Joyce has used the name Daedalus as a literary vehicle to give the reader a sense of deeper understanding approximately Stephen as a character in “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man “ . There is a nexus between Stephen Dedalus and the Grecian fabulous figure Daedalus and this becomes evident to Stephen when he hears his friends say his name in Greek. When Stephen compares himself to the “fabulous artificer” their similar predicament reveals itself. The correlativity between Stephen’s need to get away Ireland to compose. analogues Daedalus’s escape through flight from Crete.
Through the correlativity between Stephen and Icarus. Joyce was citing the certitude and pride that both Stephen and Icarus had. It is evident that Stephen is proud yet pretentious particularly when discoursing with his friends who he feels he has outgrown mentally. Icarus fell to his decease because of his certitude and pride. This demonstrates Stephen’s willingness to take hazards to recognize his destiny even if it includes failures.
Stephen compares himself to Lucifer in chapter four stating. “The traps of the universe were its ways of wickedness. He would fall. He had non fallen yet but he would fall mutely and in an blink of an eye. ” Lucifer fell from Eden because of his pride stating. “I will non serve” . Stephen besides full of pride in himself refuses to honour or function his household. church and his state. This rebelliousness in Stephen demonstrates his strong will to make what he wants with his life.
Joyce has used birds as a literary device in “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” to develop subjects and evoke a ocular image for the reader. Birds are normally associated with freedom and flight. yet the earliest reference of birds is related to penalty. Dante’s menace that eagles would pick out his eyes basically comes true in a symbolic sense. Stephen becomes blinded by mortal wickedness with cocottes and was so blinded by a life of entire devotedness to faith.
Heron. Stephens boyhood antagonist has bird-like characteristics and a birds name. literally picks on Stephen for standing up for his beliefs. Stephen repressed his emotions when confronted with Heron’s onslaughts. Subsequently when questioned about his beliefs and political orientation by Cranly ( intending crane-like ) . Stephen expresses his emotions by asseverating his strength and independency.
Stephen’s epiphany takes topographic point when he walks along the beach and sees the immature miss wading in the H2O. This conjures up the image of a wading bird and it reawakens Stephen’s belief in beauty. Stephen besides examines the similarities between Dedalus and himself. The idea of Dedalus winging off to get away his imprisonment reinforces Stephen’s fate to go forth Ireland and prosecute a new life of freedom.
Joyce may hold used the term bat-like to depict the Irish as being blind to the “nets” of Ireland that repeatedly hold them back and deny them their freedom. Stephen’s mention to the “bat-like soul” may touch to his dark and close desires for adult females and the enigma that surrounds them.
Stephen’s greatest epiphany occurs when he is expecting intelligence of his credence to the University. Joyce has taken two major events in Stephen’s life to transform the character into the emerging creative person. Stephen’s determination to deny the life of priesthood and prosecute a calling as an creative person proves the importance of his individualism. Joyce has transformed Stephen’s walk on the beach into a metabolism for Stephen. I equate his transmutation into an creative person to that of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. Each phase of Stephen’s life helps to morph him into the creative person that he will necessarily go. Stephen discovers that he will go forth behind the cocoon of household. church. and state to symbolically wing to his fate.
Stephen’s brush with the male childs that call him by his Grecian name triggers his imaginativeness about Dedalus. As Stephen meditates on the fabulous figure Dedalus he discovers that it must be his destiny to prosecute art. He realizes that it is his fate to make art and sore to greatness. The image of the “hawk like adult male winging sunward above the sea” supports Stephen’s “prophecy of the terminal he had been born to function and he had been following through the mists of childhood and boyhood. ” Stephen’s journey through life is to be realized through independency and a freshly found freedom. His metabolism is non yet complete but now within range.
Stephen’s experiences with adult females in “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” have ever been awkward and loaded with moral effects. His experience with the miss on the ropeway frustrates him and when he attempts to compose a verse form about her he is unable to. Stephen’s brush with cocottes was morally incorrect and he was fraught with guilt. When Stephen decides to squeal his wickednesss he devotes his life to faith and congratulations of the Virgin Mary. He imagines the Holy Virgin fall ining his manus with Emma’s and attributes saint-like qualities to Emma. Stephen’s construct of adult females and gender had been really ill-conceived to this point. This alterations when Stephen sees the miss wading in the H2O at the beach. Stephen admires her beauty without guilt and experiences a disclosure about adult females and the beauty they posses. The image of the miss delivers inspiration to Stephen the now transformed creative person.
