A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man'Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo ' So begins one of the most significant literary works of the twentieth century, and one of the most innovative. Its originality shocked contemporary readers on its publication in 1916 who found its treating of the minutiae of daily life indecorous, and its central character unappealing. Was it art or was it filth? The novel charts the intellectual, moral, and sexual development of Stephen Dedalus, from his childhood listening to his father's stories through his schooldays and adolescence to the brink of adulthood and independence, and his awakening as an artist. Growing up in a Catholic family in Dublin in the final years of the nineteenth century, Stephen's consciousness is forged by Irish history and politics, by Catholicism and culture, language and art. Stephen's story mirrors that of Joyce himself, and the novel is both startlingly realistic and brilliantly crafted. For this edition Jeri Johnson, editor of the acclaimed Ulysses 1922 text, has written an introduction and notes which together provide a comprehensive and illuminating appreciation of Joyce's artistry. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
Contents
vi | |
vii | |
Composition and Publication History | xl |
Select Bibliography | xliv |
A Chronology of James Joyce | xlix |
A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN | 1 |
List of Selected Variants | 215 |
Explanatory Notes | 222 |
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Common terms and phrases
answered Artist asked beautiful began Blessed body boys brother called Catholic chapel chapter church Clongowes closed cold Cranly cried Dante dark death Dedalus door Dublin English eyes face fall father feel fellows felt fire give hand head hear heard heart heaven hell holy imagination instant Ireland Irish James Joyce Jesuit Jesus John Joyce’s language Latin laugh light live London looked March mean mind morning mother moved never night novel once opening Oxford Parnell passed phrase Portrait prefect Press priest published remember round saint seemed side silence sins smiling soul speak Stephen stood Street studies tell Temple thing thought told turned University voice walked writing York young