The poem Lycidas in James Joyce's Ulysses

Seminar paper from the year 2001 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature grade: 15 University of Hannover (Englisches Seminar) course: Ulysses language: English abstract: The references to other pieces of literature play an important role In James Joyce's Ulysses.The title itself alluding to Homer's Odyssey is the first of such references to be found whenreading the book. Other famous examples are Stephen Dedalus' treatment of Shakespeare'sHamlet and Chapter 12 which is a parody of different styles of literature. As the readershould expect of a work deeply concerned with religious matters John Milton also is one ofthe poets whose works are frequently being referred to throughout Ulysses. While thepoems Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained (to a lesser degree also Samson Agonistes)are those among Milton's poems which are used the most by Joyce the poem Lycidas playsa central role in the 2nd chapter. The fact that it is placed so early in the book makes thepoem's meaning to the book very special even more so as one has to keep in mind that thestructure of Ulysses is elementary for the understanding of its contents.