Book Cover of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

by James Joyce

A Portrait... follows Stephen Dedalus from his babyhood into early adulthood. One of the most remarkable things about Joyce's style is that the early chapters are expressed in childlike language. For instance, the famous opening lines of the book are, “Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down the road....” These are lines from a story that Stephen's father tells him as a baby. The final lines “Welcome, O Life! I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience...” Between these two lines lies the story of Stephen's growth and development. He goes through phases of religious obsession, where he passionately follows his church's teachings and is often racked by guilt and despair. However, as he attains manhood, his rational, adult faculties begin to emerge and he goes forth to meet life as a fully conscious, aware individual, enriched by all that has happened to him. Joyce explores the ideas of the overriding role of religion in the life of the Victorian Irish people, their extremism and their fanaticism. He also explores the role of the artist in society and their responsibilities. Finally, Joyce delves into the larger questions of Irish nationalism and their need for self-government. A Portrait... is a book that young people should read for its passionate optimism and older people should read for the recollections it evokes of their own past.

Book Details

Language

English

Original Language

English

Published In

1916

Authors

James Joyce image

The work and life of Joyce is celebrated annually on 16 June, known as Bloomsday, in Dublin and in an increasing number of cities worldwide, and critical studies in scholarly publications, such as the...

Books by James Joyce

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