While reading the second half of “Circe”, there was one portion that caught my eye and brought me back to the “Sirens” chapter. Bella asks “Which of you was playing the dead march from Saul?” (U 15.3500) to which Zoe replies “Me. Mind your cornflowers” (U 15.3501). This particular question is interesting because previously, we had no knowledge that Zoe was playing this song (probably) until this moment. This causes the audience to question whether or not it actually happened or if it was an unspoken occurrence.  However, such a song makes one think of a depressing or somber scene, which had occurred previously with Stephen’s illusion of his mother as well as the appearance of the Sins of the Past. This makes me wonder if the funeral march was in reference to this scene like a soundtrack playing in the background.

Right after this, we see Stephen ask for his potato back from Zoe, “Give me back that potato, will you?” (U 15.3509). He then follows by saying that the potato is a memory of his mother, which is interesting, seeing as how in our previous class we discussed the sexual innuendo of it’s presence. The phrasing of this question is very curt and almost dominating. Zoe then replies with, “Give a thing and take it back / God’ll ask you where is that / You’ll say you don’t know / God’ll send you down below” (U 15.3515-3518). This is a very childlike response to Bloom’s request for something that is both associated with Bloom’s mother and sexual innuendos.