I.6: The Quiz (pp. 126–168)
The sixth chapter presents twelve riddles about the Wake's characters, culminating in the famous fable of "The Mookse and the Gripes"—a parable of religious and brotherly conflict.
Quick Reference
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Pages | 126–168 |
| Vico Age | Theocratic (Age of Gods) |
| Time | Night |
| Setting | Quiz show/pub |
| Main Characters | Quiz master, Shaun, various riddle subjects |
Synopsis
The Quiz Format (pp. 126–139)
Twelve questions are posed, each describing a character in riddling fashion. The questions are comically badly written—some are 13 pages long with one-line answers.
Question 11: The Mookse and the Gripes (pp. 152–159)
Shaun tells the fable of the Mookse (himself) and the Gripes (Shem)—a reworking of the Aesop fable that becomes a parable about religious schism and brotherly conflict.
The Remaining Questions (pp. 159–168)
The quiz continues with riddles about the remaining characters.
The Twelve Questions
The quiz covers the main characters:
| Question | Subject | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finn MacCool | (13-page question, 1-line answer) |
| 2 | HCE | |
| 3 | ALP | |
| 4-6 | Various | |
| 7 | The Twelve | "The Morphios!" (god of sleep) |
| 8 | Issy | |
| 9 | Various | "A collideorscape!" |
| 10 | Shem | |
| 11 | Shem vs. Shaun | The Mookse and the Gripes |
| 12 | Shaun |
The answers are often single words or phrases that sum up the Wake itself.
The Mookse and the Gripes
This fable is one of the most famous sections of the Wake:
The Setup
The Mookse (Shaun/Pope Adrian IV) encounters the Gripes (Shem/St. Lawrence O'Toole) by a river.
The Conflict
They represent:
- Mookse: Authority, orthodoxy, extroversion, conquest
- Gripes: Resistance, heresy, introversion, Ireland
The Mookse supports the English conquest of Ireland; the Gripes represents Irish resistance.
The Outcome
Neither wins. Both are observed by the Nuvoletta (Issy as cloud), who disappears. Time passes; both become irrelevant.
Religious Schism
The fable also represents:
- Roman vs. Orthodox Christianity
- Papacy vs. Irish church
- Institutional vs. mystical religion
Key Themes
1. Brotherly Conflict
Shem vs. Shaun extends through all of history—every pair of opposing brothers.
2. Religious Division
The Mookse and Gripes embody Christianity's schisms.
3. Knowledge and Identity
The quiz format questions identity itself—who are these people?
4. Collideorscape
The answer "A collideorscape!" (collide + kaleidoscope) describes the Wake's method—constant collision and transformation.
Notable Passages
The Opening (p. 126)
The radio-announcer voice: "So? Who do you no tonigh, lazy and gentleman?"
Question 9 Answer (p. 143)
"A collideorscape!"—another one-word summary of the Wake.
The Mookse and Gripes (pp. 152–159)
The complete fable.
Characters in This Chapter
| Character | Appears As | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Quiz master | "Jockit Mic Ereweak" | Asks questions |
| Shaun | Answerer / Mookse | Responds (badly) |
| Shem | Subject / Gripes | Riddle subject |
| Issy | Nuvoletta | Observer in fable |
| The Twelve | "The Morphios" | Answer to Q7 |
The Sigla System
Joyce developed his "sigla"—private symbols for the characters—around the time of this chapter. The quiz formally introduces each character, matching them to their sigla.
Audio Resources
| Resource | Notes |
|---|---|
| One Little Goat | Video with subtitles |
| Patrick Healy reading | Complete audio |
| Waywords and Meansigns | Musical settings |
Reading Tips
- Read the Mookse and Gripes carefully — It's one of the most accessible sections
- Note the one-word answers — They often summarize the whole book
- Enjoy the bad quiz — The humor is intentional
- Track Shem vs. Shaun — Their conflict structures everything
Further Reading
- Campbell & Robinson, A Skeleton Key, Chapter 6 commentary
- McHugh, Annotations to Finnegans Wake, pages 126–168
- FWEET — Search "126.01" onward
- Genetic Joyce Studies on the Quiz
See Also
- I.5: The Letter — Previous chapter
- I.7: Shem the Penman — Next chapter