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Davies, James. "Beyond Masochistic Ritual in Joyce and Deleuze: Reading Molly as Non-Corporeal Body." In Molly Blooms: A Polylogue on "Penelope" and Cultural Studies, 171–88. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press, 1994.
Related topics:
Bodies
Creation and Making
Money
Obedience and Rebellion
Touch and Feeling
Link to citation page: https://www.worldcat.org/title/molly-blooms-a-polylogue-on-penelope-and-cultural-studies/oclc/29184660&referer=brief_results
Davies begins with an argument about the insufficiency of masochism as an oppositional reaction to the oppressive capitalist state, which he associates with sadism. According to Deleueze and other scholars, masochism has the potential for revolutionary productivity in that it necessarily "dismantles the imposed desires of the socially constructed self within a capitalist society" (173). Thus, some scholars read Bloom, an undeniably masochistic character, as a figure of successful resistance against the Church and State. However, Davies contests that the "fleeting" nature of a masochistic undermining of identity categories renders this a "questionable" strategy. This skepticism is supported by observations of Bloom's shortlasting masochistic resistance. For example, while Bloom might be able to engage in parodic gender/sexual play in Circe (U 15), he eventually falls back into his former category and thus accomplishes nothing in the long run. According to Davies, Molly is instead the one who exhibits the most productive potential, through the process of "becoming woman." Bloom tries to figure her as a dominatrix of sorts—through his own "cuckholding," his refusal to have sexual relations with her, his denial of pleasure, and his implicit condoning of Molly and Boylan's affair. Davies argues that because she is aware of they ways in which Bloom tries to manipulate her, Molly actively and knowingly resists them, opening the channel for her as a non-corporeal body to engage in processes of becoming woman, becoming molecular, becoming imperceptible. Distinguishing between "full BwO" and "empty BwO" Davies claims that the former refers to "a body characterized by intensities and flows, where power, energies and flows are engendered" while an empty BwO is "evacuated not only of organs, but also of organization, intensities and life forces" (184). Bloom is associated with the latter and Molly with the former, thus enabling her with the potential to reject notions of stasis pertaining to the citizen body and ultimately positioning her to break from her socially prescribed role.
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