JOYCE		LUCK CLUB
DUBLINERS	ULYSSES	THE PORTRAIT

Chapter 4 - Bleibtreu: Bob, Bod, Mike, Orkono et al As Bob said it is a pleasure to finally get to know Poldi and to join him on his solitary walk to buy pork kidneys. (Leopold went on his walk at 8.00 in the morning, and it is just after 8.00 here now.) The first time. Calypso is not intellectually as heavy as Proteus but still is quite demanding. There are various undercurrents running in this chapter too. The first most important word is 'bleibtreu' translated inadequately - imho -by Gifford as 'remain true'. I would say it means 'stay loyal'. What does 'Remain true' mean? Remain true to one's character? Stay loyal would mean stay loyal to one's religion, race, country, family, husband, wife, father, friend, etc. That is what does not happen here. The thought of not remaining loyal (Menschen , die nicht treu bleiben) is hinted at in many ways in the chapter. At least two people are not going to remain loyal. That Molly is not going to remain loyal is hinted in two ways at least: * By the manner in which she is referred to as Mrs. Marion Bloom and not as 'my wife', or Molly at the beginning. That woman could have been any one who had shared his bed in the night. * By using the arias from Don Giovanni in which DG is trying to seduce Zerlina on the day of her wedding ( La ci darem la mano and Vorrei e non vorrei.) In his own way, Leopold is also not loyal (okay, we could use the word 'true' here) to his race. He has no qualms about eating pork kidneys. He is also not loyal to his wife - like Odesseus was not loyal to Penelope when he was with Calypso. When Leopold sees the next door maid in the butcher's shop he thinks of hurrying after her - 'make hay while the sun shines.' Having said that one feels that Leopold is still loyal. Eating pork kidneys is just an outward act of rebellion. Inside he thinks of Palestine, of the jewish resettlement. And naturally Joyce thinks of his Irland - when Bloom smiles thinking of the sun of homerule raising over the northwest. . I still have to understood the role of Milly, and of what the pussens (cat) means here in relationship with Molly. Chandra Top! HOME!