unlocking the novel
a guide to modernism and postmodernism

Understanding James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man  

James Joyce's 1916 novel, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, challenged everything that was possible in the genre of the novel.

Start by learning about James Joyce, about Portrait, about Joyce's other work, and about Joyce's Dublin.

To unlock Joyce's radical book, take a look at this portrait of the artist as a new (and maybe confused) modernist reader.

Then take a look at how we, as readers, began to make sense of this groundbreaking work.

Return to unlocking the modern novel

Move on to Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway