Buck Mulligan

Buck Mulligan is the central character of the novel. He is the antagonist of Stephen Daedalus. They live together in Martelle's tower. Buck Mulligan plays out of the best friend of Daedalus, his patron, but he is jealous at the same time. There is an intellectual rivalry between them, in which Buck Mulligan strives to win, using the "lowering" of the opponent through shudder and irony. 

The impossibility of the joint existence of Mulligan and Daedalus portrays the symbols of the novel. He calls Martello Tower as "omphalos", the navel of the earth. He is trying to kick Steven out by various shuttle maneuvers.

Buck Mulligan is a ram. At the beginning of the novel, he plays a parody of the Catholic Mass, the most important moment of his life - the sacrament of press-making of the involved bread and wine. In this case, as a sacred vessel in which there is a re-introduction, a razor cup is used.

From the point of Dedal-Joyce, he is false, empty and hostile. The game worldview of the hero is realized through dentistry, smirking, blasphemy, and cynicism. Antagonism of Mulligan and Daedalus symbolizes the conflict of two ways of rejecting reality. If Daedalus represents a mutiny of a proud and romantic, Mulligan is a carnival riot, clownish and conformist.

Like many other characters of “Ulysses,” Buck Mulligan has its prototype in the "Odyssey" of Homer. He corresponds to Antina, the most aggressive and insolent suitors of Penelope, the main offender of Telemac. He responds very bad to various adverse physical and mental life situations, causing stress and frustration. He represents emotionally colored rigid and targeted attack. He is full of desire and willingness to harm, hit and destroy.