We read to "... along a lane of sepulchres." (Penguin 132.8), Gabler (6.639)
We have followed the carriage ride to its end at Prospect cemetery. The journey has taken the characters from one end of the city to the other (from Newbridge Avenue in the South-East to Glasnevin in the North-West) and they now get off and follow the coffin into the cemetery for the burial.
Generally and most of the time, we get Bloom's view of the scene as something of an outsider (note e.g. the description of the funeral mass and the rituals ("A server bearing a brass bucket with something in it came out through a door." (6.589)), which is not unlike the descriptions of the church service we had in chapter 5 (Lotus Eaters).
We have followed the carriage ride to its end at Prospect cemetery. The journey has taken the characters from one end of the city to the other (from Newbridge Avenue in the South-East to Glasnevin in the North-West) and they now get off and follow the coffin into the cemetery for the burial.
Bloom is glad to get out of the enclosed
space they have been sitting in. He also takes the opportunity to shift the soap from the pocket where it
was making him uncomfortable to another (see the quick exchange of soap and
newspaper at 6.494): "Change that soap now. Mr Bloom's hand
unbuttoned his hip pocket swiftly and transferred the paperstuck soap to his
inner handkerchief pocket. He stepped out of the carriage, replacing the
newspaper his other hand still held."
Ian Gunn, a Joyce scholar who has been
putting together what (for want of a better expression we will call) 'hard
facts' about Dublin and things connected with the Blooms and with 7 Eccles Street (e.g. numerous maps,
diagrams of their house etc.) has also got a diagram of Bloom's pockets which
can be seen online. To see the "Pocket Topography" go to his webpage, which will show you the picture below. Click the individual pockets to see what is
in them (choose item of clothing on the bottom, or go by object by choosing from list on the left):
Generally and most of the time, we get Bloom's view of the scene as something of an outsider (note e.g. the description of the funeral mass and the rituals ("A server bearing a brass bucket with something in it came out through a door." (6.589)), which is not unlike the descriptions of the church service we had in chapter 5 (Lotus Eaters).
Talking of Bloom the outsider and Bloom's
perspective, it is also worth noting that, at the same time, it is here that the perspective shifts away from him for the first time in the book. See the following passage,
in which we get a brief outside view of Bloom. Cunning and Power are speaking
after getting off the carriage (6.525):
All walked after.
Martin Cunningham whispered:
— I was in mortal agony with you talking of suicide before Bloom. -What? Mr Power whispered. How so?
—His father poisoned himself, Martin Cunningham whispered. Had the
— I was in mortal agony with you talking of suicide before Bloom. -What? Mr Power whispered. How so?
—His father poisoned himself, Martin Cunningham whispered. Had the
Queen's hotel in Ennis. You heard him say he
was going to Clare. A nniversary.
— O God! Mr Power whispered. First I heard of it. Poisoned himself?
— O God! Mr Power whispered. First I heard of it. Poisoned himself?
He glanced behind him to where a face with
dark thinking eyes followed towards the cardinal's mausoleum. Speaking.
To end, here is a note for clarification:
6.456: Fogarty is a characters from a
shortstory in Dubliners. He is the owner of a grocery shop, whom Tom Kernan hasn't
paid yet (therefore, "left him weeping... though lost to sight, to memory
dear" acquire an ironic note):
- How is that? Martin Cunningham
said. Left him weeping, I suppose?
- Though lost to sight, Mr Dedalus
said, to memory dear.
6.421: ("Born! Upset. A coffin bumped
out on to the road.") is imaginary (it happens only in Bloom's thoughts.
