The Sensual - Distance?

[Fiona_McQuarrie@sfu.ca]

Thanks everyone for pointing out that Kate B. couldn't use the original
words in The Sensual World because of copyright hassles. I knew that part,
but what I was curious about was how she changed what to me seemed to be
one of the more remarkable things about Molly Bloom's soliloquy - the
outspoken earthiness, sexuality, lust, whatever you want to call it, which
I gather was quite a daring step in Joyce's time: to portray a middle-aged
woman as having a sexual life and persona.

Kate B. could have chosen to paraphrase in a way that would have retained
the physicality of the speech, but instead she was somewhat discreet with
the more direct parts. I think Meredith's explanation is an interesting
one, that this is a way of showing the character "stepping out" and
developing into a full and real person. And, then again, you could never
imagine Kate B. writing a line like T**i A**s, "So you can make me come,
that doesn't make you Jesus"...or would she?

Fiona McQuarrie
fmcquarr@sfu.ca