Deadus And Dedalus

Dedalus and Daedalus

In James Joyce’s novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Joyce tells us a story of a young man who struggles with who he is and who he is to become. Stephen Dedalus was born into an Irish Catholic family with very strong beliefs. Stephan believes in God and follows the path he is taught. His young life is very doctrinaire, but he believes in his God. He follows the ways of the Church because he does not want to let God down. Later, as Stephan matures, he struggles with this life, his family, and even his Irish culture. He feels he cannot be the man he is expected to be, at least not in the eyes of God. Stephan’s true calling is not that of a priest or of the Church but of an artist. The dogmatic life Stephen has had since childhood helps him mature into a person he is not destined to be, until he frees himself to be an artist.

From the beginning, the narrator tells a story but through the eyes and thoughts of Stephen Dedalus. From his early childhood, he is brought up with strong Catholic and Irish beliefs, which are instilled in him. He is a sensitive, quiet child and adores his mother. Stephen’s first brush with the idea of romance and friendship, even at such a young age, is put to a stop by his very religious governess because this neighboring girl is Protestant. This goes against his sensitive nature as well as his Catholic beliefs. This is the beginning of the perplexing journey of who he is to become.

As a young boy, he attends a Jesuit boarding school and knows he doesn’t fit in. At times, he even feels ashamed and alone. He continues to be devout and takes comfort in his nightly prayers. He is small, socially awkward, and un-athletic but shows signs of courage and strength. He is bullied at ...

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...s back on its own people. This hypocrisy allows him to feel free to come into his own.

By the end of the novel, we can clearly see Stephen as the artist that he truly is. His profound knowledge and enthusiasm for art are explicitly displayed. He is a shadow of the young man he used to be. His transformation from the sensitive child to the independent, passionate, artistic man whom he is now is profound. He tried to be the man he was raised to be, but ultimately, it is not in his nature. This disconcerting journey is not one he wants to continue. What was instilled in him from a young age has brought him the most conflict in his life until he chooses his own destiny. He is no longer afraid to be alone, to follow his passion and to free himself of all persecutions. Just as Daedalus made a pair of wings to escape his prison, so does he; exactly as he was born to do.