GOLD
Forms: gold, golden
Related terms: Gild, gilded, green, silver
Explication
“Gold” appears in several contexts throughout Ulysses: as a noun, it’s synonymous with money and wealth; i.e., Dedalus goes to Deasy’s “strongroom for the gold” (25.212), where he’s lectured (very pompously) on the value of saving money. As an adjective, it’s used for lyrical, almost pastoral descriptions of the sea and surroundings: the “gold light on the sea” complements the “slender trees” and “lemon houses” Dedalus walks by (35.7); he thinks of “a girl with gold hair on the wind” (50.242), “tumbled beauties, shattering with gold teeth chaussons of pastry” (36.14), and “Danevikings, torcs of tomahawks aglitter on their breasts when Malachi wore the collar of gold” (38.2). In each mention, gold is associated with opulence—the decadence of gold teeth and pastry—or loot, like Deasy’s strongroom or the Danevikings’ plunder. Death floats around some of these allusions: “It’s all the same,” Bloom thinks on the way to the funeral. “Palbearers, gold reins…pomp of death” (83.499). The use of the word ‘gold’ gilds the concept of death and decay, but the effect is one that heightens rather than eases the narrative’s descriptions of death, an effect heightened by gold’s associations with various watches, implying anxiety about time left or time passed. “Poetical idea pink, then golden, then grey, then black…Day, then the night,” thinks Bloom (57.535). Even the idealized “greengoldenly lagoons” Dedalus notices on his walk seem indicative of an idealized decay and sickness that pervades his conception of Ireland (41.454).
- The most precious metal: characterized by a beautiful yellow colour, non-liability to rust, high specific gravity, and great malleability and ductility. Chemical symbol Au.
“He turned suddenly from a chip of strawberries, drew a gold watch from his fob and held it at its chain’s length” (187.312)
“The objects (which included several hundred ladies’ and gentlemen’s gold and silver watches) were promptly restored to their rightful owners and general harmony reigned supreme” (253.591).
- The metal regarded as a valuable possession or employed as a medium of exchange; hence, cold coin; also in rhetorical use, money in large sums, wealth.
“And there, the stoneheaps of dead boulders, a warren of weasel rats. Hide gold there.” (37.289)
“They buy the place up with gold and still they have all the gold. Swindle in it somewhere. Piled up in cities, worn away age after age”(135.488).
- With allusion to the brilliancy, beauty, and transcendent preciousness of gold. Often in phr. Of gold= golden adj. heart of gold: a noble-hearted person; a kind and noble heart.
“Sauntering sadly, gold no more, she twisted twined a hair” (212.82).
“Dignam used to be in his office. Mat Dillon’s long ago…Cold fowl, cigars, the Tantalus glasses. Heart of gold really.”
- a) The metal as employed for coating a service, or as a pigment; gilding.
“In Rodot’s Yvonne and Madeline newmake their tumbled beauties, shattering with gold teeth chaussons of pastry, their mouths yellowed with the pus of flan Breton” (36.14).
- The metal as used for the ornamentation of textile fabrics; gold thread; in early use often with the place of manufacture specified.
“Pallbearers, gold reins, requiem mass, firing a volley. Pomp of death” (83.499).
- The colour of the metal: a bright golden yellow.
“Gold light on sea, on sand, on boulders” (35.7).
“Sadly she twined in sauntering gold hair behind a curving ear” (212.83).
“He saw them three by three, approaching girls, in green, in rose, in russet, entwining, PER L’AER PERSO, in mauve, in purple, QUELA PACIFICA ORIAFIAMMA, gold of oriflamme, DI RIMIRAR FE PIU ARDENTI” (114.722).
- Archery. The gilt centre or bulls-eye of a target. To make a gold: to hit the bulls-eye.
