Kraandl
Kraandl
In Brief
The source of the "Kraa. Kraandl" sound heard near the end of
the Sirens overture is identified several sentences
from the chapter's end: "Tram kran kran kran. Good oppor.
Coming. Krandlkrankran." Bloom sees, and hears, a tram moving
up the northern quays in the direction of Phoenix Park, and he
spots a good opportunity to release some intestinal
gas without being noticed.
Read More
While Joyce does not take as much onomatopoeic care in
representing the clangs, cranks, and screeches of the
approaching tram as he does in describing the rumblings moving
through Bloom's belly and the winds blown from his anus, the
harsh sounds he strings together are enough to let a reader
imagine the effect. And probably many readers will sympathize
with the cunning that Bloom displays in timing his fart ("Yes.
One, two") to the arrival of a sound loud enough to keep it
from being heard.
1907 photograph of a tram moving downriver on Bridge Street, across the river and several blocks upstream of Bloom's position on the northern quays just past the end of the large Four Courts building. Source: irelandposters.com.