Ulysses

Ulysses

by

James Joyce

Elijah is a prophet in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. According to the Hebrew Bible, Elijah lived in the ninth century B.C., performed miracles, and is fated to return some time before the end of days.
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Elijah Term Timeline in Ulysses

The timeline below shows where the term Elijah 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
Literature, Meaning, and Perspective Theme Icon
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
...passes a candy shop, and then a YMCA man gives him a pamphlet announcing that “Elijah is coming”—the evangelist John Alexander Dowie is coming to Dublin. Bloom thinks these new churches... (full context)
Episode 12: Cyclops
Literature, Meaning, and Perspective Theme Icon
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
Religion, Atheism, and Philosophy Theme Icon
Irish Identity and Nationalism Theme Icon
...with one final parody, in which a new voice compares Martin Cunningham’s departing car to Elijah’s chariot, ascending to heaven. (full context)
Episode 14: Oxen of the Sun
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
Literature, Meaning, and Perspective Theme Icon
Love and Sex Theme Icon
Religion, Atheism, and Philosophy Theme Icon
Irish Identity and Nationalism Theme Icon
...for a brothel and notice the Dowie pamphlet that Bloom threw into the River Liffey: “Elijah is coming! Washed in the blood of the Lamb.” The episode ends with several vulgar... (full context)
Episode 15: Circe
Literature, Meaning, and Perspective Theme Icon
Love and Sex Theme Icon
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
Religion, Atheism, and Philosophy Theme Icon
...and a two-headed octopus starts twirling around and talking in a Scottish accent. The prophet Elijah starts speaking about the end of the world in a slick American accent and yelling... (full context)
Episode 17: Ithaca
Alienation and the Quest for Belonging Theme Icon
Literature, Meaning, and Perspective Theme Icon
...day’s unusual Ascot Gold Cup, and 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.... (full context)