Lestrygonians

Chapter Eight, Lestrygonians

Narrative Focus: Bloom

Characters: Bloom, Mrs. Breen (an old flame), Davy Byrne, Nosey Flynn, blind piano-tuner.

Setting: Davy Byrne’s Tavern, Dublin streets

Homeric Correspondence:
The Lestrygonians had cannibalistic intentions in mind for Odysseus’ crew (Book X). The opening passage of this chapter clarifies a comic parallel between Odysseus’ horror that these are not “men who eat bread” and Bloom’s disgust at the gustatory habits of his meat-eating mates.

Synopsis:
Bloom stops at Burton’s for lunch but, disgusted by the diners, makes his way gradually to Davy Byrne’s pub for a cheese sandwich and glass of burgundy, meeting Mrs. Breen who tells him of Mrs. Purefoy’s lying in (see Chapter XIV, “Oxen of the Sun”). Helps the blind “stripling” cross the street while wandering toward the library to find a back-issue and look at the nude statuary.

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04-15-10