An Understanding of Female Sexuality in “Nausicaa”

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An Understanding of Female Sexuality in “Nausicaa” The relationship between: pleasure and sex found within episode 13, “Nausicaa,” in Ulysses is essential when understanding the character Gerty MacDowell. Gerty is not a passive virgin simply looking to allow Leopold Bloom to “come and dirty” her. Her self confidence is in fact heightened by the projection of Bloom’s sexual fantasy. Her ego is stroked by his admiration when she recognizes his desires for her. Getry’s self-belief is made stronger through the desires Bloom projects onto her. In this episode Gerty represents a sexual being found hiding behind a virgin façade. While analyzing Joyce’s treatment of female sexuality within the “Nausicaa” episode, one can come to find their answer. One important theme found throughout Ulysses is the predictability of life, and Gerty is a perfect example of Joyce’s endless battle to replace useless hypocrisy with honest reality. Sex and religion, marriage and prostitution, virtue and sin, and other opposite philosophies unite throughout “Nausicaa.” The thirteenth episode of Ulysses, “Nausicaa,” includes the first female interior monologue of the novel. The scene goes as followed: As Bloom wanders along Sandymount Strand, sits on the rocks and admires the young and beautiful Gerty MacDowell from afar. Bloom and Gerty share a sexual encounter as they each masturbate in front of one another. The masturbation in this episode is a result of Bloom voyeuristic pleasure gained from admiring Gerty’s beauty. He goes on to please himself as he is aroused the growing sexual energy between them. As a result Gerty is aroused by her ability to excite Bloom so she follows in his footsteps by also masturbating. In “Nausicaa” there is a blurred line between sexual fantasy and religious fantasy. The sexual fantasy is presented by Bloom as he masturbates in front of Gerty

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