Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Part I (1-3)

Within the first three chapters of Jame Joyces' Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, the three major forces in Stephen Dedalus' life are already apparent. First there is Dedalus' sensitive nature. Throughout the first chapters we see Dedalus view the word and interpret it with a poetic nature. This sensitivity seems to set him apart from other boys his age and propels his growth toward the artist (and free individual) he will become. 


Dedalus' budding sexuality seems to be connected with this development. He first asserts that he will marry a neighbor girl, Eileen. Later he has a crush on a girl, Mercedes, eventually eschewing her and fantasizing about being a romanticized version of the Count of Monte Cristo. In chapter two, Dedalus accepts the invitations of a prostitute, completing his journey from romanticized sexuality to bodily.



Catholicism is the second force in Dedalus' life. Stephen is a devout Catholic in these chapters, his faith evolving from a childish mixture of fantasy and theology to more orthodox views. In the first chapter, we see young Dedalus praying in a childlike way, by the third chapter we see him attend a retreat featuring sermons about the dangers of sin and the torments of hell. These sermons are full of vivid imagery and Stephen is terrified. He eventually finds his way to chapel where he can anonymously confess. Chapter three ends with Dedalus stepping out of the chapel feeling much lightened.


Several times in the first three chapters, Dedalus Catholic faith comes into conflict with his sensitive and sexual development. In chapter one, Dedalus' crush on protestant Eileen infuriates his devout and aptly named governess, Dante. In an ironic twist, Dedalus associates Eileen's white hands with "the ivory tower," which is usually associated with the Virgin Mary. His thoughts about Eileen represent his sensitive, and possible sexual development and it here comes into conflict with his Catholic faith. 


In chapter two, Stephen's sensitive nature again comes into conflict with his faith when he refuses to agree with his friends that Tennyson is a superior poet to Byron, whom his friends consider a heretic. Chapter three finds Stephen continuing to visit prostitutes, although he is not happy with his own behavior, he finds himself morally lost until he goes on the religious retreat. This represents his first major rebellion against his environment and its domination by Catholicism, though he does not have at this time any ethical vision to replace it, so he returns at the end of chapter three.


The second force is Irish nationalism. Chapter one sees this theme intensely. Stephen's father and family friend John Casey mourn the death of Irish nationalist Charles Parnell at a Christmas dinner, which infuriates Dedalus' governess, Dante because his marital infidelity has been condemned by the Catholic Church. An argument ensues as Dedalus father and John Casey contend that Parnell's condemnation by the church has led to the end of his career and his death. They continue to point out times they believe the Catholic Church has harmed the cause of Irish nationalism. 


Thus far, it seems that Catholicism is sometimes set against both Dedalus' development as an artist and individual and against the development of Ireland as a free nation (It is a British possession at this time). It remains to be seen what kind of relationship there will be between Dedalus' free development and Irish nationalism.