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James Joyce’s theory of art is mainly presented in the form of dialogue between Stephen Dedalus and other characters in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. The theory is very important because it throws a bright light on the structure and themes of the work. Stephen refers to Aristotle and to St.
Thomas Aquinas for the basis of his own theory, though he takes what he wants, shapes it to
his own ends. In his aesthetic formulation, Joyce particularly borrows from Aquinas the terms
for three aspects of beauty: Integritas, Consonantia, and Claritas. The three forms of art he
makes distinction in his work are the lyrical, the epical and the dramatic. The generic distinctions he makes are perhaps an echo of Hegel, though he never mentions him anywhere.
Fundamental to an appreciation of Joyce’s theory is to understand the concept of the epiphany
and its use. As defined by Stephen and used by Joyce, the epiphany is a privileged moment of
perception. It includes the themes of time, truth, morality and art. As a result, Joyce’s literary
theory is very important not only to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man but to all of his works. (Paichai University)