Poetry · Character

Exodus

Exodus is a character in Poetry by Mina Loy.

supporting

Also known as Exodus the Oxonian

First appearance: Exodus

As a supporting figure in Poetry, Exodus is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Cesira's father, who is described as a rabid man and is suspected of bewitching his daughter.

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Nicknamed Lord Israel for his consummate bearing, Exodus emigrates from Jewish ancestors and sinister foster-parents to become the City's highest-paid tailor's cutter, pacing London's streets with an instinctive urge…

Crushed by the Occident and lashed by tongues in lieu of knouts, Exodus trades the Danube's indifference for the pound-sterling's alien asylum, where his coaly eye challenges the unrevealed universe and his business-English dazzles the sartorial world. He paints sunflowers on Sundays without knowing why, stands like a larch on incarcerate corners, and deplores the anomalous legs of Zion's sons with a subconscious superiority. His loneliness and his unformulated conception of life drive him toward the heart of England—and toward the boarding-house lady, the locket, and whatever he begets.

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Character Web

6 connections

A slice of how Exodus sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Family
Professional
Rivalry

Character groups

Antagonists and social rivals
Protagonist
Familial and domestic network

+1 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

Ova’s emotional and psychological peak occurs in her desperate, childlike plea for the Gentle Jesus to “come o…

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Relationships

Ova
romantic · positive
Exodus and Ova share a deep, possibly romantic bond, with high interaction frequency… How this plays out →
Lord Israel
family · ambivalent
Lea
family · positive
Nurse
professional · ambivalent
Esau Penfold
rivalry · negative
Jehovah
psychological · negative

Ova
Exodus and Ova share a deep, possibly romantic bond, with high interaction frequency indicating emotional intimacy.
Lord Israel
Exodus and Lord Israel are likely father and son, with authority and filial duty shaping their interactions.
Lea
Exodus and Lea are siblings or close relatives, with a bond of shared history and loyalty.
Nurse
Exodus and the Nurse have a professional relationship, likely with the Nurse serving the household Exodus belongs to.
Esau Penfold
Esau Penfold and Exodus are rivals, competing for status or the affection of others.
Jehovah
Exodus and Jehovah have a complex, possibly obsessive relationship, with Jehovah exerting psychological influence.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Exodus in Exodus

In the story

Exodus appears across 16 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Costa Magic
Cesira's father, who is described as a rabid man and is suspected of bewitching his daughter.
Sketch of a Man on a Platform
The man described, a figure of absolute physical equilibrium and creative idiosyncrasy.
Giovanni Franchi
Mentioned indirectly through the 'incandescent breath of civilizations' and the chase after philosopher's toes, though not directly present.
Joyce's Ulysses
Referenced indirectly through the 'Master of meteoric idiom' and the 'recreator' Joyce, aligning with Exodus's role as a linguistic and cultural transformer.
Anglo-Mongrels and the Rose
Exodus is Ova's father, a Jewish immigrant whose foreignness is resented by his wife Ada. He is described as beautiful but powerless in the face of Ada's English prejudices.
Exodus
Protagonist reflecting on his past in Hungary and his present life in London, discovering his heart and his alienation.
English Rose
The Hebrew suitor, 'loaded with Mosaic passions,' who courts Alice and marries her, seeking to melt his Oriental soul in her English warmth.
Mongrel Rose
Ova's father, described as beautiful but unable to impress his wife; his Jewish identity is a source of tension in the household.
Enter Esau Penfold
Mentioned as the father of the child in Kilburn terrace, contrasting the opulent world of Esau with the harsh reality of his own offspring.
II
Parent of the child, referenced as 'Exodus’ child'.
Marriage Boxes
Described as exceedingly beautiful, but his wife is blind to it; he has only his pockets to impress her.
Psychic Larva
Mentioned as the father of the child, though not directly present in the psychic scene.
The Surprise
Exodus is the father figure who accuses Ova of lying and pushes her out of the door.
The Gift
Exodus is the father who gives Ova a coin, initially appearing as a sovereign but later revealed to be a farthing, embodying the theme of deceptive paternal power.
Religious Instruction
Referenced as Ova's father and a figure of emigration; his heritage is passed to Ova, who inherits his spirit of seeking fortune and opposing disintegration.
The Social Status of Exodus
Referred to as 'Exodus the Oxonian,' he is presented as a sunbeam in a cut-away, embodying the tailored ideal of man.

Chapter companion notes

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