Nausicaa

This is the first episode with explicit sexual action, a turning point in the book. In it, a number of themes take on new dimensions. Hats up until this point were primarily associated with men, agency, courtesy, and reverence (for the dead in Hades for example). But in this chapter, a hat is used in an erotic display. It hides Gerty's face and is part of her-as-an-object for Bloom. It is united with Gerty's passivity as being-watched. Joyce and Bloom both understand that this passivity is really not so passive. Gerty's mind reveals that although she wants to think of herself as idle and passive, she is deliberately putting on a show for Bloom and making subtle changes to her behavior in responce to Bloom's look.

This new development in the implications of the hat is indicative of a larger development in the theme of ideal vs. real. Gerty has an idealized sense of love and sex. She envisions a perfect, passionate and exciting love in her future. She wants a good Catholic marriage, but with many of the elements you'd find in an affair - like in "Sweets of Sin." Bloom, when he is masturbating idealizes Gerty in a similiar way. This is why Bloom is glad when he sees her limp that he didn't see it while he was masturbating. "See her as she is spoil all," he thinks.

Once he's finished, Bloom provides a kind of reality check to counter these complementary fantasies. He guesses many of her thoughts, including her excitement that he might be married but still love her ("That's what they enjoy. Taking a man from another woman.") Bloom demonstrates in this chapter that he can break through sexual idealism as easily he can political idealism. In a way, what we know of Bloom already by itself provides a counter to Gerty's fancies. Molly, who's thoughts on sex and love appear in the last chapter is the real to Gerty's ideal. Bloom doesn't not hesitate to see Molly and Gerty - she reminds him of the early years of his marriage.

It's significant that Gerty's hat is straw like Boylans. Gerty seems like she'd be fair game for Boylan. He exploits these kinds of sexual ideals in other women. We don't know if the techniques he used on the cashier in "The Wandering Rocks" are the reasons why Molly is compelled to sleep with Boylan. It certainly doesn't seem like it's the cause of her infidelity in general. But, having lightly read Penelope in the past, I think that chapter and this one will be complementary. This chapter would voice the Irish woman's sexual ideal and Molly's chapter sexual reality for women.