to ask you about 'Ulysses'?

[willisurvive2under2]

If I say 'Ulysses', does it ring a bell? Have you heard of James Joyce's novel? Did you learn about it at school?

Today the name 'Ulysses' came up in conversation (it was someone's username on eBay!) and DH said it was a girl's name. I said 'surely not' and made reference to Joyce's work. He looked at me like I had two heads. Never heard of it. I didn't think of prodding him about the other Ulysses (the one in Homer's Odyssey).

Is it normal that a 30 something, educated man with 2 degrees (and he went to private school!!) hasn't heard of it? I grew up abroad so I'm clinging to the possibility that it's not taught in this country very unlikely I know.

He's not the bookish/academic type (clearly!), but he's smart in other ways. I consider this to be common knowledge though! What do you think?

Definitely not a girl's name, first thoughts were the same as you; Homer and James Joyce, then that odd couple on This Morning show who let their son wee on the rug, his name was Ulysses or maybe that was his brother. Strange that you dh would think that it was a girls name.

As a 32 comprehensive school attendee with nought but GCSEs I know of Ulysses, but mostly under the name Odysseus. I've never heard of James Joyce though

I'd agree with you. However, while I didn't go to university I am the bookish type and read a lot.

Thinking about it I don't know about it from school, don't remember Joyce ever being mentioned at all.

It's an epic 80s cartoon surely!

As a 40 year old English graduate, I know Ulysses via the James Joyce novel, and the 80s futuristic cartoon with the awesome theme tune.

I think Ulysses, Homer and James Joyce are common knowledge among the people I know.

I'd think of the Joyce novel. I've tried to read it but I gave up!

Ulysses in Space! Was an awesome series. It is most certainly a man's name though.....

m.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ4c1X5ene8

Ulyssseeeees! Ulysseeees! Soaring through the galaxieeees.

1. Mythology/Homer. This should be fairly common/basic knowledge, even for someone who didn't go to private school
2. James Joyce novel. Maybe come across this as an adult who reads. And it's analogised with 1. anyway.
3. Tales of Brave Ulysses (song by Cream). Only if your Dad is of that era and played records to you. And it's about 1. anyway.

...in that order.

Girl's name??? WTF???

Has he no awareness of American history, either? Ulysses S Grant - Civil War General and then 18th President.

34, Irish educated and think Homer and James Joyce.

No. It's not normal! Even allowing for Irish literature being slightly overlooked in the UK, I'd definitely expect anyone who has been through a private school in Britain to at least know about Joyce's Ulysses' existence. Do you and your husband pronounce it differently?

We have a copy in the living room and had a great drunken evening with friends all taking it in turns to read passages from it.

Don't understand it at all but Ulysses is also a wicked Franz Ferdinand song title!!!

Hobbes I'd forgotten about the cartoon...loved it! Odysseus is called Ulysses in The Aeneid, and is Odysseus in Homer.

Ah, not the CBeebies programme this time. Yes, I think the book is common knowledge amongst people who are university-educated.

I think Ulysses, Homer and James Joyce are common knowledge among the people I know.

Same. However, Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th president of the United States, and from Ohio, like me, and he's on the $50 bill, so that's always my first thought.

The 80s were full of never ending cartoons and tv series.
Cities of Gold
Heidi - the wonderful dubbed version
Muskehounds

Hahaha I thought the cartoons and the ridiculously catchy tune were a made-up memory of mine!

Ulysseeee-eee-eeee-eees, no one else can do the things you do...

I'm always surprised by books people haven't even heard of or read

I'd have thought Joyce's "Ulysses" was common knowledge for an educated person. but then I'm early 60s.

"Ulysses" is aslo a wonderful poem by Tennyson, a poem about middle age.

@OhtoblazeswithElvira It's very possibly that we pronounce it a bit differently as I'm forrin. But he was reading it out from his eBay app ('a lady called Yuly-something will come to collect') to which I replied 'Yuly-what' and he showed me the username. So that won't be the reason.

I didn't know about the cartoon myself. Or the US president. I read loads so tend to know random facts... but I really thought most people would have heard of the name and its associations.

It's very possible, sorry.

I've only heard of Ulysses in the context of Homer's Odyssey. It's not taught in your average comprehensive school these days, or wasn't when I was there 15 years ago. I've only really heard about it through mentions on TV etc. I tried to read it a few years ago but gave up.