The Artificer and the Labyrinth: James Joyce's Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man . Like all great novels, James Joyce's "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" may be read on several levels. On the primary, narrative level the novel concerns the growing to maturity of Stephen Dedalus in Ireland at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. However, on a deeper, symbolic level the novel focuses on a theme of escape from the traps of Roman Catholic dogma, family entanglement, and Irish nationalism. Central to this theme is the mythological image of the labyrinth which is integral to the symbolic structure of the novel and the representation of Stephen's flight to artistic freedom from his imprisonment by the above forces. 6 pgs. Bibliography lists 1 source. Pages: 6 Bibliography: 1 source(s) listed Filename: 3870 Portrait of Artist.doc Price: 53.70