I Read Finnegans Wake So You Don’t Have To!
But, let me tell you now, this is no insightful academic assessment of what is perhaps the most perplexing, ambiguous and downright impenetrable work of literature known to man. One summer a couple of years ago, in-between writing my own novels of dubious quality, I fancied a bit of a literary challenge. I had participated in Bloomsday – an annual celebration of James Joyce’s other famed work, Ulysses – a few times and it struck me that maybe it was time to tackle the mighty Finnegans Wake. The idea of attempting an idiots guide (or, more appropriately, a guide by an idiot) came about after discussing my attempts at comprehension with friends.
And so this, Finnegans What?, a plaintive effort to decipher the indecipherable, was born. My method was a to read a chapter and then make notes about what I thought might be happening. These were originally posted weekly on my blog for the benefit of curious readers. So what we have here is a chapter-by-chapter explanation, as I read each in turn. This is my interpretation and musings on Joyce’s eponymous work, rather than any kind of instructional companion or serious analysis. Goodness knows, I’m not capable of that kind of high-minded literary endeavour. I’m just an ordinary person, reading Finnegans Wake.
And this is what I came up with.
Lucy Brazier 
Looking forward to these posts. Without this novel we’d be calling the sub-atomic particle The Quark something far more complicated.
Well, don’t get too excited. But I feel I should have a crack at it. It’s the least I can do 🙂
I managed to make my way through Ulysses, but only after four false starts, two near finishes, one, borderline nervous breakdown and, at least, three attitude adjustments. For Finnegan’s Wake, I said, fuck it, life’s too short. Living in Dublin, of course, puts you at the heart of everything Joyce was and wrote about, in sight of what he saw and within hearing of the cosmopolitan melting pot that is Dublinese so who knows what he’d make of it, today. So, I’m signing on for your journey, which, I’m hoping will be loaded with belly laughs and bother. Some mornings, if I start by reading others’ posts, it can be an impetus for my own work. Other times, it can be depressing. I started a comment on another blog this morning, thus, ‘do you make up words for a laugh? What is ‘carefreenes’? Do you mean ‘carefree’? Then you don’t need ‘nes’ after it and, if you did, it’s wrong.’ So, go on, torture yourself and amuse the rest. Have a look at this, Finnegan’s Wake was a music hall ballad from the mid19th century and provided the premise for Joyce’s masterpiece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qstUxos2cBs
I am quite enjoying it so far, despite being desperately aware that I failing to grasp the majority of the text. I am very glad to have you along for the ride! I shall check out the link, thank you muchly 🙂