Our scene is set at Sandymount Shore where Leopold Bloom is attempting to rest for a moment. In what I feel is a sweet, sentimental style James Joyce writes, “Far away in the west the sun was setting and the last glow of all too fleeting day lingered lovingly on sea and strand…” (U 13. 284). The waves of the bay splash near the weedgrown rocks. A quiet stillness washes over the bay and Bloom notices three girls sitting on the rocks enjoying the fresh air. That is the feeling that I get from reading the first few lines and my cinematically inspired rendition of the events in the first page. Thematically “Nausicaa” presents several motifs that resonate throughout the chapter and have lasting effects on the overall novel. Stuart Gilbert describes the techniques used for this chapter as tumescence and the detumescence (Gilbert 278). According to the Oxford Dictionaries, tumescence means eagerness for sexual activity while detumescence refers to sexual arousal. Gilbert’s schema refers to the chapter’s art as painting, its organ as eye and nose, and its symbol as virgin, all of which are found within the chapter and relate to the major themes of tumescence and detumescence (Gilbert 30). The resonating themes of tumescence and detumescence work with the overall cinematic technique Joyce is experimenting with in “Nausicaa.”
It’s quite fitting that the corresponding art of the chapter is painting. Like cinema, painting is also a striking form of visual art. In so many ways this chapter colors the perception of the world within the episode and paints a specific, emotional point of view. The vivid description of Sandymount Shore as well as the description of the three girls sitting on the rocks can be read like an illustration of an...
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...just as powerful. Through description, he creates an image that can never be removed from the internal visualization of the mind’s eye and the burst of the Roman candle becomes just as provocative as a woman’s bare breast flashing through a projector onto a screen. Just as there are levels of a consubstantial trinity within Ulysses, there is also a level of a consubstantial trinity within the world of filmmaking. The protean relationship in which Joyce allows the reader to transform into the character and author is not unlike the relationship between the actor, cinematographer (filmmaker), and audience. The use of this cinematic technique within the chapter acts as a commentary on the symbiosis between writer and reader and allows the reader to heuristically detach from the monocular reading of the book and adopt a more binocular vision of the concepts in the work.
At the left-bottom corner of the painting, the viewer is presented with a rugged-orangish cliff and on top of it, two parallel dark green trees extending towards the sky. This section of the painting is mostly shadowed in darkness since the cliff is high, and the light is emanating from the background. A waterfall, seen originating from the far distant mountains, makes its way down into a patch of lime-green pasture, then fuses into a white lake, and finally becomes anew, a chaotic waterfall(rocks interfere its smooth passage), separating the latter cliff with a more distant cliff in the center. At the immediate bottom-center of the foreground appears a flat land which runs from the center and slowly ascends into a cliff as it travels to the right. Green bushes, rough orange rocks, and pine trees are scattered throughout this piece of land. Since this section of the painting is at a lower level as opposed to the left cliff, the light is more evidently being exposed around the edges of the land, rocks, and trees. Although the atmosphere of the landscape is a chilly one, highlights of a warm light make this scene seem to take place around the time of spring.
The historical painting I chose for my final, is an illustration of Bret Harte’s novel, Her Letter, His Response, and Her Last Letter, creatively illustrated by Arthur Ignatius Keller in 1905. The historical painting I chose for the comparison of Arthur Keller’s painting is another painting done by Arthur I Keller; illustrated for 54-40 or Fight by Emerson Hough, in 1909. Arthur I Keller is a very natural, elegant style painter, with an eye for natural beauty. Keller’s many paintings express intricate detail, and genuine quality. Although I picked two water color paintings out of Arthur Keller’s many collections of paintings, he also uses charcoal, acrylics, oils, and pastels to create other works of art. In both paintings I chose, Arthur Keller uses water color and gouache to paint people. Arthur’s first painting I mentioned, illustrating “Her Letter” is a more detailed painting. Keller uses water color to create a graceful look to his painting; his delicate balance of color, keeps the viewer’s eyes wandering around the painting. The focal point in the painting does not catch the viewer’s eyes because of heavy, dark colors, but because of the proportion differences of the people he implies. The painting gives off a very old fashioned feel, in a tasteful way. Arthur Keller’s second painting, illustrating “54-40 or Fight” has a completely different color theme, and gives off more of a mysterious, dark feel to it. The painting is detailed, but in a more simple way, and there is less negative space. As to where Keller’s “Her Letter” painting had a lot of open areas on the canvas, this painting, displays two people in a small enclosed dark room. The focal point is more dramatic, and a lot more obvious because instead of using sizing,...
The subject of this artwork is a shipwreck. I see it looks like a storm in the ocean and there’s a ship but the ships mass and sails appear to be damaged. The crew is lowering lifeboats, suggesting that they have to abandon ship. A rescue boat is coming in on the right side of the painting and another boat and ship are coming in on the left side of the painting to help the crew from the distressed ship. There also appears to be a lighthouse at a distance. The action being conveyed is the waves crashing into the ship. The darkness in the waves and the colors he used made them seem like there real ocean waves. The art piece does seem to be telling ...
One of the works of art that particularly stood out to me from the chapter 4 online
The first painting analyzed was North Country Idyll by Arthur Bowen Davis. The focal point was the white naked woman. The white was used to bring her out and focus on the four actual colored males surrounding her. The woman appears to be blowing a kiss. There is use of stumato along with atmospheric perspective. There is excellent use of color for the setting. It is almost a life like painting. This painting has smooth brush strokes. The sailing ship is the focal point because of the bright blue with extravagant large sails. The painting is a dry textured flat paint. The painting is evenly balanced. When I look at this painting, it reminds me of settlers coming to a new world that is be founded by its beauty. It seems as if they swam from the ship.
It appears to me that pictures have been over-valued; held up by a blind admiration as ideal things, and almost as standards by which nature is to be judged rather than the reverse; and this false estimate has been sanctioned by the extravagant epithets that have been applied to painters, and "the divine," "the inspired," and so forth. Yet in reality, what are the most sublime productions of the pencil but selections of some of the forms of nature, and copies of a few of her evanescent effects, and this is the result, not of inspiration, but of long and patient study, under the instruction of much good sense…
The composition of the painting takes place with the square of the canvas. The square is approximately 5' x 5'. A black frame surrounding the painting protrudes approximately 4" off the canvas. There is a 1" inlay between the canvas and frame. From this square, Reinhardt breaks the composition into six equal squares in three even rows. Texture is no where to be found in the painting. No visual indication of the artist's brush stroke is present. No varnished glare is given off by the piece. The entire work, including the frame, is completely matte. The squares take up the entire canvas in a checkerboard type arrangement. Each square is a slightly different shade of blue-black. It almost becomes impossible to see the difference between each square. The middle squares in the top and bottom rows shift more towards blue than the rest of the squares. The division of these middle squares become more obvious than the others. When the painting is looked at from a distance, it is almost impossible to see any of the squares at all. When looking from a far, all a viewer can see is a blackish blue canvas. As you stare longer into the painting, a halo begins to form around the corners of the canvas, creating a circle inside the square. Once you look away from the canvas, the circle is gone. With this observation in mind, we could say that the painting most definitely relies on the viewer. A viewer is required to look at the piece for its full affect. We could say that the squares in the painting are self-contained.
This break from tradition is a central quality in Ulysses. Molly Bloom is not the two-dimensional caricature many have suggested. She is so much more than that. Molly rebels against her traditional domestic role, is a voice for female emancipation, an example for feminine power, and the embodiment of unified sensuality and spirituality. These untraditional qualities have led some critics to accuse Molly of being a mere projection of the male psyche, without a real voice of her own. These criticisms ignore the powerful way in which Molly challenges commonly held beliefs about female sexuality. Despite the hint of the creator’s voice in his creation, Molly is presence unto herself, Joyce’s definitive statement of women as powerful, sexual beings.
Looking at landscape art, especially when painted by one of the masters, many have undoubtedly pondered: what would it be like to live there? Shapes and attention to detail are, of course, important in a painting. However, it is color that draws the eye and inspires the heart. Oscar Wilde, an Irish poet and dramatist, spoke well of this when he noted that, “Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways. (qtd in “color”)”. Vincent Ward had a similar understanding of this impact when, in 1998, he directed the movie What Dreams May Come. Looking at this film, one can easily imagine being inside a living painting. The use of color to emphasize the emotional state of a character or event is common in films; nevertheless, Director Ward goes even farther in using color to represent the actual characters themselves. Red is the shade chosen to signify Annie and likewise, blue is used for Chris. Both of these, as will be shown, are accurate in defining these fictitious people. However, it is the profound use of purple in this film that is the true focal point. When mixing red and blue paint, one would find that, after being mixed, they cannot be separated. Likewise, this is true of the life and love these characters build and share. Purple represents the many ways in which Chris and Annie are melded, and joined.
Starting with visual elements I saw lines, implied depth, and texture. I see lines by him using lines created by an edge. Each line is curved not straight but it works with the piece. By using this he creates the piece to make it whole. He uses many curved lines within the painting I don’t know if there is a straight line in the whole thing. The next element I saw was implied depth. Using linear perspective you can see the mountains but they look smaller than the rest of the piece. They are the vanishing point in the back making it look as if you can walk down and they will get closer and closer to you. The last element that I saw was texture. They talk about Van Gogh’s painting, The Starry Night having texture through a two- dimensional surface, in which this painting has that similar feel. Van Gogh uses thick brush stokes on his paintings to show his feelings. There is actually a name for this called, Impasto,
To me, Ulysses was a necessary evil, in that I thought that I would not be able to call myself a literature student unless I had read the entire novel. While my journey through Ulysses was laden with moments of bewilderment, exasperation, and self-pity, I was able to power my way through the novel with a deeper appreciation for the way James Joyce was able to create a linear story told through a series of non-linear writing styles. In retrospect, the grueling challenge of reading Ulysses made me a better student, in that I was able to grow as a reader by adjusting myself to Joyce’s train-of-thought writing style, and that I could add Ulysses to my personal canon of academic literature.
In addition to the controversial content of the book was the matter of Joyce's style. Not denying Joyce's ability, Garnett wrote it was "ably written," except he felt that it was too "discursive, formless, unrestrained, and ugly things, ugly words, are too prominent." Also, Garnett criticized that it was too "unconventional," and "unless the author will use restraint and proportion he will not gain readers." Having read the book, I too agree with Garnett that the style in which the book was written does not encourage the reader to advance through the story.
... we see that life is a façade; the characters disguise their sorrow in modesty. Joyce’s portrayal of Ireland undoubtedly creates a desire to evade a gloomy life.
Pope, Deborah. "The Misprision of Vision: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man". James Joyce. vol.1. ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 113-19.
...nting his creation (Stephen) and displaying Stephen's experiences in relation to Joyce's life. Joyce fulfills the epical form by displaying Stephen's stream of consciousness and his position of certain issues (religious, political, etc.); then taking his positions and contrasting them with the thoughts and positions of others. Finally, he fulfills the dramatic form which he displays Stephen's relations with other people, such as family, friends, and teachers.