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    A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

    James Joyce

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      • Chapter 1, Section 1
      • Chapter 1, Sections 2–3
      • Chapter 2, Sections 1–2
      • Chapter 2, Sections 3–4
      • Chapter 2, Section 5–Chapter 3, Section 1
      • Chapter 3, Section 2
      • Chapter 3, Section 3–Chapter 4, Section 1
      • Chapter 4, Sections 2–3
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      • Stephen Dedalus
      • Simon Dedalus
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      • Cranly
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      • Chapter 3, Section 2
      • Chapter 3, Section 3-Chapter 4, Section 1
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        Characters

        Character List

        Characters Character List
        • Stephen Dedalus

          The main character of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Growing up, Stephen goes through long phases of hedonism and deep religiosity. He eventually adopts a philosophy of aestheticism, greatly valuing beauty and art. Stephen is essentially Joyce's alter ego, and many of the events of Stephen's life mirror events from Joyce's own youth.

          Read an in-depth analysis of Stephen Dedalus .

        • Simon Dedalus

          Stephen's father, an impoverished former medical student with a strong sense of Irish patriotism. Sentimental about his past, Simon Dedalus frequently reminisces about his youth.

          Read an in-depth analysis of Simon Dedalus .

        • Mary Dedalus

          Stephen's mother and Simon Dedalus's wife. Mary is very religious, and argues with her son about attending religious services.

        • The Dedalus Children

          Though his siblings do not play a major role in the novel, Stephen has several brothers and sisters, including Maurice, Katey, Maggie, and Boody.

        • Emma Clery

          Stephen's beloved, the young girl to whom he is fiercely attracted over the course of many years. Stephen constructs Emma as an ideal of femininity, even though he does not know her well.

          Read an in-depth analysis of Emma Clery .

        • Mr. John Casey

          Simon Dedalus's friend, who attends the Christmas dinner at which young Stephen is allowed to sit with the adults for the first time. Like Simon, Mr. Casey is a staunch believer in Irish nationalism, and at the dinner he argues with Dante over the fate of Parnell.

        • Charles Stewart Parnell

          An Irish political leader who is not an actual character in the novel, but whose death influences many of its characters. Parnell had powerfully led the Irish National Party until he was condemned for having an affair with a married woman.

          Read an in-depth analysis of Charles Stewart Parnell .

        • Dante (Mrs. Riordan)

          The extremely fervent and piously Catholic governess of the Dedalus children. Dante, whose real name is Mrs. Riordan, becomes involved in a long and unpleasant argument with Mr. Casey over the fate of Parnell during Christmas dinner.

        • Uncle Charles

          Stephen's lively great uncle. Charles lives with Stephen's family. During the summer, the young Stephen enjoys taking long walks with his uncle and listening to Charles and Simon discuss the history of both Ireland and the Dedalus family.

        • Eileen Vance

          A young girl who lives near Stephen when he is a young boy. When Stephen tells Dante that he wants to marry Eileen, Dante is enraged because Eileen is a Protestant.

        • Father Conmee

          The rector at Clongowes Wood College, where Stephen attends school as a young boy.

        • Father Dolan

          The cruel prefect of studies at Clongowes Wood College.

        • Wells

          The bully at Clongowes. Wells taunts Stephen for kissing his mother before he goes to bed, and one day he pushes Stephen into a filthy cesspool, causing Stephen to catch a bad fever.

        • Athy

          A friendly boy whom Stephen meets in the infirmary at Clongowes. Athy likes Stephen Dedalus because they both have unusual names.

        • Brother Michael

          The kindly brother who tends to Stephen and Athy in the Clongowes infirmary after Wells pushes Stephen into the cesspool.

        • Fleming

          One of Stephen's friends at Clongowes.

        • Father Arnall

          Stephen's stern Latin teacher at Clongowes. Later, when Stephen is at Belvedere College, Father Arnall delivers a series of lectures on death and hell that have a profound influence on Stephen.

        • Mike Flynn

          A friend of Simon Dedalus's who tries, with little success, to train Stephen to be a runner during their summer at Blackrock.

        • Aubrey Mills

          A young boy with whom Stephen plays imaginary adventure games at Blackrock.

        • Vincent Heron

          A rival of Stephen's at Belvedere.

        • Boland and Nash

          Two schoolmates of Stephen's at Belvedere, who taunt and bully him.

        • Cranly

          Stephen's best friend at the university, in whom he confides his thoughts and feelings. In this sense, Cranly represents a secular confessor for Stephen. Eventually, Cranly begins to encourage Stephen to conform to the wishes of his family and to try harder to fit in with his peers—advice that Stephen fiercely resents.

          Read an in-depth analysis of Cranly .

        • Davin

          Another of Stephen's friends at the university. Davin comes from the Irish provinces and has a simple, solid nature. Stephen admires his talent for athletics, but disagrees with his unquestioning Irish patriotism, which Davin encourages Stephen to adopt.

        • Lynch

          Another of Stephen's friends at the university, a coarse and often unpleasantly dry young man. Lynch is poorer than Stephen. Stephen explains his theory of aesthetics to Lynch in Chapter 5.

        • McCann

          A fiercely political student at the university who tries to convince Stephen to be more concerned with politics.

        • Temple

          A young man at the university who openly admires Stephen's keen independence and tries to copy his ideas and sentiments.

        • Dean of Studies

          A Jesuit priest at University College.

        • Johnny Cashman

          A friend of Simon Dedalus.

        Next section Stephen Dedalus
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        Popular pages: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

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