Revolution in Form in the Episode Seven of Ulysses

【Abstract】James Joyce （1882-1941） is one of the most important writers in the western literary history in the 20th century.His well-known masterpiece Ulysses is the model of novels of the stream of consciousness，the form，language and content of which run counter to traditional novels.As one of important elements in the novel，the form could show whole effects of the novel.Based on the discussion of revolution in form in the episode seven of Ulysses，the author hopes that it will help to improve people s understanding of Ulysses and James Joyce s brilliant writing techniques.

【Key words】Ulysses； Aeolus； The Form； The Experimental Art

To James Joyce，the form is the content，and the content is the form.Each form change is subject to the consciousness of characters of the novel and the characters inner expression，as well as scenes of the novel.The episode seven of Aeolus of Ulysses is embodied in the unique form.It is divided into sixty-three sections.Each section has a hyperbolic headline that greatly exaggerates the narrative action of the section.This episode imitates the newspapers typesetting.So Aeolus can be described as a typical example of narrative literature in form.

Aeolus form reflects the aesthetic significance of formalism.Despite James Joyce neither directly talks about the meaning of the form，nor expresses the arguments about form by the characters，but he carefully arranges the structure of several short articles，showing the beauty of the formalism.These short stories happen around the daily life of people in Dublin.Although the contents may be black and white，its form contains a special significance.James Joyce here uses the form which is the plate making and typesetting printing technology.Constituted by sixty-three short articles，Aeolus is just like a newspaper.The form of newspaper is to show what Bloom sees，hears and thinks.Each article is like a report published in a newspaper.Its title is situated in the middle and is written in capital bold letters，highlighting the written forms of expression.

It seems that each short article in the episode of Aeolus is loose and that they are not related to each other.But in fact，they all talk about people s daily life.The reason why people consider the newspaper as a window to understand the facts，because the newspaper is close to the people s life and it involves all aspects of the real things and affairs.Here take the sixth article in the episode of Aeolus as an example.This article seems an obituary on the surface：

WITH UNFEIGHED REGRET IT IS WE

ANNOUNCED THE DISSOLUTION OF A MOST

RESPECTED DUBLIN BURGESS

This morning the remains of the late Mr Patrick Dignam.Machines.Smash a man to atoms if they got him caught.Rule the world today.His machineries are pegging away too.Like these，got out of hand：fermenting.Working away，tearing away.And that old grey rat tearing to get in.

Careful readers will notice that the title with the first three lines in the original text composed in boldface letter but not the same font size.The font size in the first line is a little bigger than the rest lines.This is not just out of the needs of narration，but also starts form the visual effect resulting from the simulation of the newspaper headlines.Here we can see that it focuses on the form，rather than just the contents.An obituary should be known to the people as much as possible.However，in this obituary it is the flow of the consciousness of Bloom.

Perhaps some people may wonder why word “Machines” appear.In fact，the word “machine” and “remain” both could refer to the body of persons.It is this coincidence that makes the awareness of Bloom jump from the funeral to machines.The rest text seems irrelevant with the obituary which lets people think that Blooms thought is extremely confusing.The first “him” refers to the person who is the front person of the machine，and the second “his” refers to the print merchant.Bloom s stream of consciousness jumps from remain of Mr Dignam to the printer which has the same interpretation with “remain”，and then to the print merchant，next to the performance of the printer and at last suddenly to a mice.This obituary that seems to express painful feelings is much more like a black humor.It relates a dead man with a disgusting mouse which shows the pessimism and decadent feelings.

This episode embodies a dynamic statement which is beneficial for the writer to represent his writing purpose and enrich the color for the novel.The form is not only the key to read James Joyce s works，but also is the better entry point to study Ulysses.Form is always the breakthrough in James Joyce s continuous exploration of the art during the novel creation.From the discussion of form in the episode seven，the Ulysses s experimental art and modernism quality can be seen.

References：

[1]Derek Attridge，The Cambridge companion to James Joyce，Shanghai：Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press，2000.

[2]Feng Jianming，The Transfigurations of the Characters in Joyces Novels，Beijing： Foreign Language Press，2005.

[3]James Joyce，Ulysses，New York：Random House，Inc.，1986.

作者簡介：古冬華（1989—），女，漢族，河南南陽人，在讀研究生，研究方向：英美文學。