"Now be aisy, good Mr Finnimore, sir. And take your laysure like a god on pension and don't be walking abroad. Sure you'donly lose yourself in Healiopolis now the way your roads in Kapelavaster are that winding there after the calvary, the North Umbrian and the Fivs Barrow and Waddlings Raid and the Bower Moore and wet your feet maybe with the foggy dew's abroad." (FW.24 16-22)
As the company utters "Usqueadbaugham" (Uisce Beatha, or whiskey), Finnegan wakes, just as he does in the ballad when the fight at his wake causes a bucket of whiskey to spill over the bed in which he lays. Heliopolis, in which the company warns Finn that he'll lose himself if he stirs, is the “place of the pillars” in lower Egypt, where a temple, the Mansion of Benben (also known as the Mansion of the Phoenix) was located. Famed for its obelisk, it is not only in one of its names that the city bears a resemblance to the famous Dublin park with which HCE is associated. Atum, for whom the obelisk was built, created himself out of the primeval waters; likewise, we see Dublin form itself out of the Liffey at many points in the text. In this painting, Finnegan (who may look familiar to some of you) is seen with the Bennu bird (the Egyptian equivalent to the Phoenix, and a symbol of Atum) on a funeral boat to the afterlife. Since the Bennu bird is associated with rebirth, the image suggests that Finnegan will rise again. The funeral boat depicted is based on Khufu ship (image in the comments) was discovered in the Giza pyramid complex. It was probably built for the King Khufu about 2500 BCE. It was sealed into a pit and in 1954 was rediscovered by the archaeologist Kamal el-Mallakh. It is thought that it was a ritual vessel which was supposed to carry the resurrected king along with the sun god Ra across the heavens. Once again, the passage urges us to reflect on history, memory, and the relationship of the present to the past. It is probably no coincidence that Heliopolis was highly regarded a site where important historical events were recorded and preserved. Take a look back and see if you can find sun references in the previous pages. There will be many in books to come, and Joyce will play on the son/sun homophones.
The usage of "Usqueadbaugham" as a reference to "Uisce Beatha" (whiskey) and its association with Finnegan waking up in the ballad reinforces the cyclical nature of the narrative, where events and themes repeat and resonate throughout the book.
The connection to Heliopolis, the "place of the pillars" in Egypt, and its association with the "Mansion of the Phoenix" further emphasizes the theme of rebirth and resurrection, which ties in with the image of Finnegan with the Bennu bird (Egyptian Phoenix) on a funeral boat to the afterlife. This imagery suggests that despite Finnegan's death, there is a potential for him to rise again, just like the Bennu bird, which symbolizes renewal and regeneration.
The use of the Khufu ship, a ritual vessel for carrying the resurrected king and the sun god Ra across the heavens, adds to the themes of cyclical time and the eternal return that are prevalent in "Finnegans Wake." Joyce often weaves various historical, mythological, and religious references into his work, creating a rich tapestry of symbolism and meaning.
The mention of Dublin forming itself out of the Liffey, the river that flows through the city, also connects to the theme of cyclical nature and renewal. Rivers are often associated with the passage of time and the continuity of life, reflecting the idea that life and history are constantly flowing and repeating.
As suggested in the passage, there are likely sun references scattered throughout the text, and Joyce may play on the homophones "son" and "sun" to add further layers of meaning and wordplay. Such thematic intricacies are characteristic of Joyce's writing style and encourage readers to delve deeper into the text and explore the connections between history, memory, and the present. "Finnegans Wake" is known for its complex and multi-layered narrative, inviting readers to engage in a process of interpretation and analysis to uncover its many hidden meanings and allusions.
