Ulysses

Ulysses

by

James Joyce

Five men walk around central Dublin wearing giant boards, each displaying one letter of “H-E-L-Y-S.” They are advertisers working for Hely’s stationery shop, where Leopold Bloom used to work. Bloom gets frustrated whenever he sees them, since he thought his own advertising proposals for Hely were far superior. For instance, he wanted to hire attractive young women to ride around Dublin in a cart with a “Hely’s” sign, but Hely rejected this idea.
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The Hely’s Admen Character Timeline in Ulysses

The timeline below shows where the character The Hely’s Admen appears in Ulysses. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Episode 8: Lestrygonians
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
Religion, Atheism, and Philosophy Theme Icon
Irish Identity and Nationalism Theme Icon
Bloom sees five men wearing boards and hats to advertise Hely’s stationery company , where he used to work. He remarks that this is an inefficient and ineffective... (full context)
Episode 10: Wandering Rocks
Love and Sex Theme Icon
...inside, and asks the assistant to send it by tram to a specific address. The Hely’s advertisers walk past. Boylan stares at the young assistant’s chest, seductively takes a red carnation, and... (full context)
Episode 15: Circe
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
Love and Sex Theme Icon
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
...that she married Denis Breen instead of him. Suddenly, Denis shuffles past as one of the Hely’s sandwichboard advertisers . Alf Bergan follows him, points, laughs, and says, “U. p: up.” Breen offers Bloom... (full context)
Episode 16: Eumaeus
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
...can put a word in with Bloom about an advertising job with Boylan for the Hely’s sandwichboards . (full context)