Ulysses

Ulysses

by

James Joyce

Bantam Lyons Character Analysis

The unsanitary Dublin gambler Bantam Lyons spends the morning in pubs and creates a controversy after misunderstanding Bloom during a conversation on the street in “Lotus Eaters.” Lyons asks to borrow Bloom’s newspaper to check the odds for the Ascot Gold Cup horserace, and Bloom gives him the paper and comments that he was just “going to throw it away.” Lyons thinks Bloom is hinting that the horse Throwaway will win the race, and he spreads a rumor about Bloom’s bet throughout the day. When Throwaway does win, against all odds, Lenehan, Joe Hynes, and the citizen turn against Bloom because they assume he must have won a bunch of money.
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Bantam Lyons Character Timeline in Ulysses

The timeline below shows where the character Bantam Lyons appears in Ulysses. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Episode 5: Lotus Eaters
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
Literature, Meaning, and Perspective Theme Icon
Love and Sex Theme Icon
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
Religion, Atheism, and Philosophy Theme Icon
Irish Identity and Nationalism Theme Icon
On his way out of the chemist’s shop, Bloom runs into Bantam Lyons , who grabs the newspaper from under Bloom’s armpit because he wants to see the... (full context)
Episode 8: Lestrygonians
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
Irish Identity and Nationalism Theme Icon
Paddy Leonard, Bantam Lyons , and Tom Rochford enter Davy Byrne’s and start chatting with Nosey Flynn. When Bloom... (full context)
Episode 10: Wandering Rocks
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
Love and Sex Theme Icon
Religion, Atheism, and Philosophy Theme Icon
Lenehan checks on the Ascot Gold Cup in Lyman’s bar and then reports that Bantam Lyons is planning to make a ridiculous bet on a sure loser. The men continue their... (full context)
Episode 12: Cyclops
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
Literature, Meaning, and Perspective Theme Icon
Irish Identity and Nationalism Theme Icon
...that Bloom has left to collect his horserace winnings from the Ascot Gold Cup—after all, Bantam Lyons told Lenehan that Bloom gave him a tip for Throwaway. The men agree that Bloom... (full context)
Episode 17: Ithaca
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
Literature, Meaning, and Perspective Theme Icon
...thinks about how he threw away the pamphlet about Elijah in the morning just before Bantam Lyons asked him for a tip about the races. While this seems like a kind of... (full context)