A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man ~ James Joyce

I recently picked up Ulysses and felt like I probably should read A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man before fully jumping into Ulysses. My experience with Joyce before this novel was his short story “The Dead” from his collection The Dubliners. I remember absolutely enjoying “The Dead,” but like most readers, who approach Ulysses for the first time,I felt a little overwhelmed. I am a big fan of stream-of-conscious narration. Virginia Woolf and William Faulkner are two of my favorite Modernist writers. Further, as a fan of serious literature, I need to conquer Joyce at somepoint (and prepare for my intense Faulkner course next semester). 

So now, onto this fine piece of literary experimentation. Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man poses basic questions about the human condition. A coming-of-age story in its truest sense, Stephen Dedalus finds himself asking and pondering some life’s most trivial questions. These questions, however, were some of the most important question a young Irishman could ask at the turn of the century. Most scholars agree that Dedauls is Joyce’s alter-ego and I agree. He certainly puts the childhood of a young person in the perspective. Joyce’s use of language is wonderfully creative. The world is presented to the reader through the mind of Stephen Dedauls. Joyce captures in some aspects a voyeuristic view of the world. Dedauls, as well as the reader, is a sponge for the information that is thrown his way. But the readers also see Dedaulus’ mind working intellectually when often times he is advised not.

The novel published in 1916 presents Ireland as a country that is transitioning in some ways to a centered focus on a countryman’s character. Pride is major theme that is dealt with throughout the novel. Certainly, Dedaulus is questioning that pride. Whether it be nationalistic pride, or religious pride he is spinning those ideas through his head constantly in the first four chapters of the book. There are fantastic scenes of youthful struggle. One being, sex and its effect on a young man growing up. Through Dedaulus, Joyce examines the way he deals lust and it position as a relevant sin. 

What kind of mental fabrications is Dedaulus making? There is a lot of bird imagery throughout the piece and if you know anything about Joyce’s writing he tends to circle around subtle moments of epiphany. Joyce is using Ireland as his perch throughout the novel. A young man who wants to shed the constraints of nationalistic pride. To be set free, to fly and become an individual. Joyce warns of the dangers of the stagnant lifestyle one can become trapped in. In a world of nationalistic pride certainly for a catholic country is troublesome.

This novel is fascinating. I do have to say it was a bit slow at first. The chapters are long, but you feel such a sense of relief when you complete one. Joyce’s unique use of language is breathtaking in. I love difficult narration and this certainly fits the bill. I’m really excited about reading Ulysses now and it feels so good to remember how much I enjoyed reading “The Dead” and now A Portrait added to that list is just as wonderful. 

From Ezra Pound's essay "Joyce"

"I do not mean to imply that a novel is necessarily a bad novel because one can pick it up without being in this manner caught and dragged into reading; but I do indicate the curiously seductive interest of the clear-cut and definite sentences."

Amen