I’m primarily interested in the word “soul” because of the gravity often associated with related matters. Aside from signalling death, souls are often viewed as being the unique intangible “essence”, which imbues consciousness, life, and all manner of existence. There are also many folktales and parables about he dangers of betting, selling, or negotiating with one’s soul results in a “lessening” of a person’s being. There’s also a lack of consensus as to whether the soul is unique to humanity or also present in animals. I primarily interested in this word because of the frequency and occasionally, flippancy which with Joyce refers to the concept.  Appearing frequently throughout multiple chapters of the text, particularly religious sections.

OED:

“An essential principle or attribute of life, and related senses”

“The condition or attribute of life in humans or animals; animate existence; this viewed as a possesion of which one is deprived by death”

“the principle of intelligence, thought, or action in a person(or occas. an animal), typically regarded as an entity distinct from the body; the essential, immaterial or spiritual part of a person or animal, as opposed to the physical”

“Without article, contrasted with body, life(in early use also licham), with reference to the separation between a person’s immaterial or spiritual atributes and his or her physical form or existence.

“The seat of a person’s emotion, feelings, or thoughts; the moral or emotional part of a person’s nature; the central or inmost part of a person’s being.”

“As a mass noun. Strength of character; strongly developed intellectual, moral, or aesthetic qualities; spiritual or emotional power or intensity; (also) deep feeling, sensitivity.”