Introduction to The Telemachiad:

In the opening pages of Ulysses, James Joyce begins with a relatively straightforward narrative, offering readers a glimpse of what seems like a conventional story. But as we move into The Telemachiad, Joyce begins to introduce his first major test for the reader. The text starts to shift subtly, guiding you into a new way of reading—a way that’s different from traditional narratives. Joyce isn't just telling a story; he's teaching you how to read the story. As you move from the dialogue of Telemachus into Stephen Dedalus’s internal monologue, you are confronted with a language that is not simply about words, but about emotional depth, philosophy, and the intricacies of Stephen's psyche.

At first, this shift might feel jarring. Stephen’s inner thoughts aren’t a stream of consciousness, but a deep, complex internal monologue. Joyce uses this to challenge you as a reader—will you be able to peel back the layers of this text? The questions Joyce is asking are not only about understanding Stephen’s intellect, but about recognizing that beneath each riddle, each philosophical abstraction, there’s an emotional core, something deeply personal and universal. For Stephen, that core is his grief over his mother's death. It’s through his intellectualizations and metaphysical thoughts that he tries to avoid facing this pain.

The second test comes in Nestor. Joyce continues to ask, Do you see what’s hidden beneath every word, every idea? He’s not only guiding us through Stephen's philosophical inquiries; he’s pushing us to see that behind every abstraction, there’s something simple, something raw, something emotional. The riddle of Stephen's mind is ultimately a reflection of his heart—and it’s not until readers embrace this hidden emotional core that they begin to understand Stephen’s true complexity.

Then comes Proteus—the first true test. Here, Stephen creates a labyrinth of thought, a maze of metaphysical musings that, on the surface, can seem distant and confusing. But it’s through these esoteric thoughts that Joyce invites us into the heart of Stephen's grief. The key passage reads: “Limits of the diaphane. But he adds: in bodies. Then he was aware of them bodies before of them coloured. How? By knocking his sconce against them, sure... If you can put your five fingers through it it is a gate, if not a door. Shut your eyes and see.” In this moment, Joyce is asking you to shut your eyes to the superficial, to look past the metaphysical veil of the text and see what Stephen is truly avoiding—his mother's ghost, which symbolizes much more than just a figure from his past. More on this in the episode pages.

Each page of The Telemachiad builds on this, diving deeper into the nuances of Stephen’s psyche. By applying lenses like Jungian analysis, Lacan’s theories of the unconscious, Derrida’s deconstruction of language, and more, we can begin to make sense of the structure of the novel and understand how Joyce is teaching us not just about Stephen, but about the act of reading itself. Joyce’s writing doesn’t simply tell a story; it asks us to be active participants in unraveling that story, forcing us to confront our own frustrations and limitations as readers.

By the time you move through these early chapters, Joyce will have introduced you to the language of the novel—one that is complex, multifaceted, and steeped in both intellectual and emotional depth. It’s through this process that you’ll begin to understand not only Stephen Dedalus, but also the way Joyce masterfully constructs his world.

Full Schema Here (Gilbert and Linati Schemas Combined)

Additional Help here: Ulysses Guide (by Episode)