The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man

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Interpretation of an authors scriptures comes with the querrie that trying to analyze ones work comes with the understanding that you know his backround equally expressive thus being able to figure out his work. The Potrait of an Artist as a Young Man regards a fictional portrait of the author himself. Through the book he moves from one geographical and spiritual orbit to another, walking in lengthening radius until he is ready to take up flight therefor presenting his past, a reflection of his first 20 or so years of his life. This autobiography places it’s main emphasis on emotional and intellectual development of the young artist. Writing from his mouth he states that maturity is just an extension of ones childhood drawing from his past the events, the chronicles of his life. Comparing the two personalities, Jamea Joyce and Stephen Dedalus it is easily noticed that the person contains characterristics of “artistic temperment” somewhat self centered, very sensitive to surroundings and maybe even passive therefore allowing for chances to mentally take himself away from the world encompassing him.

In the writing Stephen has not yet attained for himself the final chapter of artistic completion. He quickly finds out whats involved, the dilemma of social conflict, a demanding religious faction all engulfing his bubble as an imposing external environment. He searches for himself which involves rejecting his ultimate theme of love. This goal is accomplished through Stephen Dedalus whose history receeds to early childhood to the start of his artistic career.

The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man in terms of Psycology today grasps three high points in Stephens childhood period. His development contrasts itself with subconciousness having to do with psychoanalytic stages of development stemming from the Freudian theory. We trace the awakening of his religious doubts from a tender age leading up to his first major sin. This physical sin or sexual initiation was a result of strong influence of the ID. This is where it engulfed him: “It broke from him like a wail of despair from a hell of sufferers and died in a wail of furious entreaty”… (100).

Shame gets the better of Stephen in the next chapter as a conscience develops, like a guilty sensation fit onto ones back to keep one in check, a contrast to the biological process circadium rythem. Thus the turnover from sin is followed by remorse.

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