A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN, JAMES JOYCE

A portrait of the artist as a young man is the first novel of Irish writer james Joyce and is a key work of twentieth century literature that remains as fresh, challenging and relevant as the day it was first published. It is an autobiographical novel and describes the early life and development of its central character, Stephen Dedalus (representing Joyce). Stephen, an intelligent but frail child, struggles towards maturity in Ireland at the turn of the century. His individuality is stifled by several levels of Convention, dictated by the family Catholicism and Irish nationalism. He feels guilty of adolescent sexuality and this feeling is enhanced at a school ‘retreat’ where he listens to father arnall’s famous ‘hellfire’ sermon.