Why is Ulysses so great?

Although the main strength of Ulysses lies in its depth of character portrayal and its breadth of humour, the book is most famous for its use of a variant of the interior monologue known as the stream-of-consciousness technique.
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Is Ulysses the greatest book ever written?

''Ulysses,'' that sprawling, difficult, but uniquely original masterpiece by James Joyce, has been voted the finest English-language novel published this century by a jury of scholars and writers.
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Why is Ulysses considered a classic?

The novel's stream of consciousness technique, careful structuring, and experimental prose—replete with puns, parodies, and allusions—as well as its rich characterisation and broad humour have led it to be regarded as one of the greatest literary works in history; Joyce fans worldwide now celebrate 16 June as Bloomsday ...
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Is Ulysses overrated?

First there was the recent London Sunday Telegraph list of the 50 most overrated novels. Actually the way they put it was “Not the 50 books you have to read before you die,” as a sort of swipe at literary bucket lists. And on top of the list, number one with a bullet, was Ulysses.
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Why is Ulysses so hard to read?

"Ulysses," Slote admits, is a very intricate book on one level: "The profusion of styles and the quantity of allusions to Dublin street topography, Irish history, Aristotle, Shakespeare, Dante, and 19th-century popular music makes it seem somewhat inaccessible to many readers," he says.
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Why should you read James Joyce's "Ulysses"? - Sam Slote



Why is Ulysses considered a masterpiece?

Ulysses, novel by Irish writer James Joyce, first published in book form in 1922. Stylistically dense and exhilarating, it is generally regarded as a masterpiece and has been the subject of numerous volumes of commentary and analysis. The novel is constructed as a modern parallel to Homer's Odyssey.
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How many hours does it take to read Ulysses?

The average reader will spend 13 hours and 3 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute).
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Did Hemingway read Ulysses?

Ernest Hemingway read James Joyce's Ulysses more carefully than has been generally recognized, and this essay will reveal how he first received an unbound press copy now preserved in the Hemingway Collection at the John F. Kennedy Library (see Figures 1 and 2).
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What is the most difficult book to read?

The 10 Most Difficult Books You'll Ever Read
  • Finnegans Wake by James Joyce.
  • Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace.
  • The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner.
  • Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs.
  • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.
  • Sophie's Choice by William Styron.
  • Moby Dick by Herman Melville.
  • The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro.
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Is Ulysses enjoyable?

Considered by many to be the second hardest book in the English language (mostly because the hardest book in the English language requires a working knowledge of 8 other languages to read), reading Ulysses is both enjoyable and provocative. Despite its reputation, it's not too difficult to read.
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Was Ulysses a Greek god?

Ulysses is the hero of the Odyssey, written by the Greek poet Homer in the 8th century BC. He is a figure from Greek mythology, which tells stories about war between humans and the gods.
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Why is Ulysses called Ulysses?

The name 'Ulysses' is the ancient Romans' Latinized version of the character Odysseus from Homer's famous epic poem. The Romans widely adopted characters, stories, and gods from Greek mythology, merging them with their own through syncretism.
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What is the difference between Ulysses and Odyssey?

Homer's Odyssey depicts the life of a middle-aged, while Tennyson's "Ulysses" describes Ulysses as an old man. The character's role in his son's life shifts. With maturity, Telemachus does not require as much guidance from his father.
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What is considered the greatest novel ever written?

The Greatest Books of All Time
  1. 1 . In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. ...
  2. 2 . Ulysses by James Joyce. ...
  3. 3 . Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. ...
  4. 4 . One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. ...
  5. 5 . The Great Gatsby by F. ...
  6. 6 . Moby Dick by Herman Melville. ...
  7. 7 . War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. ...
  8. 8 .
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Why is Ulysses controversial?

The writing and publication history of Ulysses was shaped by individuals and organisations trying to censor it, outraged by its explicit references to the human body and its iconoclasm.
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Is Ulysses based on The Odyssey?

Ulysses, a novel by the Irish writer James Joyce, is a key text of literary modernism. Divided into 18 chapters, it follows the structure of Homer's Odyssey, the ancient Greek epic poem about Odysseus's journey home from the Trojan War to his wife Penelope in Ithaca.
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What is the biggest book ever?

According to our friend in these matters, the Guinness World Record website, the current largest book is titled This the Prophet Mohamed, unveiled in 2012 by Mshahed International Group in Dubai, UAE. The volume measures 16.40-by-26.44 feet, weighs approximately 3,306 pounds, and consists of 429 pages.
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What is the longest book to read?

A la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust contains an estimated 9,609,000 characters (each letter counts as one character. Spaces are also counted, as one character each). The title translates to "Remembrance of Things Past".
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Is Ulysses a sequel?

Joyce first conceived of Ulysses as a short story to be included in Dubliners, but decided instead to publish it as a long novel, situated as a sort of sequel to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Ulysses picks up Stephen Dedalus's life more than a year after where Portrait leaves off.
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How do you read Ulysses?

Here are a few thoughts on how to read Ulysses, enumerated–because people like lists:
  1. Ignore all guides, lists, maps, annotations, summaries, and lectures. ...
  2. Choose a suitable copy of the book. ...
  3. Make a reading schedule and stick to it. ...
  4. So you've decided you need a guide. ...
  5. Keep reading.
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When was Ulysses written?

James Joyce's Ulysses, published in 1922, remains one of the most challenging and rewarding works of English literature.
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What did James Joyce write about?

What is James Joyce famous for? James Joyce is known for his experimental use of language and exploration of new literary methods, including interior monologue, use of a complex network of symbolic parallels, and invented words, puns, and allusions in his novels, especially Ulysses (1922) and Finnegans Wake (1939).
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Should I read odyssey before Ulysses?

The short answer to this question is: none. No ancillary reading is necessary to enjoy Ulysses, and I tend to tell first-time readers to actually avoid all the guides and reference books: I think it's best to just let Joyce's prose carry you along, and enjoy the ride.
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Should I read Ulysses with a guide?

It's not necessary to have a reading guide if you're reading Ulysses for the first time, but it's very likely you will encounter references or full passages that are completely inscrutable.
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What is the theme of Ulysses?

The theme of remorse runs through Ulysses to address the feelings associated with modern breaks with family and tradition.
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