Ulysses Summary

On the morning of June 16, 1904, Stephen Dedalus finds himself distant from his friend, Buck Mulligan, and Buck's English companion, Haines, who continue to mock him. He then goes off to teach a history class at a boys' school, receives his pay from the school's director, and agrees to deliver a letter on his behalf. He spends the rest of his morning strolling alone, reflecting, and composing poetry. Meanwhile, Leopold Bloom takes care of breakfast for his wife, Molly, and suspects an affair between her and her concert manager, Blazes Boylan. Bloom later collects an affectionate letter from a woman named Martha Clifford, with whom he communicates under a false name.

By mid-morning, Bloom is found accompanying Stephen’s father and other men to a funeral. He is seen as an outsider in this group. He then proceeds to a newspaper office to negotiate an advertisement for a liquor merchant. Stephen arrives with the letter he was tasked with delivering and leaves for the pub just as Bloom returns. However, his negotiation for the advertisement is dismissed. Bloom then encounters an old love interest, has lunch, and runs into Boylan, forcing him to hide in a museum. Around the same time, Stephen is found at the National Library discussing his theory on Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”.

In the late afternoon, Bloom watches Boylan from a hotel bar before writing a letter to Martha and heading to a pub to discuss family finances with a friend. He stands up against a nationalistic man targeting his Jewish heritage before leaving in a carriage. Bloom then unwinds on the beach where he secretly watches a young woman and later falls asleep. He wakes and visits a maternity hospital where he encounters Stephen and his friends, who are celebrating despite a woman’s ongoing labor. Stephen drunkenly lashes out at a brothel, resulting in an altercation with a British soldier. Bloom takes Stephen to a shelter to recover and invites him home. Despite Stephen's refusal to stay the night, Bloom is content and falls asleep after recounting his day to Molly. However, Molly stays awake, reminiscing about her past, her affair with Boylan, and her relationship with Bloom.