“Joyce is a brilliant writer, but the substance of his work leaves one wanting, in my opinion.
It is important to understand 19th Century history a bit to fully understand the Portrait. Aside from addressing 19th century Irish nationalism, Joyce portrays the mentality of 19th century Ireland in which some priests believed themselves to be on a very high pedestal. (There is the whole historical backdrop working here of Irish nationalism v. the Catholic emancipation, where Bishops secured votes in Ireland, but the nationalists saw this as a betrayal of Ireland and were therefore very anti-clerical.) This (the mentality) was a problem particular to that time period and place, and while Joyce is correct in pointing to that problem, it is important to understand that as a whole Joyce's portrayal of Catholicism remains largely inaccurate.
There is a romantic motif increasingly established throughout the whole novel: the supposed tension between beauty and reason, as though the two are incompatible. Romantics essentially elevate beauty to the detriment of reason (Catholicism, as you may know, strongly emphasizes the harmony of the two - see, for example, Fides et Ratio). For example, Joyce introduces this tension in the early school days of Dedalus: when he is supposed to be doing his math competitively, he thinks instead of roses (the colors, the scent, etc.). He hates school and just wants to sleep so that he can go home. This pattern intensifies (religion is eventually pitted against science, etc.).
The Catholics portrayed in the Portrait are unable to defend their faith (consider the character Dante, who has merely blind faith with no reason she can articulate). Increasingly, the whole idea of religion is depicted as the valley of all hardships, or the "valley of tears" as is said in the Salve Regina. But it entirely misses the key ingredient of religion and the Salve Regina, which continues, "life, sweetness, hope..." Joyce really seems to have no hope.
Essentially, the book is about a character obsessed with beauty to the detriment of reason. Consequently, the "beauty" after which he seeks is ultimately sordid. And while the work as a whole focuses on beauty and the question of legitimate beauty, it actually lacks beauty itself. It is also about a character searching for his identity as he searches for beauty (because one is often defined by what one loves, be it a religion, a person, etc....because love motives action). Dedalus is merely an anti-other; he is anti-mother, anti-father, anti-church. He is only pro-pride. And, as we all know, identity that merely defines itself as "anti-x" (where x is anything, or any set of things one dislikes) is shallow. Meaningful identity must be affirmation, not mere negation. It must be: I am pro-x. If it is not, there will be no conviction to withstand tests that come against the reasonable thing we love, or the principles for which we stand. Dedalus has no principles which he affirms, other than his own desire. Ultimately, when the test comes, he fails.
In conclusion, the book may be read for Joyce's style, but not at all for the substance. It is not an uplifting work, and it remains enigmatic.”
miss mary wrote this review Saturday, August 2 2008.
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