By Vivian Yuxin Wen /
“Corsets for men.” — “The Nymph”
In Ulysses, corset manifests itself both as a marker for feminine fashion of the time and a symbol of male fetishism, androgyne and masochism.
Fast forward into “Penelope,” Molly recounts a specific incident where she considers purchasing a special kind of corset advertised in the magazine Gentlewoman, flattering and specifically has a slimming effect on her belly that has grown too big along with her fading beauty:
“one of those kidfitting corsets Id want advertised cheap in the Gentlewoman with elastic gores on the hips he saved the one I have but thats no good what did they say they give a delightful figure line 11/6 obviating that unsightly broad appearance across the lower back to reduce flesh my belly is a bit too big Ill have to knock off the stout at dinner or am I getting too fond of it.” (Joyce, 618)
According to R. Kershner in “The Culture of Joyce’s Ulysses,” the 1904 May issue of Gentlewoman indeed remarks Molly’s object of desire as “the corset of the century.” (Kershner, 92) In the uninterrupted narrative of “Penelope,” Molly is preoccupied with her own aging physical appearance and whether her husband is financially capable in getting what she wants. She perhaps has less idea about her husband’s fetish – which can be closely linked to masochistic pleasure – as he secretively slips into her favorite dresses while she was not around.
In “Circe,” deep into the brothel scene, as Bello announces the various whores’ costumes that Bloom could try on – “vicelike corsets of soft dove coutille (a close-woven soft canvas),” among “nettight frocks,” “pretty two ounce petticoats and fringe,” “lovely lingerie for Alice and nice scent for Alice (allusion to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” – Bloom confesses that in Holles street, he tried on Molly’s things “only twice” as a “prank.” (Joyce, 437) His “frankness” is yet greeted by Bello’s “jeer” and mockery, which exposes the private Bloom as “showed off coquettishly in your domino at the mirror behind closedrawn blinds your unskirted thighs and hegoat’s udders in various poses of surrender.” Bello further alludes to the “Mrs Miriam Dandrade” from “Shelbourne Hotel” (which appears in “Lestrygonians”), potentially where Bloom bought the dress or where Bloom was “sold” from as a whore. According to Gifford, while “Shelbourne Hotel” bears the historical significance as a posh tourist hotel at the junction of Kildare Street and St. Stephen’s Green, “Mrs Miriam Dandrade” is perhaps a fictional and hallucinatory character (Gifford, 165). Bloom’s sexual aberrance is now apparent, complicated by the fact that his own sexuality is switched and bestialized further in “Circe.” His reply to Bello is curt – “Miriam. Black. Demimondaine (Joyce, 437)” – where “Demimondaine” sounds like “demi-mundane.” “Black” perhaps indicates the color of the costume, but I decided to use a red-colored corset as the charm found in the physical model to make sure that its luridness stands out from the charcoal-colored cave.
Among the many feminine fashionable clothing, why “corset”? Its particular tightness in the waist area not only serves to accentuate the female silhouette for the pleasure of the male gaze – for some other males, its tightness further brings about masochistic pleasure and gratification – it’s all about the pain, isn’t it?
Works Cited
Gifford, Don & Seidmann, Robert. Ulysses Annotated. (Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1988)
Kershner, R. Brandon. The Culture of Joyce’s Ulysses. (Berlin: Springer, 2011)
Joyce, James. Ulysses: The Corrected Text. Ed. Gabler et al. (New York: Random House, Inc., 1986)