From ‘Algy’ to ‘Algeciras’: A Chiastic Pattern In James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’

words in James Joyce's Ulysses, eight begin with the letters 'alg-'.Their contribution to the novel is slight. 1 Yet, Joyce placed them chiastically, to help indicate the novel's Odyssean return to 'Penelope' in its final episode.And, while there is nothing maternal about words that begin with 'alg-', 2 Joyce associates most of the eight in Ulysses with motherhood: like flags, they signal the presence of the theme.The chiastic pattern in which Joyce arranged these 'alg-' words is another of his variations on The Odyssey. 3 The first 'alg-' word, 'Algy', appears in episode one, 'Telemachus', and is spoken by Buck Mulligan:-God! he said quietly.Isn't the sea what Algy calls it: a great sweet mother?The snotgreen sea.The scrotumtightening sea.Epi oinopa ponton.Ah, Dedalus, the Greeks!I must teach you.You must read them in the original.Thalatta!Thalatta!She is our great sweet mother.Come and look.