"The novelist Aris Maragkopoulos has contributed greatly

to the understanding of Joyce's work" (in Greece).
The reception of James Joyce in Europe, ed.: Geert Lernout & Wim Van Mierlo,
Continuum 2004, Vol. I, Chapter 28, pp. 455, 466, 467 and passim.

Ulysses, a reader's guide follows chapter by chapter the original Joycean Ulysses; so it is composed of an equal number of chapters. All chapters have exactly the same structure. The Title of each chapter is always a quotation from the corresponding original, a quotation which according to the Greek writer’s opinion contains in a succinct (though latent) way the highlights of the text.
Below the Title each chapter begins with a characteristic sample Passage normally from the first pages of the original. Next to the passage, under the heading Plot the reader finds the standard components of the chapter concerning Time, Place and Personae involved, as well as an extended Synopsis of it. Next to it under the heading Odyssey, come the references, both implicit and direct, to the Homeric original.
Under the heading Ulysses comes the main analysis of the joycean text. This section constitutes the main bulk of the study in each chapter and is divided into sub-sections where the text is examined through various angles and perspectives (textual, poetical, psychological, philosophical, linguistic, grammatical etc).
An effort has been made to read the original primarily through its own ways of perception, which means that the various interpretation theories when they aid the study they do it on a second, less critical and less apparent, for the general reader, level. (Yet the whole volume is informed by current debates about literature and literary studies demonstrating the central place occupied by Joyce’s achievement in those debates). Mr. Marangopoulos tends to prove the authority of his suggestions by remitting persistently the reader to the text.
Since each chapter of Ulysses, as far as the style is concerned, seems to be a sort of independent novel, and since most novelties which engendered modernism in 20th century literature were in one or another way first detected in that Irish book, the Greek writer thought it proper to insert in each chapter a section on the specific Technique involved. Under that heading the reader may find expansive explanations on the particular styles Joyce elaborated in the chapter.
After the Technique the reader finds another representative sample Passage, usually corresponding to the final pages of the original.
The study of each chapter is concluded with various bibliographical and philological Notes and Comments.

The whole study begins with an Introduction (which examines the various possible readings of Ulysses) and ends with three reference Appendixes: A Chronology of Joyce’s Life, A Further Reading Bibliography, and an Index.

One of the aims of this Companion Guide is to re-examine with a fresh eye most controversial topics about Ulysses. Yet the main aim is to dispel the intimidation readers often feel when faced with Joyce’s reputation as an arcane and difficult writer. Avoiding to simplify the multifaceted qualities of the writing the book tries to enhance and enrich the reader’s appreciation and enjoyment of the original.


To give a better idea of this study the author has chosen to translate a sample chapter which corresponds to the 9th episode of Ulysses. You may find it at the Readers Guide.