The "Sirens" episode of Ulysses is set in the Concert Room of the Ormond Quay Hotel, 11 Upper Ormond Quay overlooking the River Liffey . In each episode there is an "Art" and an "Organ, and in this episode "Music is the "Art" and the "Ear" is the Organ. This episode especially lends itself to being read aloud, because of its embedded musicality. The time is 4 P.M., which is the time of the assignation of Molly Bloom and Blazes Boylan. The Sirens are the two barmaids; Miss Lydia Douce (bronze) and Miss Mina Kennedy (gold). The barmaids do, in manner of speaking, act as seductresses, sometimes with comical results. Leopold Bloom is present, but does not come under the thrall of either of the barmaids.

Chuck

I will be concentrating on the "Sirens" episode of Ulysses for awhile. You may know in Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus is returning home, but on his journey he experiences a number of harrowing tests. Each of the episodes in Ulysses has a Homeric parallel to the Odyssey. The test in this episode is to not be seduced by the voices of the Sirens, which would lead to the destruction of Odysseus and his men. Odysseus has been warned by Circe of what to expect. He plugs his men's ears with beeswax and has them bind him to the mast of the ship. The Sirens' song is so seductive that Odysseus begs to be released from his fetters, but his faithful men only bind him tighter.

Chuck