Faubourg Saint Patrice - ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University

lasphemous humor which, throughout the novel, continues to serve as a foil to
Stephen's brooding guilt (Gilbert 107). Despite Stephen's professed rejection of
orthodox religion in A Portrait, in this opening scene he appears disturbed by Mulligan's
mockery and is described as "displeased" and "looking coldly" at his heretical roommate;
nevertheless, he still aids Mulligan by serving as his acolyte and providing the "strong
shrill whistles" which imitate the bells signifying the epiclesis of the host and wine
(1:13,14, 27). While aiding in the blasphemy, Stephen is reminded of his youthful
devotion: "So I carried the boat of incense then at Clongowes. I am another now and
yet the same. A servant too. A server of a servant" (1.310-2). As described earlier,
Stephen's disturbed psyche stems from many areas, but it appears that his displeasure
with Mulligan is exacerbated by his roommate's lighthearted mockery of the faith with
which Stephen still struggles.
Despite Stephen's vocal rejection of Catholicism, Mulligan recognizes the deep
influence it still has on him: ". . .you have the cursed jesuit strain in you, only its injected
the wrong way" (1.209). Mulligan's words echo those used by Stephen's friend Cranly
from A Portrait: "It is a curious thing, do you know . . . how your mind is supersaturated
with the religion in which you say you disbelieve" (206). In fact, Stephen mentally
equates Mulligan with Cranly, as he muses: "Cranly's arm. His arm" (1.159; A Portrait
173). Throughout the day, Mulligan will continue to exploit his roommate's guilt by
referring to him as the "fearful jesuit" and the "jejune jesuit" (1.8, 45); "Chuck Loyola,
Kinch ." (1.231-2). "0, you priestified Kinchite." (9.554-5); "0, you inquisitional
drunken jewjesuit!" (9.1159). Indeed, with his characteristically boisterous humor,
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