristic sexual wordplay.

197.01-197.04: "Reeve Gootch was right and Reeve Drughad was sinistrous! And the cut of him! And the strut of him! How he used to hold his head as high as a howeth, the famous eld duke alien, with a hump of grandeur on him like a walking wiesel rat."

"Reeve": This title refers to a local official or magistrate, often from medieval times, pointing to feudal systems of governance, possibly alluding to figures of authority in Irish history. The distinction between "right" and "sinistrous" (sinister) plays on the moral undertones of these officials, aligning them with the forces of good and evil.

"howeth": Likely a reference to Howth, a promontory and village near Dublin, often mentioned in Joyce’s work. It serves as a reference to the Anglo-Norman nobility who once held power there, blending Irish geography with a depiction of an outsider duke ("alien"). This reflects the foreign aristocratic control that dominated Ireland for centuries.

"hump of grandeur": This ironic phrase suggests the figure’s exaggerated sense of importance, humorously mocking his pretensions. Joyce often ridicules authority figures, portraying them as comically flawed. The comparison to a "walking wiesel rat" dehumanizes this character, emphasizing his sneaky or conniving nature, a possible critique of colonial governance.

197.05-197.06: "And his derry’s own drawl and his corksown Blather and his doubling stutter and his gullaway swank."

Irish Dialects: This line explicitly mentions regional Irish accents and dialects. The "drawl" of Derry (a city in Northern Ireland), the "blather" from Cork, the "doubling stutter" from Dublin, and the "swank" of Galway highlight the diversity of Irish speech and regional identity. Joyce celebrates and mocks these regional speech patterns, acknowledging the distinctiveness of each county while playing on how language shapes identity.

Hiberno-English: The word "blather" is particularly notable in Hiberno-English and suggests someone prone to nonsensical or exaggerated talk. Joyce uses the melody and rhythm of Irish speech to characterize individuals and regions, all the while emphasizing how language itself can reflect cultural identity and even flaws.

197.07-197.08: "Ask Lictor Hackett or Lector Reade of Garda Growley or the Boy with the Billyclub."

• Irish Law and Authority: The references to Garda (the Irish police force) and a Billyclub (a police baton) underscore themes of authority and governance, potentially alluding to the presence of British police and the Royal Irish Constabulary during Ireland’s colonial period. The playful naming of characters reflects Joyce’s blending of Irish legal terms with ironic commentary on law enforcement.

197.09-197.12: "Who blocksmitt her saft anvil or yelled lep to her pail? Was her banns never loosened in Adam and Eve’s or were him and her but captain spliced?"

"Adam and Eve’s": This is a direct reference to Adam and Eve's Church in Dublin, often mentioned in Joyce’s works. It stands as a significant Dublin landmark and a site of cultural and religious importance. Here, Joyce plays with the imagery of marriage and sin, perhaps alluding to the Catholic tradition of marriage banns being called in church.

Sexual Innuendo: The phrase "blocksmitt her saft anvil" is a clear instance of sexual wordplay. The image of a smith’s anvil being struck has phallic connotations, while "yelled lep" could suggest the act of sex. The language Joyce employs mixes sexual innuendo with religious and domestic imagery, typical of his style, where the sacred and profane are often juxtaposed.

197.13-197.14: "For mine ether duck I thee drake. And by my wildgaze I thee gander."

• Marriage Wordplay: This passage riffs on the language of traditional marriage vows ("I thee wed") and transforms them into a playful animal metaphor: duck, drake, gander. The sexual implications are clear—Joyce humorously aligns the courting process with the natural behavior of birds. This playful twist on language represents Joyce’s continual subversion of religious rites with sexual imagery.

197.15-197.17: "Flowey and Mount on the brink of time makes wishes and fears for a happy isthmass. She can show all her lines, with love, license to play."

Irish Topography: The names Flowey and Mount could be references to places in Ireland. These could signify natural features such as rivers or hills, common symbols in Irish literature. Rivers, in particular, often symbolize the flow of time and history, linking Anna Livia Plurabelle (the personification of the River Liffey) to the passage of time.

Sexual Playfulness: The phrase "show all her lines, with love, license to play" can be read as both playful and suggestive. "Showing her lines" could refer to revealing one’s lineage or history, but the addition of "license to play" gives the phrase a more sexual tone, where "play" hints at sexual freedom or flirtation.

197.18-197.20: "Was his help inshored in the Stork and Pelican against bungelars, flu and third risk parties?"

Stork and Pelican: The stork is often associated with childbirth, and the pelican is a symbol of sacrifice and nurturing in Christian iconography. Joyce’s use of these birds in relation to insurance and risk adds a layer of humor—linking human reproduction and the risks of life to business and bureaucracy.

Sexual Innuendo: There is a hidden joke in this line—by invoking the stork (a symbol of birth) and coupling it with the idea of risk and insurance, Joyce subtly plays with themes of pregnancy and the consequences of sex. It highlights how Joyce often layers meanings, combining everyday concerns (like insurance) with deeper human anxieties about fertility and parenthood.

197.21-197.23: "I heard he dug good tin with his doll, delvan first and duvlin after, when he raped her home, Sabrine asthore, in a parakeet’s cage."

"delvan" and "duvlin": This likely refers to digging for tin, possibly an allusion to Ireland’s economic activities, but it also has sexual undertones, with "digging" and "raped her home" suggesting sexual conquest. The use of Hiberno-English here (with words like "astshore") adds an Irish flavor to the sexual innuendo.

Sexual Innuendo: The phrase "raped her home" is especially charged, though Joyce uses "rape" in a classical sense, meaning abduction or seizure (as in The Rape of the Sabine Women). Nevertheless, it carries clear sexual overtones, adding to the pervasive innuendo throughout the passage.

Conclusion:

Page 197 of Finnegans Wake is rich in Hiberno-English, Irish cultural references, and sexual innuendo. Joyce draws heavily on Irish dialect, playing with regional accents and speech patterns while weaving in place names and historical figures. The use of sexual innuendo is characteristically playful and subversive, blending the sacred and the profane, and continuing Joyce’s exploration of language as a dynamic, multi-layered system capable of encoding both everyday life and deep cultural meaning. This passage exemplifies Joyce’s ability to weave together the sexual, the historical, and the linguistic, creating a rich and complex text that rewards careful reading and deep engagement.

Summary of Page 198

On page 198 of Finnegans Wake, Joyce continues with his use of stream-of-consciousness narrative, centered on themes of sexual innuendo, historical allusions, and linguistic play. The passage features a dense layering of language, including Hiberno-English, Irish place names, and references to Irish culture. The characters in this passage are discussing HCE (Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker), a central figure in the novel, and his wife Anna Livia Plurabelle, who embodies the River Liffey. The conversation is laced with double entendres, mythological references, and critiques of authority.

Detailed Analysis of the Passage

198.01-198.02: "your pipes and fall ahumming, you bom ijypt, and you’re no-thing short of one! Well, ptellomey soon and curb your escumo."

"your pipes and fall ahumming": This phrase likely refers to musical pipes, but the word "pipes" in Hiberno-English can also refer to one’s voice or speech. Here, Joyce plays with the notion of humming as a kind of background noise, but it may also be a sexual innuendo, as "pipes" can suggest the male genitalia in bawdy terms.

"bom ijypt": This could be a distorted reference to Egypt, a recurrent symbol in the book that suggests ancient origins and possibly alludes to Joyce’s larger themes of civilizational rise and fall.

"ptellomey": This seems to reference Ptolemy, the ancient Greek scholar, while also punning on the Irish conversational habit of “tell me” or "ptell me", blending Hiberno-English with historical references. This exemplifies Joyce’s tendency to mix classical references with Irish idioms.

198.03-198.05: "When they saw him shoot swift up her sheba sheath, like any gay lord Salomon, her bulls they were ruhring, surfed with spree."

Sexual Innuendo: The line "shoot swift up her sheba sheath" is a clear instance of Joyce’s sexual wordplay. The phrase "sheba sheath" can be read as a metaphor for the female genitalia, while "shoot" has an obvious sexual connotation. This is combined with the biblical reference to Sheba and Solomon, adding a mythological dimension to the sexual imagery.

"her bulls they were ruhring": The bulls likely refer to masculine power or virility, and their roaring suggests both sexual excitement and a sense of aggression. The bulls roaring after HCE's actions highlights the dramatic tension between power, lust, and dominance.

198.06-198.07: "He erned his lille Bunbath hard, our staly bred, the trader. He did. Look at here. In this wet of his prow."

Hiberno-English: The phrasing here reflects Irish colloquial speech, with the simple and direct declaration, "He did", typical of Hiberno-English. The use of "lille" (little) and "staly bred" (stalwart or solidly bred) evokes an earthy, grounded tone common in Irish idiomatic speech.

"wet of his prow": This is a nautical metaphor with sexual overtones, where "prow" refers to the front of a ship, but here it likely alludes to male sexuality, continuing the sexual innuendo from the earlier line. The "wet" evokes both water imagery and sexual fluids, reinforcing Joyce’s use of water as a symbol of life, fertility, and renewal.

198.08-198.09: "Wasserbourne the waterbaby? Havemmarea, so he was! H.C.E. has a codfisck ee."

Water Imagery and Sexuality: "Wasserbourne" blends German ("wasser" for water) and English, alluding to the character being born of water. The waterbaby refers to the mythic figure of a child or being born from water, which in Irish mythology often represents fertility, rebirth, and transformation.

"codfisck ee": This is a typical Joycean pun where "cod" suggests a fish (possibly a codpiece as a reference to male genitalia), while "ee" hints at HCE’s eyes, potentially mocking his vision or perception.

198.10-198.12: "Who? Anna Livia? Ay, Anna Livia. Do you know she was calling bakvandets sals from all around, nyumba noo, chamba choo, to go in till him, her erring cheef, and tickle the pontiff aisy-oisy?"

Anna Livia Plurabelle: Anna Livia is a personification of the River Liffey, the river flowing through Dublin, and often represents the feminine in Joyce’s novel. Her calling "bakvandets sals" likely refers to her gathering various elements of water (backwaters) or other tributaries. Joyce plays on the idea of communication and connection, where rivers (and women) serve as unifiers in the text.

Hiberno-English: The phrase "tickle the pontiff aisy-oisy" is a blend of colloquial Irish speech. "Aisy-oisy" comes from "easy", a common Hiberno-English expression for taking things lightly or softly. It’s also sexual in nature, suggesting Anna Livia’s playful, intimate interaction with HCE, her "erring cheef."

198.16-198.17: "Letting on she didn’t care, sina feza, me absantee, him man in passession, the proxenete!"

"Letting on she didn’t care": This is a Hiberno-English phrase meaning pretending not to care, typical of Joyce’s use of Irish idioms to convey complex emotional states with simple language. "Letting on" is a common phrase in Irish speech for feigned indifference.

Sexual Innuendo: The "proxenete" is another clear instance of sexual wordplay, referring to a pimp or procurer, continuing Joyce’s thread of sexual innuendo throughout the passage. The use of prostitution imagery here highlights the transactional nature of relationships in the text, often blending sex with commerce and power dynamics.

198.27-198.28: "Sure, she can’t! Tista suck. Well, I never now heard the like of that! Tell me moher. Tell me moatst."

Sexual Innuendo: The phrase "Tista suck" is another example of Joyce’s playful sexual innuendo, where "suck" carries both an innocent meaning (in the context of playing a musical instrument) and a sexual undertone. The sexualization of the act of playing music or using one’s mouth continues the metaphorical blending of physical and sexual actions.

Hiberno-English: The expressions "Tell me moher" and "Tell me moatst" reflect the Hiberno-English tendency to emphasize and repeat requests, adding a colloquial feel to the narrative. "Moher" is likely a play on "mother" or more, underscoring the importance of oral storytelling in Irish culture.

198.29-198.36: "Well, old Humber was as glommen as grampus, with the tares at his thor and the buboes for ages... usking queasy quizzers of his ruful continence, his childlinen scarf to encourage his obsequies where he’d check their..."

Historical and Mythological References: Humber could refer to King Humber, a mythological figure whose conquests and conflicts are legendary. The phrase "as glommen as grampus" evokes an image of a depressed or sullen character, perhaps reflecting the mood of HCE or another historical figure.

Death and Mourning: Joyce blends myth with physical suffering, describing buboes (swollen lymph nodes from the plague), adding a dark historical tone. The reference to obsequies suggests funeral rites, playing on themes of death, decay, and renewal.

Conclusion

Page 198 of Finnegans Wake is another example of Joyce’s intricate use of Hiberno-English, Irish history, and sexual innuendo. Through his playful manipulation of language, Joyce mixes myth, sexuality, and cultural references, while embedding colloquial Irish speech into the broader global and historical narrative. The combination of playful sexual imagery, water symbolism, and Irish geography creates a deeply textured, multi-layered passage that encapsulates Joyce’s unique approach to narrative.

Summary of Page 199

On page 199 of Finnegans Wake, Joyce continues his exploration of the characters of HCE (Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker) and Anna Livia Plurabelle, his wife who embodies the River Liffey. The passage moves between HCE’s internal torment, symbolized by imagery of hunger, durance (confinement), and self-punishment, and Anna Livia’s industrious efforts to care for him, prepare food, and maintain a sense of domesticity. The scene is packed with sexual innuendo, cultural references, and the rhythmic play of Hiberno-English, with Anna Livia often depicted as a motherly figure as well as a seductive archetype.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis

199.01-199.05: "debths in that mormon’s thames, be questing and handsetl, hop, step and a deepend, with his berths in their toiling moil, his swal-lower open from swolf to fore and the snipes of the gutter pecking his crocs, hungerstriking all alone and holding doomsdag over hunselv, dreeing his weird, with his dander up"

"debths in that mormon’s thames": This phrase evokes both depths and debts, suggesting that HCE is weighed down by spiritual or personal burdens. The mention of "Mormon’s Thames" might symbolize a foreign or moralistic perspective, given the religious connotations of Mormonism. The Thames, as a river, contrasts with the Liffey, with the mention of water connecting to Anna Livia’s symbolic role as the river.

"hop, step and a deepend": This phrase reflects a dance step, hinting at both the lightness of movement and the heavy fall into deep end or trouble. The playful rhyme reflects the Hiberno-English rhythm common in Irish speech, where phrases and wordplay come naturally.

"hungerstriking all alone": This phrase likely alludes to Irish hunger strikes, evoking the suffering of Irish political prisoners, but here it could be figuratively referring to HCE’s self-imposed isolation or abstinence, either from food or desire.

199.06-199.08: "his fringe combed over his eygs and droming on loft till the sight of the stemes, after zwarthy kowse and weedy broeks and the tits of buddy and the loits of pest and to peer was Parish worth thette mess."

"fringe combed over his eygs": This line might hint at HCE’s aging, with his hair falling over his eyes, symbolizing blindness or ignorance. It reflects his mental state of avoidance or denial.

"the tits of buddy": This line contains sexual innuendo with the reference to "tits" (breasts), possibly alluding to feminine seduction. The phrase "loits of pest" likely refers to lights of a pestilence, contrasting life-giving breasts with images of decay or disease, reflecting the duality of Anna Livia as both nurturing and destructive.

"Parish worth thette mess": A distorted version of the phrase "Is Paris worth a Mass?", a reference to King Henry IV of France converting to Catholicism to gain control of Paris. This shows how Joyce blends religion, history, and language, as HCE ponders whether his efforts are worth the moral or emotional price.

199.09-199.11: "He had been belching for Severn years. And there she was, Anna Livia, she darent catch a winkle of sleep, purling around like a chit of a child, Wendawanda, a finger-thick, in a Lapsummer skirt and damazon cheeks."

"belching for Severn years": The word "Severn" refers to the River Severn in Britain, continuing the water imagery while emphasizing HCE’s uncomfortable, burdened state, which might also be a reference to suppressed emotions or physical discomfort. The belching suggests an inability to properly digest or process these burdens.

"purling around like a chit of a child": This line describes Anna Livia, moving gracefully yet restlessly, with "purling" echoing both her flowing, watery nature and a childlike quality. The Hiberno-English term "chit" refers to a young girl or child, emphasizing her feminine energy.

"Wendawanda": This might be a playful reference to Wendy from Peter Pan, symbolizing youth, care, and motherliness, fitting with Anna Livia’s role in caring for HCE.

199.12-199.15: "With neuphraties and sault from his maggias. And an odd time she’d cook him up blooms of fisk and lay to his heartsfoot her meddery eygs, yayis, and staynish beacons on toasc."

Food Imagery and Sexual Innuendo: Joyce often uses food as a metaphor for nourishment and sexuality. Here, Anna Livia prepares fish ("fisk") and eggs ("yayis"). The "blooms of fisk" hint at fertility and life, while the eggs emphasize feminine fertility. There is a playful double entendre in the "meddery eygs", which might also evoke female breasts.

Hiberno-English: The phrase "lay to his heartsfoot" is a colloquial way of saying offering to his heart, reflecting the affectionate yet servile role of Anna Livia in this context.

Ulysses.18.1: (Molly Bloom thinking about Leopold Bloom) 'Yes because he never did a thing like that before as ask to get his breakfast in bed with a couple of eggs since the City Arms hotel'; Ulysses.18.1431: 'and Im to be slooching around down in the kitchen to get his lordship his breakfast'.

199.20-199.21: "Greenland’s tay or a dzoupgan of KafFue mokau an sable or Sikiang sukry or his ale of ferns in trueart pewter"

• Cultural and Geographic References: Joyce frequently references global places in the form of distorted or hybridized names, such as "Greenland’s tay" (tea from Greenland) or "KafFue mokau" (likely coffee, with influences from regions like Café Mocha). These are playful puns on exotic foods and drinks, adding a global and colonial dimension to Anna Livia’s domestic care for HCE.

199.25-199.26: "my hardey Hek he’d kast them frome him, with a stour of scorn, as much as to say you sow and you sozh"

• Sexual and Domestic Struggle: HCE’s rejection of the food prepared by Anna Livia suggests a power struggle within their relationship. The line "you sow and you sozh" includes an insult, perhaps calling Anna Livia a "sow" (female pig) or "sozh" (slang for a foolish person), adding a layer of dismissive male dominance and resentment towards her efforts.

199.27-199.30: "And then she’d esk to vistule a hymn. The Heart Bowed Down or The Rakes of Mallow or Chelli Michele’s La Calumraa e un Vermicelli"

• Musical References: The songs mentioned here, including "The Rakes of Mallow" (an Irish drinking song), add a cultural dimension to the scene. "The Heart Bowed Down" is a melancholic tune, reflecting the emotional weight Anna Livia carries. Joyce’s inclusion of Italian songs ("Chelli Michele’s La Calumraa e un Vermicelli") adds an element of playfulness and exoticism, blending European and Irish culture.

199.31-199.35: "riding the ricka and roya romanche, Annona, gebroren aroostokrat Nivia, dochter of Sense and Art, with Sparks’ pirryphlickathims funkl-ing her fan"

• Anna Livia’s Elevated Status: The name "Annona" refers to the Roman goddess of the harvest, emphasizing Anna Livia’s role as a nurturer and life-giver. The phrase "gebroren aroostokrat Nivia" combines German ("gebroren" for born) and Dutch, hinting at Anna Livia’s noble, aristocratic identity. She is described as a daughter of Sense and Art, highlighting her cultural and intellectual significance in addition to her domestic role.

Conclusion

Page 199 of Finnegans Wake encapsulates Joyce’s mastery of Hiberno-English, Irish cultural references, and sexual innuendo. The complex interplay between HCE and Anna Livia reflects broader themes of domestic struggle, sexuality, and power dynamics, while Irish history and mythology blend with global references. The passage also explores musical and food-related metaphors, with Anna Livia’s nurturing nature contrasted by HCE’s

Summary of Page 200

Page 200 of Finnegans Wake delves into the continuous interplay of sexual innuendo, domestic imagery, and mythological allusion. The scene centers on Anna Livia Plurabelle, who remains the embodiment of the River Liffey, and it depicts her in a lively, almost flirtatious, interaction with different characters. Joyce blends elements of Hiberno-English, Irish history, and cultural references to create a landscape where feminine energy, sexual power, and folklore intermingle.

The page also highlights Anna Livia's power as a maternal figure and as an object of desire. Throughout the passage, Joyce uses playful language to portray Anna Livia in her role as a mother, seductress, and cultural symbol of fertility and rejuvenation.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis

200.01-200.03: "while the prom beauties sreeked nith their bearers’ skins ! — in a period gown of changeable jade that would robe the wood of two cardinals’ chairs and crush poor Cullen and smother MacCabe."

"Prom beauties sreeked nith their bearers’ skins": Joyce uses Hiberno-English here to describe the promenading beauties or women walking in finery, with “sreeked” possibly meaning screamed or shrieking. The wordplay suggests these women are adorned in bearer’s skins, possibly fur coats, giving the imagery an animalistic and sexualized undertone.

Irish History: The phrase "crush poor Cullen and smother MacCabe" seems to reference Irish surnames, which Joyce uses symbolically to represent common Irish people. This could point to how ecclesiastical power (two cardinals) overshadows or oppresses the common folk in Irish history, specifically how the Anglo-Irish church and colonial power often “smothered” Ireland’s culture and identity. Paul Cullen and Edward MacCabe were the first two Irish cardinals (both were 19th century anti-nationalist archbishops of Dublin and Primates of Ireland, one after the other)

200.04-200.07: "And brahming to him down the feedchute, with her femtyfyx kinds of fondling endings, the poother rambling off her nose: Vuggybarney, Wickerymandy! Hello, ducky, please don't die!"

Sexual Innuendo: This passage is filled with playful sexual references. The term "fondling endings" likely alludes to different sexual acts or flirtatious gestures, with the "feedchute" serving as a metaphor for intimacy or sexual interaction. The words "Vuggybarney" and "Wickerymandy" appear nonsensical but evoke a sense of playful intimacy, suggestive of pet names used in moments of affection or seduction.

"Hello, ducky, please don't die!": This line evokes the colloquial Irish tone of affection. "Ducky" is a term of endearment that adds to the playful nature of the exchange, softening the more sexualized imagery in the previous line.

200.08-200.09: "Do you know what she started cheeping after, with a choicey voicey like water-glucks or Madame Delba to Romeoreszk?"

• "Choicey voicey like water-glucks": Joyce's use of Hiberno-English shines here with its rhyming structure. The word "cheeping" suggests a birdlike sound, while "water-glucks" might refer to the sounds of a babbling stream, reinforcing Anna Livia’s role as a personification of the River Liffey. The comparison to Madame Delba and Romeoreszk adds a sense of operatic grandeur, blending nature with high culture, which is a recurring motif in Joyce’s work. Nellie Melba: soprano, was Juliet to Jean de Reszke's Romeo in Gounod's opera

200.10-200.12: "Tell me. Tell me. Phoebe, dearest, tell, O tell me and I loved you better nor you knew."

• Repetition and Hiberno-English: The repetition of "Tell me. Tell me." mimics the rhythms of Irish storytelling, where stories are passed orally and often contain dramatic repetition to build suspense. Hiberno-English also appears in "better nor you knew", with "nor" replacing the standard "than", highlighting Joyce's deep connection to Irish dialect.

200.17-200.19: "And didn’t she up in sorgues and go and trot doon and stand in her douro, puffing her old dudheen, and every shirvant siligirl or wensum farmerette walking the pilend roads."

Irish Culture and Placenames: The phrase "puffing her old dudheen" refers to smoking a clay pipe, a classic image of the Irish peasant woman. This depiction of Anna Livia standing at her door, smoking, ties her to the domestic sphere and the rural Irish identity. The "dudheen" is a particularly Irish reference, and her "douro" might refer to Dublin or her house, symbolizing how she overlooks and controls her domain.

"siligirl" and "wensum farmerette": These terms seem to refer to servant girls and farm women, again invoking the Irish countryside and rural labor, reflecting Anna Livia’s connection to fertility and hard work.

200.23-200.24: "and legging a jig or so on the sihl to show them how to shake their benders"

• Sexual Innuendo: Joyce employs sexual innuendo here with the phrase "shaking their benders", which can be interpreted as a suggestive reference to dancing and shaking one's body. This language adds to the sexual undertones that permeate Anna Livia’s character, embodying both maternal and seductive qualities.

200.27-200.30: "and making a sort of a cackling noise like two and a penny or half a crown and holding up a silliver shiner."

• Irish Currency and Hiberno-English: "Two and a penny or half a crown" refers to old Irish and British currency, which reflects Joyce’s continued engagement with the socioeconomic realities of Ireland. The "cackling noise" also reinforces Anna Livia’s embodiment of a bird-like figure, which aligns with her association with the flowing, babbling river.

200.31-20033: "To inny captured wench you wish of no matter what sex of pleissful ways two adda tammar a lizzy a lossie to hug and hab haven in Humpy’s apron!"

• Sexual Innuendo: Joyce’s sexual innuendo is evident in the language here, where he plays with the notion of captured women (wench), sexualized as "to hug and hab haven in Humpy’s apron". This domestic metaphor—"Humpy’s apron"—is both a protective and a sexualized image of HCE (Humpy) as the central male figure. The juxtaposition of pleasure and captivity adds complexity to the sexual dynamics portrayed here.

Conclusion

Page 200 of Finnegans Wake is a vivid tapestry of sexual imagery, Hiberno-English rhythms, and Irish cultural references. Joyce uses Anna Livia as the central feminine figure, who represents both the River Liffey and motherhood, interweaving themes of Irish identity, sexuality, and myth. The page is filled with sexual innuendo—from fondling endings to shaking benders—while also reflecting on the socioeconomic roles of women in Irish society, as seen in the references to servant girls and farm women. Joyce’s playful language and use of repetition capture the musicality of Irish storytelling, creating a dynamic, multi-layered narrative that challenges readers to engage with the text on several levels.

Page 201 of Finnegans Wake continues Joyce’s multifaceted narrative, heavily embedded in Irish history, culture, and language, with his signature blend of Hiberno-English and a richly layered polyglot style. The page revolves around Anna Livia Plurabelle, the symbolic female figure representing the River Liffey and Ireland itself, as well as other figures that reflect Ireland’s past and mythological elements. The passage reflects themes of longing, memory, and transformation, while blending humor and sexual innuendo.

Summary of Events:

The speaker reflects on a life of waiting and reminisces about an absent partner (likely HCE, who represents the male archetype in the work). The passage is filled with yearning, uncertainty, and frustration, as well as reflections on Irish place names and cultural symbols. The interplay of water and land continues, particularly in references to Dublin's waterways, such as Clontarf and the Tolka, further emphasizing the symbolic role of Anna Livia as the river.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

201.01-201.02: "that was writ by one and rede by two and trouved by a poule in the parco!"

• This line plays with the transmission of stories and knowledge—writ by one, read by two, and found (trouved) by a random person (poule in French is "hen," but here it may signify someone who picks up the knowledge).
• Parco suggests a park or open place, indicating that knowledge is public and communal, which reflects Joyce’s method of creating a shared cultural narrative across generations and classes.

201.03-201.04: "Listen now. Are you listening? Yes, yes! Idneed I am! Tarn your ore ouse! Essonne inne!"

• The dialogical form here implies the call-and-response nature of storytelling, much like in oral Irish traditions.
• "Tarn your ore ouse" plays with phonetics and dialect, potentially referring to the turning of attention or direction, suggesting shifts in focus or storytelling.

201.05-201.06: "By earth and the cloudy but I badly want a brandnew bankside, bedamp and I do, and a plumper at that!"

• The speaker yearns for something new and fertile, symbolized by the bankside. Water, rivers, and fertility are crucial motifs in the Anna Livia passages.
• Plumper here is playful sexual innuendo, referring both to a desire for something substantial (literal and metaphorical) and a renewed energy in relationships or life.

201.07-201.12: "For the putty affair I have is wore out...to wake himself out of his winter's doze and bore me down like he used to."

• The "putty affair" could refer to an old, worn-out relationship (possibly a sexual metaphor), suggesting that things have become stagnant.
• "Winter’s doze" signifies hibernation or dormancy, which ties into the themes of renewal and reawakening, seen as Anna Livia desires her partner (likely HCE) to return to his former passionate state.

201.17-201.19: "Only for my short Brittas bed made's as snug as it smells it's out I'd lep and off with me to the slobs della Tolka or the plage au Clontarf."

• Here, Joyce refers to Brittas, a rural Irish location, and Clontarf, famous for the Battle of Clontarf (1014), which secured Irish independence from the Vikings under Brian Boru.
• The reference to "slobs della Tolka" (Tolka is another river in Dublin) plays on Irish place names with Italian or French linguistic embellishments.

201.21-201.25: "Onon! Onon! tell me more. Tell me every tiny teign. I want to know every single ingul."

• This line captures the insatiable curiosity of the speaker, reflective of Anna Livia's desire to understand every detail of her life and world.
• Onon! Onon! echoes "anon", suggesting a continuous flow of storytelling, much like the flowing water that Anna Livia symbolizes.

201.28-201.33: "Some say she had three figures to fill and confined herself to a hundred eleven, wan bywan bywan, making meanacuminamoyas."

• The "three figures" and the hundred-plus references could allude to Anna Livia's children, which may symbolize the many tributaries of the river Liffey or the endless cycle of birth and death in the natural world. The numeric values of the Hebrew letters aleph, lamedh, peh (A, L, P) are 1, 30, 80, respectively, and 1 + 30 + 80 = 111 (Motif: 111; Motif: ALP)
• The wordplay with "meanacuminamoyas" suggests playful nonsense and may allude to some Irish cultural or historical reference that is obscured by the linguistic layering.

201.35-201.36: "They did well to rechristien her Pluhurabelle. O loreley! What a lloddon lodes!"

• Pluhurabelle is a further distortion of Anna Livia Plurabelle, the river goddess of Dublin.
• "Loreley" refers to the Lorelei, a German siren or nymph associated with rivers, again emphasizing the connection between Anna Livia and water.
• "Lloddon lodes" possibly refers to Loddon, a river in England, continuing the motif of rivers as life-giving yet dangerous forces.

Use of Hiberno-English:

Joyce weaves Hiberno-English expressions into the narrative, often blurring phonetics and meaning to echo the sounds of Irish dialects. His morphing of place names and cultural references, such as Clontarf and Tolka, ground the text in an Irish reality while also playing with its linguistic identity.

Irish History, Culture, and Battles:

• The references to Clontarf evoke Ireland's historical battles, particularly the Viking-Irish conflicts.
• Joyce plays with these historical allusions to show the cyclical nature of Ireland’s struggles, linking past and present through Anna Livia's timeless persona.

Philosophical Themes:

This section touches on existential themes, such as rebirth, memory, and the passage of time. Joyce's blending of historical and mythological time reflects his philosophy of recurrence, a central theme in Finnegans Wake, where history and myth continually repeat themselves in various forms.

Playful Sexual Innuendo:

• The repeated references to "plumper" and the description of the relationship between Anna Livia and HCE have clear sexual connotations, as Anna Livia longs for a more vigorous, passionate connection.
• Words like "plumper", "putty affair", and phrases like "bore me down like he used to" are playful nods to sexual fulfillment and frustration.

Humor and Wordplay:

• Joyce’s humor is embedded in the linguistic play and double meanings. The comedic sound of words like "plumper" and "meanacuminamoyas" reflects a humor grounded in the absurdity of language and human relations. The latter word is made up of a combination of river names ending in my ass.
• The play between grand historical themes and everyday frustrations, such as a worn-out relationship or the longing for material comfort, adds to the ironic and humorous tone.

Conclusion:

Page 201 exemplifies Joyce's mastery of linguistic complexity and his deep engagement with Irish culture, language, and history. Through his portrayal of Anna Livia Plurabelle, he reflects on memory, sexuality, and the cycles of history, all while maintaining his playful and humorous style. This passage is rich in sexual innuendo, cultural allusions, and a constant tension between the mythic and the mundane.

Page 202 of Finnegans Wake continues Joyce's complex and layered narrative, weaving together mythological, historical, and linguistic references. It follows a medley of voices and characters engaging in dialogues rich with wordplay and symbolism, typical of Joyce’s unique style. The text delves into themes of identity, myth, and history while integrating elements of Hiberno-English, Irish references, and sexual innuendo.

Summary:

The page focuses on a passage involving a woman (ALP) who, in her youth, was a seductive and elusive figure, engaging with various men across time and place. Joyce humorously reflects on her experiences and the men she encounters, playing with ideas of memory, perception, and storytelling. The narrative voice oscillates between admiration for her exploits and criticism of her forgotten history. The woman, described in lyrical and poetic terms, becomes a symbol of both historical and mythological femininity, blending with Irish cultural references and classical allusions.

Detailed Line-by-Line Analysis:

202.01-202.02: "more and merrier, twills and trills, sparefours and spoilfives, nord- sihkes and sudsevers and ayes and neins to a litter."

• Playful Soundscapes: This passage exemplifies Joyce's musical use of language. Words like "twills and trills" create a rhythmic effect, reflecting the lively, shifting nature of the scene.
• Hiberno-English: "Ayes and neins" plays with the Irish-English pronunciation of "yes" and "no," blending it with a rhythmic dance between agreement and disagreement, hinting at debates or arguments from Irish political life, a common theme in Irish culture.

202.04: "Heehaw! She must have been a gadabount in her day, so she must, more than most."

• Humour and Characterisation: The exclamation "Heehaw!" mimics the sound of a donkey, used humorously here to mock the subject or suggest boisterous laughter. "Gadabount" is a playful distortion of "gadabout," a term for someone who enjoys socialising or wandering, which brings a teasing tone to the depiction of the woman.

202.07-202.09: "Tell me, tell me, how cam she camlin through all her fellows, the neckar she was, the diveline?"

• Sexual Innuendo: "Neckar" refers to the water nymph-like creature from Norse and Germanic folklore, suggesting seduction and danger. The playful sexual innuendo emerges from Joyce's description of how the woman "camlin through all her fellows," evoking both her movement and her romantic entanglements.
• Mythological Allusions: "Diveline" refers to a female devil, further enhancing the portrayal of the woman as a temptress figure, both dangerous and alluring.

202.16: "Push up and push vardar and come to uphill headquarters!"

• Humour and Irony: The direction to "push up and push vardar" echoes military or physical commands, humorously applied in a possibly sexual or competitive context, undercutting the heroic or authoritative tone with playful innuendo.

202.22-202.23: "Such a loon waybashwards to row! She sid herself she hardly knows whuon the annals her graveller was, a dynast of Leinster, a wolf of the sea..."

• Irish History and Mythology: The reference to "a dynast of Leinster" ties the narrative to Irish history and legends of kings and warriors. Leinster is one of the provinces of Ireland, and "wolf of the sea" may refer to Viking raids in Ireland, blending historical figures with mythological imagery. Likely reference to Diarmaid MacMurrough a 12th century king of Leinster, whose daughter married Strongbow, the leader of the Anglo-Norman invaders of Ireland (his Irish patronymic, Mac Murchadha, means 'son of sea warrior' in Old Irish)
• Play on Forgetfulness: The woman’s inability to remember her past lovers or experiences plays on the theme of lost history, mocking the grandiosity of past figures who fade into obscurity.

202.31-202.32: "She thought she's sankh neathe the ground with nymphant shame when he gave her the tigris eye!"

• Sexual Innuendo: "Nymphant shame" plays on "nymph" (a classical figure of youthful beauty) and "infant," suggesting a mix of innocence and eroticism. The phrase "tigris eye" evokes a fierce, predatory look, likely alluding to sexual tension or pursuit, imbuing the passage with implicit sexual humour.

202.33-202.34: "O happy fault! Me wish it was he!"

• Religious Allusion: "O happy fault" echoes the Christian theological phrase felix culpa (the happy fall), referring to the fall of man in Eden as a fortunate event that led to redemption. Here, it is playfully repurposed in a sexual or romantic context, framing the woman’s experience as a "fortunate" sin or mistake.

202.35: "You're wrong there, corribly wrong! Tisn't only tonight you're anacheronistic!"

• Play on Anachronism: "Anacheronistic" is a distortion of "anachronistic," playing with the concept of being out of time or place. The suggestion that the speaker is "corribly wrong" adds a humorous touch, acknowledging the confusion and blending of times and characters throughout the narrative.

Cultural and Historical References:

Irish Placenames and History: References to "Leinster," "Curraghman," and "Kildare" evoke the Irish landscape and historical figures. Leinster, as one of Ireland’s four provinces, is often associated with dynastic power. Kildare and the Curragh are known for their associations with horses and military training, while "peats" references Ireland's boglands, important in both the physical and symbolic landscape of Irish history.

Hiberno-English: Joyce’s use of "Heehaw" and phrases like "more than most" reflect the rhythm and cadence of Irish speech. Additionally, phrases like "Waiwhou" and "how cam she camlin" play with phonetics and Hiberno-English’s rich texture.

Playful Innuendo and Humour:

Throughout this passage, Joyce plays with sexual innuendo in a veiled yet humorous way. The description of the woman as "the neckar she was" and the reference to "nymphant shame" evoke sensual and erotic undertones, while lines like "she was just a young thin pale soft shy slim slip of a thing" parody romantic depictions of femininity, mixing innocence and desire.

In conclusion, page 202 of Finnegans Wake exemplifies Joyce’s unique ability to blend humour, history, mythology, and linguistics into a complex and multifaceted narrative. Through his playful use of language and sexual innuendo, Joyce creates a rich and layered text that requires careful reading to unpack the cultural, historical, and literary allusions. This page, like much of the novel, revels in the beauty and absurdity of language, while also invoking the deep history and mythos of Ireland.

Summary of Page 203

In this passage, Joyce dives deeper into the personified journey of the river Anna Livia Plurabelle (ALP) as she weaves through the Irish landscape, marked by references to Irish towns, mythology, and the landscape’s history. The river embodies the feminine, meandering and ever-flowing, reflecting Ireland’s connection to its waterways. Through ALP’s journey, Joyce encapsulates the history of Ireland, from its natural features to its mythic heroes, infusing a sense of identity within the prose.

Line-by-Line Analysis

203.01-203.03: “Wickenlow, garden of Erin, before she ever dreamt she'd lave Kilbride and go foaming under Horsepass bridge...”

• Analysis: Joyce’s reference to “Wickenlow” (Wicklow) as the “garden of Erin” underscores the natural beauty and pastoral setting of Ireland. The choice of words like “garden” and “lave” (Hiberno-English for “leave” or “wash”) offers a romanticised image of Ireland’s countryside, aligning ALP with the nourishing, cleansing aspect of a mother river. This phrase resonates with ALP’s symbolism, as the river becomes a life-giving force within the Irish landscape.

203.05-203.07: “to wend her ways byandby, robecca or worse, to spin and to grind, to swab and to thrash, for all her golden lifey in the barleyfields…”

• Analysis: Here, Joyce uses verbs like “spin,” “grind,” and “thrash” to evoke the agricultural labour central to Irish history, with ALP symbolising the sustenance and hard work associated with the land. The phrases “robecca or worse” and “golden lifey” suggest both the beauty and the hardship of rural life. The word “robecca” puns on Rebecca, adding a biblical resonance to ALP’s role as a mother and nurturer.

203.10-203.12: “Not where the Finn fits into the Mourne, not where the Nore takes lieve of Blœm...”

• Analysis: Joyce uses specific Irish rivers (Finn, Mourne, Nore) and plays with the phrase “takes lieve of Blœm,” suggesting a departure or farewell, but also nodding to Ulysses' character Leopold Bloom. This passage highlights the river’s endless flow and ALP’s pervasive presence across Irish geography, with rivers often serving as symbols of continuity in Irish history and mythology.

203.13-203.14: “Neya, narev, nen, nonni, nos! Then whereabouts in Ow and Ovoca?”

• Analysis: This line features playful, alliterative negations that mimic Hiberno-English, and phrases like “Ow and Ovoca” contribute a humorous tone. By listing locations with playful, emphatic “no’s,” Joyce demonstrates ALP’s elusive nature, hinting at the impossibility of pinning down her essence or tracing her exact origin—a nod to Ireland’s ancient, mystical character.

203.20-203.23: “there once dwelt a local heremite, Michael Arklow was his riverend name…”

• Analysis: “Riverend” blends “reverend” with “river,” merging religious and natural imagery to personify ALP as a spiritual figure. The hermit figure, Michael Arklow, draws from Michael of Arklow, linking to Irish lore and the river Avoca in Wicklow. By casting ALP as a revered figure, Joyce deepens the mythic quality of the Liffey as both a life-giving source and a historical witness.

203.24-203.26: “he plunged both of his newly anointed hands, the core of his cushlas, in her singimari saffron strumans of hair…”

• Analysis: Here, Joyce uses sexual innuendo in “plunged...hands” and “cushlas” (Irish for darling or heart) as he alludes to intimacy with the river’s “strumans of hair.” “Singimari” (singing merry) and “saffron” refer to Irish colours and feminine beauty. This sensual language intertwines the natural world with femininity, presenting ALP as an embodiment of Ireland itself—beautiful, alluring, and intimately connected to its people.

203.28-203.29: “Afrothdizzying galbs, her enamelled eyes indergoading him on to the vierge violetian.”

• Analysis: “Afrothdizzying galbs” merges “froth,” “dizzying,” and “gall” (often associated with bitterness or bile) to depict the intoxicating and mysterious allure of ALP. Words like “vierge violetian” (virgin violet) invoke purity and beauty while contrasting with the seductive undertones, enhancing ALP’s representation as both chaste and deeply erotic.

203.30-203.32: “Maass! But the majik wavus has elfun anon meshes. And Simba the Slayer of his Oga is slewd.”

• Analysis: Here, Joyce references magic (“majik wavus”) and mythical creatures, blending cultures and histories to deepen ALP’s mystery. “Simba” and “Oga” may refer to African or mythic figures, contributing to the universality of ALP. Joyce’s playful language (“elfun anon”) serves to mystify and expand the cultural dimensions of his text.

203.34-203.36: “kiss akiss after kisokushk...on Anna-na-Poghue’s of… ”

• Analysis: Joyce uses alliteration and assonance in phrases like “kiss akiss” to create rhythmic and sensual sounds, with “kisokushk” evoking an almost onomatopoeic kissing sound. The phrase “Anna-na-Poghue” puns on the Irish lament “An Póg” (kiss), intertwining physical affection with ALP’s identity, solidifying her as both a symbol of Ireland and as an intimate lover of the land.

Conclusion

On page 203, Joyce uses Hiberno-English, sexual innuendo, and references to Irish geography and mythology to paint ALP as a deeply Irish figure, reflecting the landscape, culture, and history. His language is at once familiar and enigmatic, creating a textured, layered narrative that draws on Irish identity and folk history. Joyce’s playful yet complex prose asks readers to navigate the text actively, embracing both its obscure meanings and musicality.

Page 204 of Finnegans Wake centres on the story of Anna Livia Plurabelle (ALP), one of Joyce’s central figures and the symbolic representation of the River Liffey. This section delves into her life story, her relationships, and her fall from innocence, all framed within the novel’s signature intertwining of myth, history, and bawdy humour. Through complex linguistic play, Joyce depicts ALP’s transitions from innocence to experience, using suggestive, poetic language. The language of the passage flows like a river, echoing the rhythm of ALP's life, and resonates with both Irish and broader mythological themes.

Detailed Analysis

204.01-204.02: “the freckled forehead. While you'd parse secheressa she hielt her souff'. But she ruz two feet hire in her aisne aestumation.”

• Analysis: Joyce begins with “the freckled forehead,” evoking ALP’s Irish identity. Her “freckles” link her to Ireland, a trait often associated with the Irish countryside. The Hiberno-English spelling in “hielt” (held) and “ruz” (rose) conveys a local accent, grounding the mystical ALP in Irish vernacular. This humour is evident in the phrase “she ruz two feet hire,” which suggests both literal and figurative growth in stature. ALP “rises” in her “aestumation,” or self-esteem, playfully capturing the pride she derives from her femininity and burgeoning sexuality.

204.03-204.05: “And steppes on stilts ever since. That was kissuahealing with bantur for balm! O, wasn't he the bold priest? And wasn't she the naughty Livvy?”

• Analysis: Joyce uses the phrase “steppes on stilts” to describe ALP as if she were elevated by her experiences. “Kissuahealing” (a fusion of “kiss” and “healing”) and “bantur for balm” convey the ways flirtation and sexual experience both nurture and mature her. The line “wasn't he the bold priest? And wasn’t she the naughty Livvy?” hints at sexual mischief, suggesting ALP’s flirtation with forbidden pleasures. The playful tone mixes Irish wit with a reverence for mythology.

204.06-204.07: “Two lads in scoutsch breeches went through her before that, Barefoot Burn and Wallowme Wade, Lugnaquillia's noblesse pickts…”

• Analysis: Here, Joyce humorously alludes to ALP’s previous suitors, Barefoot Burn and Wallowme Wade. This naming captures a playful sexual innuendo, with “Barefoot Burn” and “Wallowme Wade” suggesting intimate encounters. “Lugnaquillia” refers to an Irish mountain, reinforcing ALP’s connection to Ireland’s geography and positioning her lovers as rugged Irish figures. Joyce uses a blend of myth and sexuality, creating a narrative that aligns ALP with the sensuality and richness of the Irish landscape.

204.08-204.12: “before she had a hint of a hair at her fanny to hide or a bossom to tempt a birch canoedler not to mention a bulgic porterhouse barge.”

• Analysis: Joyce’s language here is both explicit and poetic. The “hint of a hair at her fanny” and “a bossom to tempt” point to ALP’s burgeoning sexuality. The mention of “birch canoedler” and “bulgic porterhouse barge” implies male suitors, humourously described as vessels exploring ALP’s landscape, linking her innocence and bodily maturity to Irish topography. This language is a playful, earthy reference to ALP’s sensuality, turning her physicality into an allegory for exploration and discovery.

204.13-204.18: “she was licked by a hound, Chirripa-Chirruta, while poing her pee, pure and simple, on the spur of the hill in old Kippure…”

• Analysis: Joyce continues with his humorous recounting of ALP’s experiences. Here, ALP is caught in a vulnerable moment, “licked by a hound” (a slyly suggestive image) while relieving herself “pure and simple.” This incident occurs “in old Kippure,” another Irish place name. ALP’s innocence is conveyed through childlike, playful language, and the humour lies in the juxtaposition of purity with the suggestive imagery.

204.19-204.20: “she laughed innocefree with her limbs aloft and a whole drove of maiden hawthorns blushing and looking askance upon her.”

• Analysis: This line blends innocence and eroticism. ALP “laughed innocefree” with “her limbs aloft,” a joyous, liberated image. The “maiden hawthorns” that blush suggest both the natural world’s reaction to her carefree behaviour and the idea of modesty observing her freedom. This is an example of Joyce’s wordplay that captures the duality of innocence and sensuality, conveying ALP’s freedom from social conventions.

204.21-204.24: “Drop me the sound of the findhorn’s name, Mtu or Mti, som- bogger was wisness. And drip me why in the flenders was she frickled.”

• Analysis: “Drop me the sound of the findhorn’s name” suggests a call for ALP’s mythical origin. The play on words in “frickled” (freckled) and “flenders” (possibly “flinders,” meaning fragments) continues the focus on her Irish identity and heritage. “Mtu or Mti” parodies the solemnity of religious or magical invocations, adding a humorous and mystical dimension to ALP’s character.

204.26-204.27: “In fear to hear the dear so near or longing loth and loathing longing? Are you in the swim or are you out?”

• Analysis: These lines represent a tension between attraction and repulsion, perhaps symbolising ALP’s ambivalent feelings towards her role and her lovers. The phrase “in the swim” contrasts with “out,” a recurrent phrase in Finnegans Wake symbolising immersion in life and withdrawal from it. Joyce’s question hints at the reader’s involvement: Are they “in the swim” of understanding this complex tale, or left out?

204.30-204.34: “What am I rancing now and I’ll thank you? Is it a pinny or is it a surplice? Arran, where’s your nose?”

• Analysis: “Rancing” suggests dancing or prancing, blending words to evoke movement and confusion. The playful dialogue of “Is it a pinny or is it a surplice?” refers to the tension between the sacred (surplice) and the domestic or mundane (pinny). The reference to “Arran” (likely the Aran Islands) calls back to Irish geography, and “where’s your nose?” implies a sense of lost direction or orientation, both for the character and the reader.

204.35-204.36: “Baptiste me, father, for she has sinned!”

• Analysis: The line blends religious language with a humorous tone, suggesting that ALP’s life story requires absolution for its transgressions. The request to be “baptised” carries ironic weight, as her “sins” are natural expressions of life and femininity. This line also humorously recalls Catholic confession, a ritualistic element that Joyce uses to poke fun at traditional views of sin and redemption.

Conclusion

Page 204 of Finnegans Wake captures ALP as a figure of myth and sexuality, embodying innocence and experience, both of which Joyce renders through a blend of Hiberno-English and playful, suggestive language. Through ALP, Joyce draws on Irish history and culture, infusing her character with symbolic resonance while maintaining a humorous, often irreverent tone. This page serves as an exploration of identity, heritage, and femininity, revealing Joyce’s intricate style and the complexity of ALP’s role within his work. The text invites readers to engage in a playful interpretation, as Joyce uses wordplay, innuendo, and cultural references to illustrate the richness of ALP’s narrative.

Page 205 of Finnegans Wake weaves a blend of imagery, social commentary, and wordplay that typifies Joyce’s approach to layered meaning and multifaceted language. The narrative references Anna Livia Plurabelle, or ALP, as she frees the river waters. Through her movements, she symbolises a maternal figure whose fertility and presence impact the environment. This passage hints at a joyful sensuality and the interconnectedness between the feminine and the landscape. ALP’s movements are sensual, liberating, and influential, with Joyce’s recurring Irish wordplay deepening this symbolic resonance.

Detailed Analysis

205.01 “Through her catchment ring she freed them easy, with her hips'”
Here, ALP is symbolically freeing the waters, personifying her as the river itself, echoing her maternal and life-giving qualities. “Catchment ring” alludes to the catchment area of a river, but it also implies a wedding ring or another ring of possession, tying her to the land. “Freed them easy” presents a natural fluidity and ease, likening her power to a physical liberation.

205.02 “hurrahs for her knees'dontelleries. The only parr with frills in”
ALP’s movement is described as celebratory, her “hips' hurrahs” emphasising the natural, rhythmic quality of her influence over the river. The use of “knees’dontelleries” could be a playful rendering of “knees don’t tell lies,” connecting truth to physical expression. “Parr” hints at young salmon, introducing aquatic imagery, while “frills” suggests femininity, perhaps referring to her playful, flirtatious aspects.

205.03 “old the plain. So they are, I declare! Welland well! If tomorrow”
The phrase “Welland well” could be a reference to the Welland River or a play on “well and well,” signifying continuation. This line evokes an ancient or timeless quality, affirming the enduring nature of ALP’s influence.

205.04 “keeps fine who'll come tripping to sightsee? How'll? Ask me”
Joyce presents ALP as an attraction, a figure of curiosity or spectacle. The word “sightsee” implies that people are drawn to her, much like the river that captivates and entices. This reflects Joyce’s characteristic humour and critique of society’s tendency to view women through a voyeuristic lens.

205.05 “next what I haven't got! The Belvedarean exhibitioners. In their”
The phrase “Belvedarean exhibitioners” likely alludes to Dublin’s Belvedere College, possibly indicating visitors or onlookers. This brings a humorous, almost cheeky tone, as if ALP is a public spectacle. The exhibitionists represent curiosity seekers, hinting at society’s impulse to gaze and gossip.

205.06 “cruisery caps and oarsclub colours. What hoo, they band! And”
This line reflects the imagery of boating and sporting clubs common to Dublin society. The “cruisery caps” and “oarsclub colours” contribute to an image of a jovial, celebratory environment. This sense of camaraderie is reflected in the use of “What hoo, they band!” which could be interpreted as an exclamation of unity or enthusiasm.

205.07 “what hoa, they buck! And here is her nubilee letters too. Ellis”
The playful line “And here is her nubilee letters too” suggests nuptials or “nubilee,” which relates to ALP’s wedding or symbolic union with the river. It may also reflect the “letters” in her name or messages carried by her waters, emphasising ALP’s importance in the fabric of the story.

205.08-205.09 “on quay in scarlet thread. Linked for the world on a flush- caloured field.”
Here, Joyce invokes Dublin’s quays and “scarlet thread,” possibly alluding to embroidery and suggesting a union or connection symbolised in red, often associated with passion or sin. The “flush-coloured field” might represent the red and green of Irish patriotism or evoke a natural field.

205.10 “Annan exe after to show they're not Laura Keown's. O, may the”
The phrase “Annan exe after” seems to reference adding “X” as a mark or sign. This could playfully point to the notion of authenticity or a mark of love, indicating that the letters or initials do not belong to a “Laura Keown,” hinting at fictional or narrative identity.

205.11 “diabolo twisk your seifety pin! You child of Mammon, Kinsella's”
The line is humorous in its playful reference to a “safety pin,” perhaps signifying chastity or restraint, twisted by “diabolo” or devilish influence. “Child of Mammon” refers to materialism, likely as a jest at societal values. “Kinsella’s Lilith” combines the surname Kinsella (common in Ireland) with “Lilith,” the mythical female figure, indicating ALP’s rebellious or independent spirit.

205.12-205.13 “Lilith! Now who has been tearing the leg of her drawars on her? Which leg is it?”
Joyce’s humour shines here, with an image of someone tearing ALP’s undergarments, suggesting a loss of modesty or innocence. This lewd double entendre could imply the forces (or lovers) who have pursued her. The question “Which leg is it?” makes the situation more absurd and playful.

205.14 “Rinse them out and aston along with you! Where did I”
The line, with “Rinse them out,” adds a domestic layer, implying routine or purification. “Aston” could suggest “hasten” or “stun,” indicating both movement and shock. This line portrays ALP’s complex role as both an object of admiration and a maternal figure grounded in everyday actions.

205.15-205.16 “stop? Never stop! Continuarration! You're not there yet. I amstel waiting. Garonne, garonne!”
The reference to “never stop” and “Continuarration!” reflects the continuous, unending nature of the river and life. “I amstel” invokes the Amstel River, aligning ALP’s journey with other European waterways, reinforcing her universality. “Garonne” refers to the French river, connecting ALP’s journey to wider European contexts.

205.17-205.18 “Well, after it was put in the Mericy Cordial Mendicants' Sitterdag-Zindeh-Munaday Wakeschrift”
This line seems to reference a document or record, the “Wakeschrift,” which could allude to a wake or mourning text. Joyce parodies religious or solemn writing with “Mericy Cordial Mendicants,” possibly poking fun at pious institutions.

205.19 “for once they sullied their white kidloves, chewing cuds after their dinners”
The image of “white kidloves” sullied by “chewing cuds” humorously critiques the supposed purity of religious or social elites. This could symbolise hypocritical behaviour in societal institutions, hinting at decay within the establishment.

205.20-205.21 “of cheeckin and beggin, with their show us it here and their mind out of that”
The mocking tone continues, portraying an entitled elite demanding to “show us it,” a humorous dig at entitled behaviour, perhaps criticising their lack of genuine charity or understanding.

205.22-205.23 “even the snee that snowdon his hoaring hair had a skunner against him. Thaw, thaw, sava, savuto!”
Joyce invokes the image of “snowdon,” possibly referring to Snowdon mountain, or by extension, cold authority figures. “Thaw, thaw” and “sava, savuto” suggest melting or diminishing of this authority.

205.24-205.26 “Everywhere erriff you went and every bung you arver dropped into, in cit or suburb or in addled areas”
The “bung” may represent money dropped in for charity, while “erriff” could reference the River Erriff. The phrase suggests ALP’s wide-reaching influence.

205.27: "from Nannywater to Vartryville or from Porta Lateen to the lootin quarter" – Joyce again references Dublin’s geography, veiled by fictional or hybridised names. "Nannywater" evokes both the River Nanny in Meath and a maternal, life-giving river. "Vartryville" may refer to the River Vartry, which supplies water to Dublin, tying back to themes of fluidity and sustenance.

205.28: "you found his ikom etsched tipside down" – The phrase "ikom etsched tipside down" uses phonetic wordplay to describe how HCE’s image or "icon" has been etched or printed "upside down," symbolising his tarnished reputation. This inversion suggests the topsy-turvy impact of scandal on HCE’s public image, a motif that recurs throughout the text.

205.29: "the cornerboys cammocking his guy and Morris the Man" – Here, "cornerboys" (urban, often idle young men) are mocking HCE, who is again represented through a "guy" or effigy. "Cammocking" likely combines "mocking" with "cammock" (an Irish dialect term for twisting or bending), suggesting a twisting satire aimed at HCE. The phrase "Morris the Man" may reference "Morris dance," an English folk dance, or could allude to William Morris, blending playful ridicule with traditional or cultural icons.

205.30: "(Evropeahahn cheic house, unskimmed sooit and yahoort, hamman now cheekmee, Ahdahm this way make, Fatima, half turn!)" – This parenthetical phrase blends several languages and cultures, almost as an absurd chorus. "Evropeahahn cheic house" sounds like "European check house" (a common checkpoint), while "unskimmed sooit and yahoort" parodies yoghurt and suit as if calling for unrefined material. The last phrases appear in a blend of phoneticised language: "Ahdahm" (Adam) and "Fatima" may suggest characters turned and inspected, possibly alluding to Adam and Eve with a Middle Eastern resonance, calling up the intersections of creation myths and moral judgment.

205.31: "reeling and railing round the local as the peihos piped und ubanjees twanged" – Joyce describes a raucous, almost chaotic scene of people "reeling and railing" in a "local" pub as music plays. "Peihos" might suggest pipes (such as bagpipes), while "ubanjees" resembles "banjo" and carries the idea of spirited, almost confrontational, revelry. This line seems to mirror the constant cycle of gossip and rumour surrounding HCE, reflected in lively yet disorderly musical imagery.

205.33: "with oddfellow's triple tiara busby rotundarinking round his scalp" – The reference to "oddfellow's triple tiara" may evoke the Odd Fellows, a fraternal organisation, while "busby" (a tall fur hat worn by hussars) could imply a comic, extravagant appearance, perhaps HCE in a ridiculous or exaggerated guise. "Rotundarinking" plays on "rotund" and "drinking," indicating a merry or circular movement, symbolising HCE’s rounded image.

205.34: "Like Pate-by-the-Neva or Pete-over-Meer" – These references play on place names to associate HCE with exoticism or grandeur. "Pate-by-the-Neva" may refer to St. Petersburg by the River Neva, while "Pete-over-Meer" recalls Amsterdam (from the Dutch word "meer" meaning lake or sea). This exoticising further mythologises HCE.

205.35: "This is the Hausman all paven and stoned, that cribbed the Cabin that never was owned" – This phrase plays on the style of nursery rhymes ("This is the house that Jack built") to build a grand narrative. "Hausman" (possibly Haussmann, the French city planner) symbolises the structured, "paven and stoned" legacy of HCE, while the "Cabin that never was owned" suggests either an Irish nationalist connection or an elusive history.

205.36: "that cocked his leg and hennad his Egg." – The closing line adds humour with an innuendo-laden phrase. "Cocked his leg" (a phrase associated with a dog marking territory) and "hennad his Egg" (likely implying reproductive or creative acts) continues to establish HCE’s infamous reputation, his actions symbolically "laying eggs" or leaving impacts that remain marked in the collective consciousness.

Summary

In this section, Joyce presents ALP as a transformative and playful feminine force. Through humour, sexual innuendo, and references to Irish culture and geography, Joyce deepens ALP’s identity as both maternal and sensual, while commenting on societal attitudes and institutional hypocrisy. Her influence over the land and people reinforces her as a universal symbol of life’s cyclical and unending journey.

Page 205’s closing lines delve into the public perception of HCE, parodying his rise and fall with satirical portrayals of him as both revered and ridiculed. Joyce uses a mix of local references, phonetic spellings, and cultural wordplay to show HCE’s conflicting identity as a mythicised yet fallible figure. These playful, often caricatured references underscore the theme of legacy, as each anecdote becomes part of HCE’s infamy.

Analysis of Page 206 of Finnegans Wake

Summary

Page 206 captures the interplay of mythic, erotic, and comic elements that Joyce threads throughout Finnegans Wake. The passage focuses on a female figure (a playful incarnation of Anna Livia Plurabelle), who devises a scheme to manipulate her surroundings. The narrative intermingles her cunning behaviour with rich descriptions of her physicality, invoking Irish landscapes, mythological archetypes, and wordplay. Hiberno-English expressions and cultural references abound, creating a lyrical rhythm that merges earthy humour with Joyce’s signature complexity.

Line-by-Line Analysis

206.01: "the mauldrin rabble around him in areopage, fracassing a great bingkan cagnan with their timpan crowders."
This evokes an Areopagus (a historic court in Athens), suggesting a mythic trial or gathering of voices around a central figure, possibly HCE. "Fracassing" (fighting) and "bingkan cagnan" (a cacophony) depict a chaotic scene. "Timpan crowders" refers to Irish music, where "timpan" is a string instrument, blending cultural imagery with discord.

206.02-03: "Mind your Grimmfather! Think of your Ma!"
This parodic exclamation recalls both fairy tale figures (Grimm) and familial archetypes. It serves as a humorous admonishment, placing the narrative's playful chaos within a domestic frame.

206.04: "Hing the Hong is his jove's hangnomen!"
"Hing the Hong" parodies religious or mythic invocations. "Jove's hangnomen" (nickname) references Jupiter (Roman god) and HCE’s shifting identities, implying grandeur while mocking his fallibility.

206.05: "She swore on croststyx nyne wyndabouts"
"Croststyx" refers to the River Styx, a mythological boundary between life and death, while "nyne wyndabouts" (nine winding paths) symbolises her intricate and possibly deceitful plan.

206.06-08: "she'd frame a plan to fake a shine, the mischiefmaker, the like of it you niever heard."
Anna Livia is portrayed as a "mischiefmaker," tying her to mythic tricksters. The phrase "frame a plan to fake a shine" suggests both literal cunning and symbolic creation, evoking her role as a generative force.

206.09-11: "she bergened a zakbag, a shammy mailsack, with the lend of a loan of the light of his lampion"
The "zakbag" (a sack or bag) and "lampion" (lantern) conjure a ritualistic, almost conspiratorial act. Her borrowing Shaun’s lamp, a detail tied to postal imagery, underscores her resourcefulness and slyness.

206.12-14: "old Mot Moore, Casey's Euclid and the Fashion Display"
These references mix high (Euclid’s geometry) and low (popular fashion) culture, reflecting Joyce’s satirical engagement with intellectual and commercial pursuits.

206.16-18: "minnehi minaehe... dusky dirgle dargle!"
The onomatopoeic sequence evokes a musical, almost spell-like incantation. "Dargle" refers to an Irish river, connecting the narrative to Anna Livia’s aquatic symbolism.

206.19: "By the holy well of Mulhuddart I swear"
The "holy well of Mulhuddart" is an actual sacred site in County Dublin, adding a layer of spiritual and geographical resonance. This invocation connects Anna Livia’s water imagery with Irish religious traditions.

206.24-27: "Forward in and pull your overthepoise!... Hurry slow and scheldt you go."
The rowing imagery blends physical effort with lyrical wordplay. "Scheldt" references a European river, uniting Irish and continental waterways, emblematic of Anna Livia’s global reach.

206.29-30: "First she let her hair fal and down it flussed to her feet its teviots winding coils."
Anna Livia’s unbound hair symbolises her liberation and sensuality, likened to rivers (Teviot, a Scottish river). The flowing imagery aligns her with water’s cyclical, life-giving properties.

206.31-34: "she sampood herself with galawater and fraguant pistania mud"
Her bathing ritual is rich in sensuous detail, "galawater" evoking elegance and purity. "Pistania mud" blends exoticism with earthiness, grounding her mythic status in natural elements.

206.35: "ushered round prunella isles and eslats dun"
This phrase intertwines imagery of islands and fabric ("prunella" as a textile), further feminising and mystifying Anna Livia. "Eslats dun" (dun-coloured islets) continues the aquatic theme.

206.36: "Peeld gold of waxwork her jellybelly"
The "waxwork" and "jellybelly" depict Anna Livia’s body with a mix of eroticism and humour, contrasting divine imagery with corporeal details. "Peeld gold" suggests purity and vitality, as if she embodies both life and artifice.

Themes and Devices

Hiberno-English and Irish Culture: References to Mulhuddart and the Dargle ground the narrative in Ireland, while playful, localised expressions like "zakbag" and "croststyx" show Joyce’s linguistic inventiveness.

Mythology and Philosophy: References to the Styx, Jupiter, and ritual bathing position Anna Livia within a mythic framework, underscoring her symbolic function as a maternal and transformative force.

Sexual Innuendo: The flowing hair, "jellybelly," and "sampood herself" combine sensual and comic tones, blending reverence with earthiness.

Humour and Playfulness: Lines like "minneha, minneho!" and "rizo, rabbit it all!" highlight Joyce’s delight in sound and nonsensical wordplay.

Page 206 is a rich tableau of Anna Livia’s multifaceted role, blending Irish folklore, sensuality, and humour. It solidifies her as both a mythic and human figure, embodying the narrative’s recurring cycles of creation and transformation.

Detailed Analysis of Page 207 of Finnegans Wake

Summary

Page 207 provides a lyrical and layered description of Anna Livia Plurabelle, who embodies the spirit of the River Liffey and the archetype of the feminine divine in Finnegans Wake. This passage celebrates her as both a mythic and everyday figure, merging natural imagery with allusions to Irish culture, history, and folklore. Joyce's inventive language, playful innuendo, and use of Hiberno-English create a fluid narrative that reflects the river’s movement and Anna Livia’s multifaceted identity.

Line-by-Line Analysis

207.01-207.04: "grains of incense anguille bronze... and of fallen griefs of weeping willow."

• The passage begins with Anna Livia crafting her adornments. The "grains of incense anguille bronze" evokes a sacred ritual, with "anguille" (French for eel) connecting her to water imagery and Irish rivers.
• The use of natural materials—meadowgrass, riverflags, bulrush, waterweed—reflects Anna's identity as a personification of the Liffey. The "weeping willow" introduces a note of melancholy, suggesting loss or mourning.

207.05-207.07: "...a jetty amulet for necklace of clicking cobbles... of Irish rhunerhinerstones and shellmarble bangles."

• Anna’s jewellery, made from natural stones and rubble, ties her to the Irish landscape. The "rhunerhinerstones" may reference the enduring nature of Irish history and mythology.
• The "shellmarble bangles" could evoke the shell-like texture of the riverbed, further integrating Anna with her watery domain.

207.08-207.11: "...Annushka Lutetiavitch Pufflovah, and the lellipos cream to her lippeleens..."

• The elaborate, playful names like "Annushka Lutetiavitch Pufflovah" suggest an exotic, almost caricatured femininity. This exaggeration highlights the performative aspect of Anna’s role as a mythical figure.
• "Lellipos cream" and "lippeleens" (likely referring to her lips) invoke sensuality, underscoring Anna’s allure and beauty.

207.12-207.15: "...and a request might she passe of him for a minnikin."

• The phrase "minnikin" (a small figure or doll) conveys humility or playfulness in Anna's request. The "light a taper" ritual may symbolise reverence or a connection to spiritual practices.

207.18-207.20: "as soon as the lump his back was turned, with her mealiebag slang over her shulder..."

• Here, Anna departs stealthily, described as "oysterface," which aligns her with the river's bounty and mystery. The "mealiebag slang" on her shoulder suggests domestic labour or provision, tying her to the practical realities of life.

207.21-207.24: "Describe her! Hustle along, why can't you?... Oceans of Gaud, I mosel hear that!"

• This section heightens the anticipation of Anna’s description. The exclamatory tone ("Oceans of Gaud") conveys awe and urgency. The phrase "I mosel hear that!" demonstrates Joyce’s use of Hiberno-English and playful phonetic spellings.

207.25-207.28: "Whole lady fair? Duodecimoroon? Bon a ventura?"

• Anna’s multifaceted identity is explored through rhetorical questions. Terms like "Whole lady fair" and "Bon a ventura" suggest her completeness and her role as a bringer of fortune.

207.29-207.30: "No electress at all but old Moppa Necessity, angin mother of injons."

• Anna is reimagined as "Moppa Necessity," emphasising her archetypal role as the mother figure. The phrase "angin mother of injons" puns on "hanging mother of onions," blending the mundane with the mythic.

207.32-207.36: "...when the flip of her hoogly igloo flappered and out toetippit a bushman woman..."

• The whimsical description of Anna emerging from her "hoogly igloo" (sacred hut) paints her as an enigmatic and almost otherworldly figure. The "bushman woman" and "judyqueen" labels reflect her paradoxical nature—both primal and regal.

Key Themes and References

Irish Language and Culture

• References to "Irish rhunerhinerstones" and "shellmarble bangles" anchor Anna Livia in the Irish landscape. The poetic imagery draws from the natural world, resonating with Irish mythology's reverence for nature and rivers.

Philosophical and Mythological Layers

• Anna embodies the dualities of necessity ("Moppa Necessity") and beauty ("Whole lady fair"), reflecting universal themes of life, sustenance, and creation.

Playful Sexual Innuendo

• Words like "lippeleens" and "pommettes" convey sensuality, while Anna’s adornments highlight her performative femininity.

Humour

• Joyce’s use of absurd names ("Annushka Lutetiavitch Pufflovah") and punning phrases ("angin mother of injons") adds a layer of comedic whimsy to Anna’s portrayal.

Conclusion

Page 207 celebrates Anna Livia Plurabelle’s multidimensional identity, merging her roles as a mythic figure, a mother, and a personification of the River Liffey. Joyce’s use of natural imagery, Hiberno-English, and linguistic playfulness creates a richly layered narrative that explores themes of femininity, mythology, and the fluidity of identity. This passage exemplifies Joyce’s ability to weave humour, sensuality, and profound philosophical questions into a single, flowing text.

Detailed Analysis of Page 208 of Finnegans Wake

Summary

Page 208 continues the portrayal of Anna Livia Plurabelle, weaving her physical description and symbolic significance into a rich tapestry of linguistic play and cultural allusions. This passage delves into her connection with nature, mythology, and Irish culture, with an emphasis on her transformative, almost magical qualities. Joyce’s language shifts between poetic and comical, creating a vivid portrait that blurs the boundaries between Anna as a woman, a river, and a mythic figure.

Line-by-Line Analysis

208.01-208.02: "Quick, look at her cute and saise her quirk for the bicker she lives the slicker she grows. Save us and tagus!"

• "Quick, look at her cute": The urgency suggests Anna Livia’s ephemeral and fluid nature, aligning her with the image of a flowing river.
• "Save us and tagus!": A pun on the Tagus River in Portugal and the plea "Save us." It introduces her as a global, universal river-woman while grounding her in the Dublin setting.

208.03-208.04: "No more? Werra where in ourthe did you ever pick a Lambay chop as big as a battering ram?"

• "Werra": Hiberno-English exclamation, akin to "Where now?" or a lament.
• "Lambay chop": A pun on Lambay Island, off the coast of Dublin, and a literal lamb chop. The humorous hyperbole of "as big as a battering ram" juxtaposes the mythical with the mundane.

208.05-208.07: "Like Liviam Liddle did Loveme Long. The linth of my hough, I say! She wore a ploughboy's nailstudded clogs..."

• "Liviam Liddle": Likely a playful variation of Anna Livia, combining her mythic and folkloric aspects with personal history.
• "Ploughboy’s nailstudded clogs": Suggests her connection to the rural, earthy elements of Irish culture, tying her to both the land and the labourers.

208.08-208.09: "A sugarloaf hat with a gaudyquiviry peak and a band of gorse for an arnoment..."

• "Sugarloaf hat": A reference to the Sugarloaf Mountain in Wicklow, symbolising her geographical and mythological presence in Ireland.
• "Band of gorse": A nod to Irish flora, evoking the natural beauty of the Irish landscape.

208.10-208.11: "Owlglassy bicycles boggled her eyes: and a fishnetzeveil for the sun..."

• "Owlglassy bicycles": Likely refers to eyeglasses, creating a humorous, cartoonish image.
• "Fishnetzeveil": Reinforces her connection to water, rivers, and femininity, suggesting both delicacy and mystery.

208.12-208.14: "Her nude cuba stockings were salmospotspeckled: she sported a galligo shimmy..."

• "Salmospotspeckled": Likens her stockings to the scales of a salmon, a recurring motif in Irish mythology, representing wisdom and renewal.
• "Galligo shimmy": Possibly a humorous mix of “Gallic” and “shimmy,” highlighting her cosmopolitan allure and Irish identity.

208.15-208.17: "Her bloodorange bockknickers, a two in one garment... free to undo..."

• "Bloodorange bockknickers": Sexual innuendo and humour. Joyce often uses such playful imagery to emphasise Anna’s vivaciousness and corporeality.

208.18-208.22: "...her black-stripe tan joseph was sequansewn and teddybearlined... a fourpenny bit in each pocketside..."

• "Sequansewn and teddybearlined": Combines playful sensuality with cosy domesticity.
• "Fourpenny bit in each pocketside": A humorous suggestion of practicality, ensuring she doesn’t get blown away.

208.23-208.26: "...the rrreke of the fluve of the tail of the gawan of her snuffdrab siouler's skirt trailed ffiffty odd Irish miles..."

• "Fluve": A transformation of "flow," continuing her symbolic association with rivers.
• "Siouler’s skirt": Suggests a shawl or cloak, adding to her layered, mysterious persona.
• "Fifty odd Irish miles": Hyperbolic humour, amplifying her mythical proportions.

208.27-208.30: "Hellsbells, I’m sorry I missed her! Sweet gumptyum and nobody fainted!"

• "Hellsbells": A comical, exclamatory phrase.
• "Sweet gumptyum": Likely a playful invention, adding to the sense of whimsy.

208.31-208.34: "...And they crowned her their chariton queen, all the maids. Of the may? You don’t say!"

• "Chariton queen": Likely derived from "charity" and "chariot," blending her roles as a benefactress and a majestic figure.
• "Maids of the May": Refers to May Day celebrations, tying her to fertility and seasonal renewal.

208.35-208.36: "I recknitz wharfore the darling murrayed her mirror. She did? Mersey me!"

• "Murrayed her mirror": A pun on "married her mirror," suggesting vanity or self-love.
• "Mersey me!": Plays on "Mercy me!" while invoking the River Mersey, continuing the riverine motif.

Themes and References

Hiberno-English

• Phrases like "Werra where" and "linth of my hough" exemplify Joyce’s use of Irish idiomatic expressions, grounding Anna’s mythic portrayal in local dialects.

Irish Mythology and Geography

• References to Lambay Island, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Irish rivers link Anna Livia to Ireland’s physical and cultural landscape.
• Her description evokes the Shannon, Boyne, and other Irish rivers, portraying her as a personification of Ireland itself.

Playful Sexual Innuendo

• Lines such as "bloodorange bockknickers" and "free to undo" mix sensuality with humour, reflecting Anna’s vivacious and multifaceted nature.

Humour

• Joyce’s exaggeration of Anna’s appearance, like her "fifty odd Irish miles" of skirt, adds a sense of whimsy and larger-than-life quality.

Conclusion

Page 208 of Finnegans Wake continues the intricate characterisation of Anna Livia Plurabelle, blending poetic imagery, humour, and cultural references. Joyce’s language emphasises Anna’s dual roles as both an individual and a universal archetype, while his playful linguistic innovations invite the reader to revel in the text’s layered meanings.

Detailed Analysis of Page 209 of Finnegans Wake

Summary of Page 209

Page 209 continues Anna Livia Plurabelle’s dreamlike monologue and her flowing, river-like journey. She moves fluidly through the Irish landscape, distributing symbolic and fantastical gifts to an array of characters. This passage reflects Joyce’s stylistic innovation: his dense wordplay, blending of myth, folklore, Hiberno-English, and his unique poetic rhythm. ALP is depicted here as both mother and goddess, with the flow of gifts connecting her to rivers, fertility, and the mythic role of the feminine in creation and renewal. The tone oscillates between playful humour and symbolic grandeur.

Line-by-Line Analysis

209.01-209.04
"facemen, boomslanging and plugchewing, fruiteyeing and flower-feeding, in contemplation of the fluctuation and the undification of her filimentation..."

• The description of people ("facemen") watching Anna Livia Plurabelle evokes images of a crowd observing the river as it winds its way, symbolising her as both mother and nature.
• "Boomslanging and plugchewing" references colloquial behaviours – boomslanging (watching idly, akin to a snake’s laziness) and chewing tobacco, grounding the scene in working-class vernacular.
• "Filimentation" relates to flowing water, hair, or weaving, tying ALP to the river and mythic weavers (e.g., the Fates in classical mythology).
• Symbolism: ALP embodies the river Liffey, and her "fluctuation" mirrors the dynamic and ever-changing nature of life and storytelling.

209.05-209.09
"as soon as they saw her meander by that marritime way in her grasswinter's weeds and twigged who was under her archdeaconess bonnet..."

• The verb "meander" reinforces ALP as the river Liffey, winding her way through the landscape.
• "Marritime" plays on "maritime" (water-related) and "marriage," linking the river with unions and connections.
• "Grasswinter’s weeds" suggests mourning clothes or funeral garments, referencing cycles of death and rebirth, as well as natural imagery.
• "Archdeaconess bonnet" hints at a religious, matriarchal figure, blending Irish Catholic overtones with Joyce’s playful reimagining of sacred femininity.
• Historical Reference: "Avondale’s fish and Clarence’s poison" likely refers to Charles Stewart Parnell, whose home was in Avondale, and his political downfall (a kind of poison).

209.09-209.12
"Just the tembo in her tumbo or pilipili from her pepperpot? Saas and taas and specis bizaas."

• Joyce’s playful wordplay here evokes questions about the contents of ALP’s bag – what does she carry? "Tembo" (Swahili for elephant) and "tumbo" (belly) suggest both weight and hidden potential.
• "Pilipili" (pepper in Swahili) and "pepperpot" add a spicy, lively humour.
• "Saas and taas" imitate the sound of gossip or speculation. Joyce parodies the way people scrutinise figures like ALP, blending humour with profound symbolism.

209.13-209.15
"Fore the battle or efter the ball? I want to get it frisk from the soorce."

• This line plays on "Before the battle" and "After the ball," drawing from songs or popular phrases of Joyce’s time.
• The "battle" and "ball" contrast violence and festivity, suggesting cycles of conflict and reconciliation within Irish history and life.
• "Frisk from the soorce" alludes to the river’s origin ("source"), tying back to ALP’s identity as the Liffey.

209.18-209.23
"Well, arundgirond in a waveney lyne aringarouma she pattered and swung and sidled, dribbling her boulder through narrowa mosses..."

• This passage describes the river’s flowing, sinuous movement ("pattered," "swung," "sidled"), full of musical rhythm.
• "Aringarouma" evokes a sound reminiscent of rivers or an Irish tune, emphasising Joyce’s linguistic inventiveness.
• "Dribbling her boulder" hints at water shaping and wearing away stone – symbolic of time, history, and storytelling.
• Irish Landscape: "Narrowa mosses" and "vilde vetchvine" describe the Irish countryside’s lush, untamed vegetation.

209.24-209.28
"like Santa Claus at the cree of the pale and puny, nistling to hear for their tiny hearties, her arms encircling Isola-bella..."

• ALP is compared to Santa Claus, a maternal, giving figure distributing gifts to children.
• "Cree of the pale and puny" refers to weak or vulnerable figures, perhaps suggesting humanity’s need for care.
• "Isola-bella" ("beautiful island") has mythic connotations, linking ALP to Ireland as an island and a symbol of beauty.

209.30-209.36
"The rivulets ran aflod to see, the glashaboys, the pollynooties... Vivi vienne, little Annchen! Vielo Anna, high life!"

• The "rivulets ran aflod" suggests smaller streams joining the river, a metaphor for children or followers.
• "Glashaboys" plays on "glash" (green in Irish) and "boys," while "pollynooties" sounds like children’s playful noise.
• "Vivi vienne, little Annchen" mixes French ("vivienne" = alive) and diminutive forms, echoing ALP’s affection and vibrancy.
• The blending of languages reflects Joyce’s polyglot style, while "high life" connects ALP to grandeur and mythic vitality.

Key Themes and Motifs

Anna Livia Plurabelle as the River

• ALP’s association with the Liffey dominates this passage. Her movements through the landscape mirror the flow of the river, both nurturing and chaotic.

The Maternal Figure

• ALP emerges as a giver of life and gifts, like a mythic mother figure (Santa Claus). Her generosity symbolises natural abundance and care.

Playfulness and Humour

• Joyce’s linguistic games ("tembo in her tumbo," "specis bizaas") and playful comparisons infuse the passage with levity, even as it deals with weighty themes.

Irish Identity and Landscape

• References to Irish place names and natural imagery (e.g., "vilde vetchvine," "grasswinter’s weeds") root ALP’s story in Ireland’s physical and cultural landscape.

Cycles of Life and Time

• The gifts, the movement of the river, and the references to battles and celebrations all highlight cyclical patterns of life, history, and renewal.

Linguistic Experimentation

• Joyce’s wordplay, neologisms, and multilingual puns (e.g., "arundgirond," "Isola-bella") showcase his mastery of language and its expressive potential.

Conclusion

Page 209 exemplifies Joyce’s ability to merge poetic lyricism, linguistic play, and cultural references. Through ALP’s flowing movements and distribution of gifts, Joyce celebrates cycles of creation, renewal, and storytelling, while also infusing his text with humour and rhythmic beauty. Anna Livia Plurabelle stands as a complex symbol: maternal, mythic, and inseparable from Ireland’s natural and cultural life.

Detailed Analysis of Page 210 of Finnegans Wake

Summary of Page 210

Page 210 of Finnegans Wake presents a dreamlike procession of gifts and associations, delivered in ALP’s voice as part of her long, flowing monologue. She distributes a series of symbolic and often surreal items to a diverse cast of characters, many of whom bear names evocative of Irish, British, and global identities. This part of the text resembles a chaotic, mythic list akin to the rhythms of folklore, ballads, or parades. Joyce showcases his playful use of language, wordplay, and references to history, religion, and Irish culture, while also sneaking in humour, puns, and innuendo.

Line-by-Line Analysis

210.01-210.03
"jary every dive she'd neb in her culdee sacco of wabbash she raabed and reach out her maundy meerschaundize, poor souvenir as per ricorder..."

• "Culdee" references the early Celtic Christian monks of Ireland, suggesting piety and a sacral dimension.
• "Maundy meerschaundize" plays on Maundy (referring to the Maundy Thursday tradition of charity) and "merchandise." It suggests ALP distributing items akin to a charitable figure.
• "Wabbash" evokes a bag of assorted items, linking to ALP’s role as a maternal, generous giver.

210.03-210.06
"stinkers and heelers, laggards and primelads, her furzeborn sons and dribblederry daughters, a thousand and one of them, and wickerpotluck for each of them."

• The list of "stinkers and heelers" reflects Joyce’s inclusion of all classes and conditions of people, combining slang and descriptive categories.
• "Furzeborn sons" may reference ALP’s children or descendants, with "furze" symbolising rough, wild Irish terrain.
• "Wickerpotluck" evokes randomness or the haphazard nature of life, tying into the idea of abundance and mythic giving.

210.06-210.10
"A tinker's bann and a barrow to boil his billy for Gipsy Lee; a cartridge of cockaleekie soup for Chummy the Guardsman..."

• The tinker and Gipsy Lee align with Irish itinerant traditions and marginal figures. The "billy" connects to the kettle used by nomadic groups.
• "Cockaleekie soup" is a Scottish dish, combining domesticity with humour.
• These gifts reflect Joyce’s ability to combine high and low cultural elements, referencing working-class struggles while giving them mythical weight.

210.11-210.14
"a jigsaw puzzle of needles and pins and blankets and shins between them for Isabel, Jezebel and Llewelyn Mmarriage; a brazen nose and pigiron mittens for Johnny Walker Beg..."

• "Isabel, Jezebel, and Llewelyn Mmarriage" include playful and symbolic names: Isabel and Jezebel evoke biblical and literary women, while "Mmarriage" suggests complex familial ties.
• The "brazen nose" may reference the Brazen Nose College in Oxford, while "pigiron mittens" comically exaggerates working-class hardships.

210.15-210.18
"a puffpuff for Pudge Craig and a nightmarching hare for Techertim Tombigby; waterleg and gumboots each for Bully Hayes and Hurricane Hartigan..."

• "Puffpuff" likely refers to a train or toy, linking to playfulness.
• "Nightmarching hare" echoes Irish folklore about spectral animals or nighttime occurrences.
• "Bully Hayes and Hurricane Hartigan" suggest bold, mythical figures or real people (Bully Hayes being a famous sailor or pirate), blending historical allusions with humour.

210.19-210.21
"a loaf of bread and a father's early aim for Val from Skibereen; a jauntingcar for Larry Doolin, the Ballyclee jackeen..."

• "Val from Skibereen" references Skibbereen, a town in County Cork often associated with famine memory and Irish patriotism.
• "Jauntingcar" (a traditional Irish cart) links to rural Ireland, while "Ballyclee jackeen" mixes the pejorative Dublin term "jackeen" (urban, pro-English) with folk traditions.

210.22-210.24
"a louse and trap for Jerry Coyle; slushmincepies for Andy MacKenzie; a hairclip and clackdish for Penceless Peter..."

• The "louse and trap" comically undercuts expectations of generosity, offering poverty and pestilence.
• "Slushmincepies" exaggerates food imagery, tying to both abundance and absurdity.
• "Penceless Peter" reflects poverty or penury, with a "clackdish" evoking begging traditions, common in medieval Europe.

210.25-210.28
"a reiz every morning for Standfast Dick and a drop every minute for Stumblestone Davy; scruboak beads for beatified Biddy..."

• "Standfast Dick" and "Stumblestone Davy" play on opposing archetypes of moral steadfastness versus drunkenness, contrasting sobriety and excess.
• "Scruboak beads for beatified Biddy" satirises piety and Irish Catholic tradition, where rosary beads are used for devotion.

210.29-210.32
"a pretty box of Pettyfib's Powder for Eileen Aruna to whiten her teeth and outflash Helen Arhone..."

• "Pettyfib's Powder" is a comic invention of a beauty product, ridiculing vanity and commercial culture.
• "Outflash Helen Arhone" puns on Helen of Troy’s legendary beauty, comparing the mundane (teeth whitening) to the mythic.

210.33-210.36
"a whippingtop for Eddy Lawless; for Kitty Coleraine of Butterman's Lane a penny wise for her foolish pitcher; a putty shovel for Terry the Puckaun..."

• "Whippingtop" (a child’s toy) and "putty shovel" (a mundane tool) contrast innocence and practicality.
• "Kitty Coleraine" merges Irish placenames and characters, satirising clichés like "penny wise, pound foolish."
• "Puckaun" likely references Puck Fair, an Irish festival, or a small boat, infusing folklore and local colour.

Themes and Motifs

Myth and Folklore

• Joyce draws on Irish mythic traditions (e.g., wandering tinkers, spectral hares, and legendary heroes), embedding them in modern, dreamlike contexts.

Generosity and Absurdity

• ALP’s symbolic gifts parody the act of giving. Her generosity extends to all, blending charity with surreal humour and cultural references.

Hiberno-English and Linguistic Play

• Joyce’s use of Hiberno-English, puns ("reiz" for rise, "slushmincepies"), and hybrid words emphasises the richness of spoken Irish idiom and Joyce’s linguistic inventiveness.

Religion and Piety

• Many gifts reference Catholic iconography (rosary beads, saints), satirising traditional piety while also highlighting its cultural pervasiveness.

Sexual Innuendo and Playful Humour

• The playful gifting of objects like a "whippingtop" or "seasick trip" contains undertones of irony and bawdy humour, reflecting Joyce’s subversion of social norms.

History and Place

• References to Skibbereen, Ballyclee, and Coleraine anchor the passage in Irish geography and culture, blending history with imagination.

Conclusion

Page 210 exemplifies Joyce’s encyclopaedic range and linguistic virtuosity. ALP’s distribution of symbolic gifts mixes folklore, Irish history, Hiberno-English, and mythic grandeur with bawdy humour and absurdity. Joyce celebrates the communal, cyclical nature of storytelling while playfully mocking societal conventions and traditional values. This section reveals Joyce’s mastery in layering meaning through sound, rhythm, and cultural allusion.

Summary of Page 211:

Page 211 continues the gifts and symbolic offerings from Anna Livia Plurabelle (ALP), echoing themes of generosity, maternal care, and mythic distribution of blessings and punishments. This page plays with the imagery of ALP as a distributor of relics, trinkets, and burdens to various figures. The names mentioned carry allusions to historical, mythological, and literary figures, blending Irish culture with European and biblical references.

Line-by-Line Analysis:

211.01
"a collera morbous for Mann in the Cloack" –

• "Collera morbous" translates as "cholera morbus," suggesting disease or divine retribution.
• "Mann in the Cloack" hints at The Cloak of Mann, tying to both the Isle of Man and a ghostly figure of fate. Joyce often uses death shrouds and veils to reference mortality. This could also hint at political figures hiding behind symbolic "cloaks."

211.02-03
"a starr and girton for Draper and Deane" –

• "Starr" suggests both a literal star and legal trouble (writs). Girton refers to Girton College, a pioneering women’s college at Cambridge.
• Draper and Deane are common Irish surnames but also evoke drapery and church deans, merging commerce and religion.

211.04
"for Oliver Bound a way in his frey" –

• "Oliver Bound" may play on Oliver Cromwell ("bound" as in restrained). "In his frey" echoes Frey (Norse god) but also "fray," implying conflict.
• A hint of Cromwell’s campaigns in Ireland is detectable, referencing Irish history and the scars left by colonial repression.

211.05
"for Seumas, thought little, a crown he feels big" –

• "Seumas" (Irish for James) suggests James Joyce himself or James II of England.
• A small man feels "big" with a symbolic crown, hinting at Irish leaders or rebels elevated by the mythos of resistance, despite personal shortcomings.

211.06-07
"a tibertine's pile with a Congoswood cross on the back for Sunny Twimjim" –

• "Tibertine" could imply libertine, a term for someone morally lax. "Congoswood" plays with "congo" as dark wood, symbolising a heavy burden (cross to bear).
• "Sunny Twimjim" evokes a sunny disposition masking inner struggles, possibly referring to Irish political figures or rebels with a burden of conscience.

211.08-09
"penteplenty of pity with lubilashings of lust for Olona Lena Magdalena" –

• The playful rhyme echoes folk songs or nursery rhymes. "Lubilashings" combines "lashing" (punishment or excess) and "lubrication," slyly hinting at sexual innuendo.
• "Olona Lena Magdalena" draws from European folk figures and biblical Mary Magdalene, reflecting dual themes of pity and sensuality.

211.10
"for Camilla, Dromilla, Ludmilla, Mamilla" –

• The list of names creates a poetic rhythm, hinting at the four provinces of Ireland or ancient Gaelic goddesses.

211.11
"Tuami brooch for Nancy Shannon" –

• "Tuami" may reference Tuam, an Irish town known for its ecclesiastical significance. Brooches are traditional Irish jewellery, reflecting heritage and pride.
• "Nancy Shannon" connects to the River Shannon, reinforcing the presence of water as a constant motif linked to ALP.

211.16
"a Rogerson Crusoe's Friday fast for Caducus Angelus Rubiconstein" –

• Crusoe’s "Friday fast" ties to Robinson Crusoe. "Caducus Angelus" (falling angel) nods to Lucifer, while "Rubiconstein" suggests crossing the Rubicon – a point of no return.
• The blend of Christian, Roman, and Jewish references demonstrates Joyce's layering of religious and classical allusions.

211.20
"two dozen of cradles for J.F.X.P. Coppinger" –

• "J.F.X.P." could signify Jesuit influences (Xavier). Cradles evoke childbirth, connecting to themes of renewal.
• "Coppinger" ties to historical Irish clergy figures, aligning with Joyce’s recurring critique of the Church.

211.23
"the heftiest frozenmeat woman from Lusk to Livienbad for Felim the Ferry" –

• "Frozenmeat" humorously exaggerates size, suggesting maternal figures or the heaviness of Irish peasant women’s burdens.
• "Lusk" is a town in Dublin, while "Felim" links to Felim O'Connor, echoing medieval Gaelic kings.

211.25
"spas and speranza and symposium's syrup for decayed and blind and gouty Gough" –

• "Speranza" nods to Lady Wilde (Oscar Wilde’s mother), while "symposium" suggests both academic discourse and indulgence.
• "Gough" recalls Hugh Gough, a British military figure unpopular in Irish nationalist history.

Universal Themes and Innuendo:

• Sexuality and Desire: "Lubilashings of lust" carries playful sexual undertones, echoing throughout the passage in double entendres and rhythmic repetition.
• Mortality and Burden: Cholera, cradles, and wooden crosses signify life’s weight, Irish political strife, and Catholic guilt.
• Colonialism and Rebellion: References to Cromwell, Crusoe, and fallen angels explore Ireland’s historical tensions.
• Generosity and Motherhood: ALP as a distributer of gifts reflects Irish hospitality and folklore of giving.

Joyce’s humour, heavy with puns, weaves through these lines, reflecting the absurdity of human nature and history. Each name and object holds multiple interpretations, and Campbell’s analysis aligns ALP’s actions with Irish mythic cycles, reinforcing themes of renewal and cyclical history.

211.26
"a change of naves and joys of ills for Armoricus Tristram Amoor Saint Lawrence" –

• "Change of naves" suggests church architecture (nave), symbolising shifts in religious or spiritual states. "Joys of ills" plays with the paradox of suffering and salvation.
• "Armoricus" links to Armorica (ancient Brittany), often associated with Celtic origins. Tristram (from Tristan and Isolde) ties to romantic tragedy.
• "Saint Lawrence" connects to both the river and the early Christian martyr roasted alive, evoking martyrdom, a recurrent Irish theme.

211.27
"a guillotine shirt for Reuben Redbreast and hempen suspendeats for Brennan on the Moor" –

• "Guillotine shirt" evokes French Revolution imagery, merging execution with attire, symbolising political martyrdom.
• "Reuben Redbreast" evokes the robin redbreast, symbolising sacrifice and renewal in Irish folklore.
• "Brennan on the Moor" is a direct reference to the famous Irish ballad about the highwayman William Brennan, tying to rebellion and resistance. "Hempen suspendeats" (a noose) reinforces the theme of execution and outlaw status.

211.28
"an oakanknee for Conditor Sawyer and musquodoboits for Great Tropical Scott" –

• "Oakanknee" suggests "oak and knee," symbolising strength or a carpenter's joint, but it also puns on "oaken knee," implying wooden rigidity or resistance.
• "Conditor" (Latin for builder or founder) may reflect biblical or Masonic language. "Sawyer" ties to woodworking and Tom Sawyer, evoking adventure and mischief.
• "Musquodoboits" refers to Musquodoboit in Nova Scotia, layering North American geography with Irish cultural diaspora. "Great Tropical Scott" plays on "Great Scott!" and Sir Walter Scott, aligning with literary references.

211.29
"a C3 peduncle for Carmalite Kane" –

• "C3" references a spinal vertebra, hinting at vulnerability or structural weakness. "Peduncle" (stalk) suggests botanical growth or spinal anatomy, symbolising fragility.
• "Carmalite Kane" reflects the Carmelite religious order and the name Kane (common in Ireland). This might blend themes of monasticism with physical suffering or asceticism.

211.30
"a sunless map of the month, including the sword and stamps, for Shemus O'Shaun the Post" –

• "Sunless map of the month" evokes the phases of the moon or menstrual cycles, symbolising the passage of time and darkness.
• "Sword and stamps" suggests colonial power and bureaucracy. "Shemus O'Shaun the Post" echoes Seamus O'Sean (James Johnson), aligning Irish language with figures of authority or folklore.
• "The Post" could refer to the postal service, reinforcing bureaucratic imagery.

211.31
"a jackal with hide for Browne but Nolan" –

• "Jackal with hide" layers animal imagery with predatory connotations. It suggests someone deceitful, tying to "Browne but Nolan," possibly figures from Irish history or folklore.
• The juxtaposition of two surnames—one common (Browne) and the other linked to scholarly or revolutionary figures (John Nolan)—plays on dual identities.

211.32
"a stonecold shoulder for Donn Joe Vance" –

• "Stonecold shoulder" suggests rejection or indifference.
• "Donn Joe Vance" echoes Don Juan, hinting at romantic escapades or infidelity. "Vance" may reference Vance family figures in Irish history.

211.33
"all lock and no stable for Honorbright Merreytrickx" –

• "All lock and no stable" plays on the idiom "lock the stable after the horse is gone," suggesting futility.
• "Honorbright" implies integrity or a pledge, while "Merreytrickx" (Merry Tricks) suggests deception or playful dishonesty. This duality reflects the tension between honour and trickery, common in Joyce's characterisations.

211.34
"a big drum for Billy Dunboyne" –

• "A big drum" symbolises noise or attention, perhaps evoking military or ceremonial imagery.
• "Billy Dunboyne" could reference William (Billy) and Dunboyne, a town in County Meath, anchoring the scene in Irish geography.

211.35
"a guilty goldeny bellows, below me blow me, for Ida Ida" –

• "Guilty goldeny bellows" layers sexual innuendo with musical imagery (bellows as in an accordion or fireplace instrument).
• "Below me blow me" is both comical and sexual, reflective of Joyce’s playful bawdy style. "Ida Ida" (I da, I da) sounds like a chant or refrain, reinforcing rhythmic and humorous wordplay.

211.36
"a hushaby rocker, Elletrouvetout, for Who-is-silvier —— Where-is-he?" –

• "Hushaby rocker" is a cradle or lullaby reference, evoking maternal care.
• "Elletrouvetout" (French for "She finds everything") reflects the role of Anna Livia Plurabelle as the maternal figure who knows and sees all.
• "Who-is-silvier —— Where-is-he?" introduces a mystery, blending the presence of children with mythological or romantic figures. This line hints at absence, loss, and searching, universal themes throughout Finnegans Wake.

Themes and Motifs:

• Maternal Care and Distribution: ALP distributes gifts to figures from Irish mythology, folklore, and historical figures, reinforcing the nurturing, all-encompassing mother archetype.
• Religious and Political Commentary: The references to saints, Carmelite monks, and outlaws like Brennan on the Moor juxtapose spiritual reflection with rebellion.
• Humour and Innuendo: Joyce’s playful innuendo ("below me blow me") and witty turns of phrase highlight his comic sensibility, even in the gravitas of cultural commentary.
• Celtic Mythology and History: Many figures draw from Irish folk songs, legends, and revolutionary heroes, reinforcing Joyce’s alignment with Ireland’s mythic past.
• Universal Motifs: Love triangles, martyrdom, and the cycle of death and rebirth resonate with universal human experiences.

Summary of Page 212

Page 212 of Finnegans Wake is a continuation of ALP’s distribution of gifts to an array of characters, real and mythical, across a broad social and cultural spectrum. It serves as an inventory of personalities and items imbued with symbolic, humorous, and often enigmatic meaning. Joyce blends Hiberno-English with a playful mixture of linguistic and cultural references, evoking Irish history, mythology, and the collective human experience. Themes of generosity, human folly, morality, and duality persist, alongside sexual innuendo and Joyce’s signature humour.

Line-by-Line Analysis

212.01–212.03

"Yuinness or Yennessy, Laagen or Niger, for Festus King and Roaring Peter and Frisky Shorty and Treacle Tom and O. B. Behan and Sully the Thug and Master Magrath and Peter Cloran and O'Delawarr Rossa and Nerone MacPacem"

• "Yuinness or Yennessy": A playful reference to Irish whiskey brands (Guinness, Hennessy), indicating the gift of indulgence.
• "Laagen or Niger": References to Irish (Lagan) and African (Niger) rivers, blending local and global themes.
• "Master Magrath": A nod to the famous Irish racing greyhound, symbolic of Ireland’s spirit and competitive nature.
• "O'Delawarr Rossa": Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa (1831 -  1915), an Irish nationalist and member of the Fenian movement, connecting the passage to political history.  He devoted his whole life to the overthrow of English rule in Ireland, launching bombing campaigns from his exile in New York. His revolutionaty zeal was strongly influenced by his experiences of the Famine where he witnessed deaths of family and friends.
• "Nerone MacPacem": Combines Nero (Roman emperor) with Gaelic, suggesting a tyrannical figure with Irish roots.

212.04–212.06

"whoever you chance to meet knocking around; and a pig's bladder balloon for Selina Susquehanna Stakelum."

• "Pig's bladder balloon": Evokes childhood play and simplicity, contrasting with the complex identities of the other characters.
• "Selina Susquehanna Stakelum": A mix of Irish (Stakelum) and American (Susquehanna) names, reinforcing Joyce’s global vision.

212.07–212.09

"But what did she give to Pruda Ward and Katty Kanel and Peggy Quilty and Briery Brosna and Teasy Kieran and Ena Lappin..."

• "Pruda Ward, Katty Kanel, Peggy Quilty": Common Irish names, grounding the text in Hiberno-English and local culture.
• "Briery Brosna": References the Brosna River, weaving Irish geography into the fabric of the narrative.

212.10–212.13

"and Melissa Bradogue and Flora Ferns and Fauna Fox-Goodman and Grettna Greaney and Penelope Inglesante"

• "Flora Ferns and Fauna Fox-Goodman": Wordplay on flora and fauna, suggesting a natural connection to Irish land and mythology.
• "Penelope Inglesante": A nod to Homer’s Odyssey (Penelope), Joyce’s recurring motif of fidelity and waiting.

212.14–212.16

"She gave them ilcka madre's daughter a moonflower and a bloodvein"

• "Moonflower and bloodvein": Symbolic gifts representing beauty (moonflower) and vitality (bloodvein).
• "Madre's daughter": Suggests maternal connections and the continuity of life, echoing ALP’s nurturing role.

212.17–212.19

"So on Izzy, her shame-maid, love shone befond her tears as from Shem, her penmight, life past befoul his prime."

• "Izzy, her shame-maid": Refers to Issy, a recurring character, often embodying youthful innocence and sexuality.
• "Shem, her penmight": Symbolises Joyce himself, the writer whose creativity often defied societal norms.

212.20–212.23

"My colonial, wardha bagful! A bakereen's dusind with tithe tillies to boot."

• "Colonial": Possibly critiques Ireland’s colonial past.
• "Bakereen's dusind": A baker’s dozen, symbolising abundance and generosity.

212.24–212.27

"Throw us your hudson soap for the honour of Clane! The wee taste the water left."

• "Hudson soap": Humorous wordplay on cleanliness, perhaps hinting at moral or spiritual purity.
• "Clane": Refers to Clane, a town in County Kildare, grounding the text in Irish geography.

212.28–212.30

"Well, am I to blame for that if I have? Who said you're to blame for that if you have?"

• A playful exchange, evoking themes of guilt, responsibility, and miscommunication.

212.31–212.36

"Foul strips of his chinook's bible I do be reading, dodwell disgustered but chickled with chuckles at the tittles is drawn on the tattlepage."

• "Chinook's bible": Possibly a critique of rigid interpretations of religious or moral texts.
• "Chickled with chuckles": Joyce’s humour emerges, as the speaker finds amusement in unexpected places.

Themes and Motifs

1. Generosity and Redistribution: ALP’s distribution of gifts reflects themes of nurturing, community, and abundance.
2. Irish Identity and Mythology: Names and references anchor the text in Irish history and geography.
3. Cycles of Guilt and Redemption: Questions of blame and morality weave through the text, resonating universally.
4. Playful Language: Joyce’s punning and wordplay engage readers, creating a layered and humorous narrative.

Conclusion

Page 212 showcases Joyce’s ability to layer cultural, historical, and mythological references within a seemingly simple narrative. By employing playful language and rich symbolism, Joyce invites readers to explore themes of morality, identity, and human interconnectedness. The text resonates universally, as it examines the interplay between individual actions and broader cultural legacies.