Molly’s mind flows seamlessly with few pauses, reminiscent of rushing water. Bloom is back in his wife’s bed and apparently asked Molly to bring him breakfast in the morning. The roles have reversed in this instance; Later Molly thinks of Bloom “sitting up like the king of the country” (764) just as Molly was queen counting her cards earlier in the day. Although with this act, it does seem that Bloom has retrieved power lost, his impotence is still not fully conquered. Molly thinks of dressing for Bloom in her newest undergarments, arousing within him a desire that will provoke action ten years lost; however, that hope is squashed when Molly remembers that she is currently menstruating. Speaking of which, Molly passes both water and blood, the foundations of life (and also what Christ spilled from his side after crucifixion). Also, unlike Bloom, who squanders his seed on infertile ground, she is willing to physically consume it. It is obvious that Molly embodies life.
Actually, it seems that Molly is pure body. I don’t know if this is a mere product of the all too traditional misogynistic objectification of women, or if it works in the thematic framework. Molly’s only bread winning skills rely purely on her body. Bloom proposes that she should pose nude and also work as a wet nurse.
When she remembers nursing Milly she mentions that she had enough milk for two, witch also demonstrates Molly’s ample fertility. Bloom also asks to be fed on her milk, suggesting she squeeze it in his tea: this seems to be another example of Molly’s ability to nourish and give life to all.
Molly’s consciousness is centered around her body: her feet are idolized by both Boylan and Bloom, she has fond memories of her newly budded breasts bouncing up and down like Milly’s do now, most of her memories are based on different sexual acts. Unfortunately, there are times where it seems apparent that a man is mimicking the consciousness of a woman, instead of full inhabiting it. Molly says, “Whats the idea of making us like that with a big hole in the middle of us” (742). I could see how a man might deduce that a woman would have such a thought, but as a woman, I think this is really a miss on Joyce’s part. Also, when Molly is talking about eating chicken she says, “I could have easily have slipped a couple into my muff… put down your throat…(750)” I understand Joyce loves puns, but for Molly to use those words to describe eating in her own private thoughts seems disingenuous. I would understand if it was said out loud, as more of a ‘naïve’ performance to evoke sexual arousal. I understand that Molly is an incredibly sexual person, but as far as having Molly think that privately, well, I just have a hard time buying it, as well as the reference to the time that Molly masturbated with a banana. This seems more of a male sexual fantasy then something a young woman would do for her own pleasure.
Conversely, Joyce might be using Molly to finally bring a unity between the corporeal and the ideal. This chapter does provide somewhat of a resolution, although not perfect, and perhaps Molly’s consciousness being centered around her body works to unite that dichotomy.
Strongly associated with life and fecundity, Molly is a believer in God. Perhaps the fact that time almost doesn’t exist for her, (the watch, she foibles her own age, forgets which day it is) also associates her with the eternal. The theme of consubstantiality recurs when Molly remembers confession. “No father, I always think of the real father” (741) which is ambiguous. Perhaps, again, this expresses her unity of the psychical with the eternal, or ideal. She then remembers the priest crying when his father died, again ambiguous, but fitting for the wasteland motif that has pervaded the entirety of the novel with the exception of this chapter, reminiscent of the Nietzche quote we all know so well. When considering all of the earthly beauties that exist in the world, especially in Gibraltar, Molly takes that as proof of God’s existence:
For them saying theres no god, I wouldn’t give a snap of my two fingers for all their learning why don’t they go and create something I often asked him atheists or whatever they call themselves go and wash the cobbles off themselves first then they go howling for the priest and they dying and why why because theyre afraid of hell on account of their bad conscience ah yes I know them well who was the first person in the universe before there was anybody that made it all who ah that they don’t know neither do I (782)
She goes on to remember the day that Bloom proposed; he said, “the sun shines for you”. Which seems like it could be just a sweet romantic nothing, but also very subtly implying the old idea, that God lives for those who create him by believing in him.
She is naïve, passionate, emotional, and one who mentions death, many times in this episode (hung woman, says I’d rather die frequently, murdered old woman, Gardener dead now….), in fact, Molly seems rather lonely and given to depression far below the surface. She still buys meat for three, but Milly is gone. She is aware of her age, and mentions how as soon as a woman gets old she might as well be thrown to the bottom of the ash pit. No one writes to her anymore. That lovely Lieutenant that she had an impassioned affair with is probably dead now. She says her father ‘might have planted me too” meaning planted her body into the ground. She mentions drowning herself, and also says that when she’s dead she’ll have peace. Perhaps it is her belief in God that makes speaking of death so easy.
Also, Bloom does not return to his bed the perfect hero. Although she does mention a few positive characteristics, it was Boylan who brought the potted meat to his house. Molly counts the days when Boylan and his large member will return to the house. She thinks of when he burnt the kidney, bit her nipple too hard, and how he is financially inadequate. He sleeps in a queer position on the bed, and she wishes he and his cold feet would have just gone to the couch. She didn’t even bother to wipe up Boylan’s semen, and entertains the idea of leaving Bloom altogether and becoming Mrs. Boylan. However, Molly is the only person who can understand Bloom’s strange ways about him, and it is his heroic quality of empathy that wins Molly in the end: “I saw he understood and felt what a woman is”. However, although the book ends with Bloom winning Molly over, this is but a mere memory of the past. Who knows what will happen to their relationship in the future. Molly could run away, she might stay. Maybe they will make love, maybe not; what a true work of realism.
