Stephen's pride shines through in chapter 4 and leads him to minsconstrued notions of avoiding sin and his place in society. When asked to consider the piesthood, he does so for all the wrong reasons. He focuses completely on the power he could possibly have, and in the priests words he hears "an echo of his own proud musings" (113). We have spoken of Stephen placing himself above others in society, and the priest praising him for being special only brings out this pride.
Part of the reason Stephen wants to be separate and above society is to avoid further sin, to elevate himself above the "snares of the world" that are its "ways of sin" (116). Being a priest would certainly give him such an elevated position is society. However, when imagining himself as a priest his pride takes him to the point that he imgines himsefl as above the people on the altar and completely separate from them, obviously not the true role of a priest. We have also spoken of Stephen continuing to show moments of maturation followed by setbacks, and this pattern seems to hold true in chapter 4.
He speaks of the image of constantly retreating from the waters of sin and seems to accept the inevitablility of his sin, saying that "he would fall" because "not to fall was too hard" (116). However, just a few pages later his pride has returned as he imagines himself as Daedalus soaring in the heavens far above the earth.
Stephen does not seem like he is every going to move on from this idea that he must be above society, as he feels that he is "destined to learn his own wisdom apart from others" (116). Is this hubris and a negative aspect of Stephen's character? Most would agree that Daedalus excessive pride was definitely a flaw as it led to his downfall, but perhaps it really is necessary for Stephen. Even though he may go about it the wrong way at times, perhaps it is necessarry for him to mature and learn as an artist on his little island of sand avoiding the waters of sin and the rest of society.
You bring up the imagery of retreating from the waters of sin. This is definitely an important point because in this reading, Stephen doesn't retreat from them, but instead chooses to enter them. He, "waded slowly" into the water (149). He seems to accept that sin is a part of life (maybe part of an artistic/aesthetic life). But furthermore, it seems as though Joyce is saying that this wading into sin isn't bad, but is instead natural. Stephen takes his shoes and socks off before entering (practical as well) indicating a return to our natural state.
ReplyDeleteThere are certainly negative aspects to this image, though. The water is dark and the sky is gray. For Joyce, light is good and darkness is bad (to be reductionist), so the general darkness in this scene might imply a bad side to the otherwise liberating scene.
The symbol of water also has importance for Joyce himself, who (as discussed in class) was an aquaphobe. We have multiple examples of Stephen having traumatic experiences or negative reactions to water, especially standing water. The first is the incident with the latrine at Clongowes, which colors much of his later reactions. He resists bathing - his mother must forcibly clean him. There are other examples, such as images of the prostitute relating to water, and later the possibility of Stephen sitting in his own filth while writing a poem.
ReplyDeleteThe symbol of water then has an important psychological aspect for Stephen that goes beyond religious scrupulousness, or rather, combines with it to create the identification with sin or social transgression. As was discussed in class, Stephen on the island of Ireland tries to escape as Icarus (at the end of the novel, by calling his father the old artificer, he has made himself Icarus) we know he doesn't (to extend the metaphor) swim away at the end, he tries to fly above the water and ultimately fails, drowning. We might see his escape as an artist as a way to transcend the earth-sea dichotomy. This interpretation of transcendence is well-supported, but there is no suggestion or foreshadowing (besides Stephen's pride) of later failure in following Icarus (we know that Stephen identifies primarily with Icarus because at the end his father is called the old artificer, meaning Daedalus). Will Stephen eventually fall through his pride back into the water? The final sequence plays in important part in the debate over Joyce's perspective on Stephen, that is, whether he is mocking him or fondly chronicling his development.