The comparison between the tower and an “omphalos,” the Greek word for
navel, is an example of how Joyce layers different allusions in order to create strong associations between his characters, their aspirations, and literary tradition. First, the word “omphalos” refers to the Oracle at Delphi (the fortunetelling priestess whose temple was believed to lie at the navel, or center, of the world). Secondly, it refers to Calypso’s island, the “navel of the sea,” where Odysseus is stranded at the start of the
Odyssey. For Stephen, “omphalos” refers to the way the Martello tower is the center of his world and literary ambitions, and also the starting point of the novel, the place that links it to other traditions (like an umbilical cord, which creates a human navel). Haines bluntly points out the clear metaphorical link between
Hamlet, Christian tradition, and the idea of fatherhood. This is an unusually direct kind of symbolism in
Ulysses, and it should settle any doubts the reader may have about whether Stephen’s struggle with his own identity and parenthood really makes him a stand-in for Hamlet and Jesus.