Topic: Epiphany in James Joyce’s a portrait of The Artist

as a Young Man

Subject: Modern Novel

Submitted by: ATIQ UR REHMAN (55747)

Class: MA 3rd weekend 2019-2021

NUML UNIVERSITY MULTAN CAMPUS

Epiphany in James Joyce’s a portrait of The Artist as a Young Man

Critics have variously interpreted the experience of the modern novelist as tolling the death of

story. The words are a proven truth for James Joyce. His expression of experience took a

different turn as also a different form. The early years of his life were passed in Dublin. Joyce

was almost blind from his childhood, and he lived in the world of sounds; in that glamorous town

of Dublin, Joyce wanted to express the immediate and the present he called it ‘an epiphany’

(Greek epiphaneia, “appearance”). Unlike roust he wanted to express the immediate

consciousness as reality. Joyce’s A Portrait of The Artist as a Young Man clearly demonstrates

such epiphanies to signify the moment when all of a sudden the personae probes into the heart of

things and experiences a sudden spiritual manifestation. In the present novel it is used to resolve

and resolute a conflict the to be an artist face with.

Stephen’s spiritual manifestation and his aesthetic satisfaction is presented through the

epiphanies which is a sudden revelation of the inner truth by paralleling a visual moment. The

journey of Stephen from his very tender infancy till he becoming an artist is presented through

certain epiphanies to express the inflow of Stephen’s conscious and its changing schedules. In

the artistry of literary device Stephen’s rejection of priesthood, his peeling of nationality, his

self-search in an artist in exile are presented through certain revelation meticulously and

forcefully.

In fact at the end of the each chapter epiphanies are skillfully used. In Chapter-I Stephen at in

childhood meets certain conflicts that makes in confusion. With the baffling impressions Stephen

perceives the world of elders. He oscillates and vacillates over the implicit faith on the elders and

his helpless insecurity. He has absolute trust, justice and morale from his elders yet how they

quarrel over political and religious matter he cannot understand. So, naturally there is marked
difference between the expectation and reality. But ultimately Stephen triumphs when he gets

rustic at school and he is being hailed as hero. Thus at the end the finality of resulting the conflict

and achieving justice is marked by epiphany.

: In chapter-II we pass into Stephen’s adolescence where a few of the family problems disturbs

him. In school, his essay is accused of heresy and his school mate’s unfriendly attitude to him

hurts him dearly. But more distressfully increasing hatred for father on the part of Stephen

widens. Interestingly enough, Stephen’s ideal shed beauty and notice of purity transits into a

vague erotic fantasy of the girl Mercedes who often comes into dreams. So torn in disputes,

ultimately resolving into an epiphany towards a learning experience. Stephen’s dream of

Mercedes is united with the embrace of a whore. Thought it is an absolute sin, Stephen passes

into an emotional learning and resolution.

“Tears of joy and relief shone in his delighted eyes.

In hat arms he felt that he had suddenly become strong and fearless and sure of himself.”

Extending the same conflict, Stephen in Chapter-III finds himself frequently in the embrace of

whores. Stephen’s moral dilemma and sinned meeting the world of religion and doing the

epiphany provides him immense relief:

“He had confessed and God had pardoned him. His soul was made for and holy once more,

holy and happy. The past was past. The ciborium had come to him.”

The journey of Stephen to be an artist born is narcissism and it is proving truth by the epiphany

of muse at sea beach in chapter-IV. More complex than any other is the description of the figure

of the girl on the beach after the vision of the hawk like man flying sun ward above the sea, and
the suggestion of all the emotional associations which radiate from the glimpse of her. The vision

of mysterious, birdlike, mythical figure is the certitude of Stephen’s vocation of an artist. It is the

message he receives from the spy, heavenly yet flow of life. It is religiously ammunition and a

voice of divinity. In romantic ecstasy Stephen learns the truth of beauty and art and an artist is

born.

Finally in chapter-V Stephen wishes to encounter ‘the reality of experience’ and invokes the

mythical Daedalus to air him in that purpose. To note further, it is to be mentioned that there are

many other epiphanies which contribute to a certainty in developing Stephen and his journey to

an artist. Such as ‘tower of ivory’, ‘house of gold’, ‘fetus’ etc. are few examples. So, in

conclusion, it is fair to say that epiphany is used to experience both the world of Stephen and

Joyce as an artist in A Portrait of The Artist as a Young Man.