Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Chapter 19--Geography Matters. . .
Choose an aspect of the novel that Foster would classify under "geography." Explain the aspect and analyze its significance or effect. Do not use an example that has already been discussed on this thread. In your post, be sure to include specific quotes from the text, with page numbers, to support your conclusions.
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Setting James Joyce’s “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” partly in Dublin, Ireland, mirrors the geography’s problems along with the problems that Stephen seems to encounter. The current issues that are occurring in Ireland at the time of this novel are first and most evident the role of the Catholic Church in Stephen’s life as well as its authority in Ireland. The Catholic Church was given much control when Ireland was first run down by the English. When this was written, the Catholic Church was losing its power and its role in the life of every citizen was being questioned. In addition, Stephen’s quest for freedom is very similar to Irelands fight for autonomy. In an attempt to free themselves from the control of the English, Ireland fought for self-government which is similar to Stephen’s opposition of authority figures after his first Christmas dinner when he initially lost faith in them. The setting of this novel mirrors the struggles that the protagonist goes through. The geography plays a role in what Stephen must accomplish because where part of the story takes place is also the same hardships Stephen is battling.
ReplyDeleteChapter 19- Geography Matters
ReplyDeleteAs Pin2wincj wrote in the previous post, Ireland during the late 1800’s was the ideal location for James Joyce to situate the characters and plot of his novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Not only was he familiar with the geography, culture, and history of an Irish setting, but according to Pin2wincj (and me, only he wrote it first) Stephen Dedalos’s personal struggles and fight for freedom mirror his country’s strife for independence and autonomy. Not only are the conflicts of one man and his country similar however, but both Stephen and Ireland have the same antagonist holding them back. Just as Ireland’s political leaders, such as Parnell, are being criticized by the Catholic Church, the Church holds Stephen back by scaring him with frightening images of hell. His fear of being punished for alleged sins keep him from fully experiencing life and expressing himself. Stephen must reject his Catholic upbringing and turn to aesthetic beauty for him to achieve complete independence. The Irish must stop allowing their priests to “preach politics from the altar” if they wish to succeed as an independent nation (Joyce 27). By setting A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in Ireland, James Joyce creates an echo between the two stories which helps each resonate more deeply with the reader.
As HRLP explains, the geography of a story has a greater importance than merely being the setting. As both pin2wincj and Jad Nnazy point out, Ireland and the importance of the Roman Catholic religion create the ideal setting for Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, because of what being an Irishmen in the nineteenth century meant to Stephen Dedalus and the other characters. In the beginning of the novel, Stephen defines himself by his geography and not merely his name, writing “Stephen Dedalus/ Class of Elements/ Clongowes Wood College/ Sallins/ County Killdare/ Ireland/ Europe/ The World/ The Universe” (Joyce 27). Even at a young age Stephen understood he was only a member of larger communities. After moving away from the country into Dublin, leaving his home and Clongowes behind, Stephen began to loose this sense of community, turning away from traditional Irish practice for the excitement of sin. Eventually, the Catholic Church forces Stephen to recognize his sins. In order to atone, the wayward boy reaches back into his childhood, regaining his sense of tradition through simple actions such as “kneeling like a child saying his evening prayers” (Joyce 143). Stephen regained his ‘geography’ only to realize he is not a true Irishman. Unlike his friends, he has no desire to learn his native language and others repeatedly call him a heretic for his beliefs. Stephen refuses to put his desire to become a poet after Irish nationalism and the Roman Catholic religion, therefore as Stephen’s friend Cranly says “It might be difficult for you to live here now” (Joyce 246). Since Stephen is unable to conform to traditional Irish practice, he does not fit in the molds of the Irish society, and must therefore remove himself from Ireland (the setting).
ReplyDeleteLike most of the above people have previously stated, the setting of Ireland has a huge effect on Stephen. In the beginning of the 20th century, Ireland was up in arms because of the invasion by the United Kingdom, and the creation of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This time soon to be came formally known as “The Troubles.” The mostly Protestant North was very supportive of the split, while the Catholics were not. Although Stephen lived in the Dublin (technically, Republic of Ireland) and was a Catholic, he never felt like a true Irishman. The same type of turmoil between the North and the Catholic South is expressed through Stephen, as he is internally fighting between what he has been raised to believe and what he believes is true in his heart. Also, as the Catholic Church is declining in the nation, it is declining within the heart of the individual. Stephen acts like he should not be in the South, and eventually realizes that it is not the place where he should be, and thus must leave.
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