A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is considered to
be one of the finest works of literature of all time. Herbert Gorman, an author
from the early twentieth century, stated that "so profound and beautiful and
convincing a book is part of the lasting literature of our age," and with good
reason. The main character of the novel, Stephen Dedalus, is a complex and
dynamic youth, and one who undergoes vast changes during the course of his life.
The main influences on him are family and religion. As his life passes,
Stephens' feelings towards these influences change drastically.
Stephen's family is very important to him. His father, Simon, plays a
major role in his early life, and Stephen has great respect for him. However,
there are instances when Stephen is angered by his fathers' actions, and resents
his statements. The growing debts incurred by Simon lead to his son's
transferring to a day school. Stephens' difficulties at his former educational
institution are relayed by his father, much to the chagrin of the younger
Dedalus. Later in the novel, Stephen loses even more respect for his father as
the familys' debts continue to grow and they are forced to move. Once, when the
two males travel to sell of the family estate, Simon returns to his former
school and converses with his former classmates. Stephen is upset to hear of
his father's wild behavior as a youth, and of his flirtatious nature. He begins
to rebel against his strict upbringing, striking back at his familys'
traditional values and way of life.
Religion is an ever present force in Stephen's life. He attends a
religious school from an early age, and is a devout Roman Catholic. He has
great reference for the priests at his school, and even fears the rector. As
his life progresses, Stephen experiences great feelings for women, and finally
gives into his desire when he encounters a prostitute in Dublin. From this
point forward, he views his life as an immoral one and makes many attempts to
correct it. He goes so far as to deprive all of his senses from any form of
“A hidden weight seemed to attach itself to simple objects—a teacup, a doorknob, a glass—hardly noticeable at first, beyond the sense that every move required a slightly greater exertion of energy”(187). In Nicole Krauss’ short story, “The Young Painters”, Krauss brings across the idea of guilt swallowing the narrator because of her decision to steal a frightening story told to her by a dancer and recreate the story and publish it as her own work. In the first scene, the author encounters a captivating painter in the dancer’s home which she later discovers has a intense backstory. She later publishes the story as her own but adds a happy twist to deemphasize the horror of the original story. In the second scene, after an odd encounter with
do not seem suitable to be human beings. He understands the things he does are
Roberts, Edgar V., Jacobs, Henry E. “Literature.” The Lesson. 470-475. Toni Cade Bambara. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. 2001
...e to his alienation he is unable to take upon this action and remains filled with knowledge and morality about the truth of the World State that he despises.
Schilb, John, and John Clifford, eds. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2012. 866. Print.
does not realize it until he is driven mad by it. His aspirations at first look may
perhaps even one of the greatest novels of all time. In order to be revered as a
“In my estimation a good book first must contain little or no trace of the author unless the author himself is a character. That is, when I read the book I should not feel that someone is telling me the story but t...
Glaspell, Susan. Trifles. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2005.
Pablo Picasso was one of the most recognized and popular artist of all time. In Pablo’s paintings and other works of art, he would paint what he was passionate about and you can see his emotions take control throughout his paintings and other works of art. Pablo Picasso works of art include not only paintings but also prints, bronze sculptures, drawings, and ceramics. Picasso was one of the inventors of cubism. ” Les Demoiselles d'Avignon” is one of Picasso famous paintings; this is also one of Pablo’s first pieces of cubism. Picasso went through different phases in his paintings; the blue period, rose period, black period, and cubism. Picasso was a born talented artist, with his dad setting the foundation; Picasso became the famous artist of the twentieth century.
of Our Lady so he starts to associate the "Tower of Ivory" and "House of
James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man presents an account of the formative years of aspiring author Stephen Dedalus. "The very title of the novel suggests that Joyce's focus throughout will be those aspects of the young man's life that are key to his artistic development" (Drew 276). Each event in Stephen's life -- from the opening story of the moocow to his experiences with religion and the university -- contributes to his growth as an artist. Central to the experiences of Stephen's life are, of course, the people with whom he interacts, and of primary importance among these people are women, who, as his story progresses, prove to be a driving force behind Stephen's art.
James Joyce in his novel “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” says “The object of the artist is the creation of the beautiful.” (134) For Stephen Dedalus after the reoccuring stream of consciousness throughout his youth, one of the factors of his creation into the artist is women. Indeed it is the women throughout the novel that shape Stephen into the man he finds himself becoming toward the end. Six women in particular that form specific functions in Stephens life are: Stephen’s mother, Eileen, Mercedes, the Virgin Mary, the prostitute, the birdlike woman by the water. These women affect and shape his character by loving him, inspiring him, and fascinating him.
Making Arguments about Literature: A Compact Guide And Anthology. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins,. 346-347.
In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Stephen Dedalus defines beauty and the artist's comprehension of his/her own art. Stephen uses his esthetic theory with theories borrowed from St. Thomas Aquinas and Plato. The discourse can be broken down into three main sections: 1) A definitions of beauty and art. 2) The apprehension and qualifications of beauty. 3) The artist's view of his/her own work. I will explain how the first two sections of his esthetic theory relate to Stephen. Furthermore, I will argue that in the last section, Joyce is speaking of Stephen Dedalus and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man as his art.