Fourteen episodes of Joyce's Ulysses were first published in an early form in The Little Review, edited by founded and edited by Margaret Anderson in 1914. Ezra Pound acted as foreign editor from 1917 and arranged for the publication of Joyce's novel chapter-by-chapter (or sometimes parts of same) in successive issues. The first chapter in the series appeared in the issue for March 1918. Responding to objections to “Lestrygonians”, “Scylla and Charybdis”, and “Cyclops”, the US Post Office prohibited mailing of journal issues in which they appeared and hence prevented them reaching the subscribers. After the publication of Episode 13 ("Nausicaa") in April 1920, one John Sumner, Secretary of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, lodged a complaint with the Manhattan District Attorney at the suggestion of the NY Attorney General.

Anderson and her assistant, Heap, were both arrested and tried in February 1921 before a panel of three judges who found them guilty of violating Section 1114 of New York’s Penal Code which prohibited the distribution of “filthy” material, fining each $50. Notwithstanding, Anderson continued to publish Ulysses and only ceased after the publication of “Oxen of the Sun” (Pt. I), and then discontinued the series rather then request Joyce to alter what he wrote or make redactions herself where she thought the Penal Code would act against her.

(See Major Tweedy’s Neighbiourhood fromw which this information is extract with little alteration - online; accessed 08.05.2026.)

See also: Margaret Anderson, “Ulysses in Court”, The Little Review (Jan.March 1921) - online.