Nausicaa

Gerty, sports a straw hat, and a dress of blue and white; indeed, as Kevin mentioned, she is likened to the virgin Mary, but the straw hat also links her to Blazes Boylan, the object of Blooms infidelity, if one could call it that.
After reading the Cyclops, I got the feeling that Bloom’s impotence might cease up a bit, (he is resurrected in a way) and his impotence is somewhat lifted here. After all, he does reach climax, and feels oh so much better. The torture of sexual desire loosens its grip upon Bloom and we see his mind return to its normal route of thought, wondering about love, fate, Molly, and a lot about sight and smell, which reminded me of Stephen in Proteus, contemplating sound versus sight.
It is obvious that Bloom’s mind is still with Molly. He contemplates her lingering scent and remembers how she sprays her perfume on their pillows: “I leave this to you to think of me when I’m far away on the pillow (374). Scent is established as intoxicating in the Lotus-eaters and elsewhere, but here it seems as if Molly’s powerful “ether” like scent has waned. Her scent is “sweet and chap: soon sour.” But soon after Bloom says that he likens Molly, or women’s scent to a spider spinning gossamer that clings to everything (374).
Although Bloom’s impotence is superficially overcome, he casts his seed into sand: “nothing grows in it. All fades” (381). Besides, we never really doubted Bloom’s ability to achieve an erection. His real impotence comes out of not being able to make love to his wife. Still, “he gets the plumb and I get the plum stones” (377).
I am also interested in this strange synchronicity of minds that Robin has mentioned in class. Bloom’s watch stops at the time that Molly and Boylan have sex. However, I am unsure of what further significance this might have. In the end, Bloom, the priest, and Gerty are all linked with the Cuckoo, which is reminiscent of Bloom being the cuckold, in Gerty’s eyes.