Ulysses

In the beginning, pieces of Ulysses were published in serial form in the American periodical, the Little Review. It was published as a book in 1922 and is today regarded as a masterpiece. James Joyce's novel The Dubliners, which is set in Dublin, parallels Homer's epic poem The Odyssey by telling the tale of three main characters. The book wasn't well accepted at first, despite how revered it eventually become.

The book was burned in Ireland and Canada in 1922, while the serialized portions were destroyed in the US in 1918. It was burned in England in 1923 before being completely outlawed there in 1929. Even a US trial for violating the Comstock Act of 1873, which forbade the transmission of pornographic material over US mail, was centered around the book.

The main character in the serialized episode of "Nausicaa" was alleged to have engaged in some self-pleasing behavior in the case, making it obscene. The New York Society for the Suppression of Vice won the case, despite the fact that many disagree with this because of Joyce's extensive use of metaphors. The upcoming book as well as the serialized version were essentially outlawed in the US.

As obscenity laws softened, the US lifted the ban on Ulysses in 1934. In retrospect, Ulysses has been viewed as a risky venture for its time. Controversial? Yes. Necessary? Absolutely. All the more reason why people should be able to appreciate books, even if they are a little controversial, rather than being guarded from them.

Author: James Joyce
Language: English
Genre: Modernist novel
Set in: Dublin, 16–17 June 1904
Publisher: Shakespeare and Company
Publication date: 2 February 1922