James Joyce's "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" and Cosmopolitanism: A Reflection on Ireland and Italy

In an article for MIFaccioDiCultura, Andrea Di Carlo examines James Joyce's "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" (1916) to explore themes of contemporary paralysis in both Italy and Ireland. He emphasizes Joyce's modernist perspective, illustrated by the use of the indefinite article "A," which signifies emotional detachment—a concept also reflected in T.S. Eliot's work. The Italian translation removes this article, thereby broadening the narrative's appeal. Di Carlo traces the roots of cosmopolitanism back to Diogenes of Sinope, linking it to modernist ideologies that challenge national borders. He observes that young Italians today resemble martyrs escaping religious and national limitations, while Ireland advances in civil rights. Di Carlo ends with an optimistic vision for Italy's revival.