Being set in Dublin, Ulysses is inextricably intertwined with the Roman Catholic Church, the predominant religious institution of Ireland. Catholicism, particularly the ritualistic behaviors of its prayers and gatherings, has a pronounced visibility within the plot.

Joyce’s depictions of the religion first began to glare at me during “Proteus.”

“Cousin Stephen, you will never be a saint. Isle of saints. You were awfully holy, weren’t you? You prayed to the Blessed Virgin that you might not have a red nose” (3, 128-130). This cutting condemnation of Stephen’s prayer stands as an encapsulation of many more of Joyce’s forthcoming descriptions of Catholicism. Often, Joyce focuses in on the ritual and performance of the religion. However, upon inspection of the images, these religious acts come off as empty, hopeless, and disingenuous.

“The Lotus Eaters” contains a lengthy illustration of a Catholic mass. The hollow performance of the event especially stands out as the priest feeds some of the churchgoers the host, “Good idea the Latin. Stupfies them first. Hospice for the dying. They don’t seem to chew it: only swallow it down. Rum idea eating bits of a corpse” (5, 350-352).

We have previously discussed in class various ways Joyce has critiqued Irish culture and politics. Religion has been only hinted at, but considering Catholicism’s large presence in Ireland, it seems essential that it too would be scrutinized by Joyce.

Prior passages in Ulysses have indicated that England, the Irish government, and The Catholic Church stand as an imposing trinity upon the plot. While Joyce has specific qualms with all of these authorities, he seems to be presenting the formalities of Catholicism to be distinctly onerous and destitute.