This is a student-friendly guide enabling the new reader of "Ulysses" to understand, analyse and appreciate the most famous, and famously 'difficult', novel of the twentieth century. "Ulysses" remains less widely read than most texts boasting such a canonical status, largely due to misunderstanding about how to read it, and this guide provides an easy-to-follow remedy. By showing how Joyce reacted to the historical and cultural context in which he was situated, the radical nature of his use of language is laid bare in a chapter-by-chapter analysis of "Ulysses". This approach enables the student reader to read and enjoy the novel's plurality of styles and to understand the terms of critical debate surrounding the nature and significance of Joyce's novel. Continuum "Reader's Guides" are clear, concise and accessible introductions to key texts in literature and philosophy. Each book explores the themes, context, criticism and influence of key works, providing a practical introduction to close reading, guiding students towards a thorough understanding of the text. They provide an essential, up-to-date resource, ideal for undergraduate students.

Author Biography

Sean Sheehan has taught in London and is now a full-time writer. He has written a number of guides, including ones to Gerard Manley Hopkins and Tony Harrison (both Greenwich Exchange). His Jack's World: the life and times of an Irish farmer, was published in 2007 (Cork University Press).