Stephen Hero , Part of the First Draft of 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' by James Joyce.
 
Stephen Hero is an early, unfinished draft by James Joyce, serving as the foundation for his acclaimed novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. This autobiographical work delves into the formative years of Stephen Daedalus, exploring his intellectual and philosophical development.
The narrative follows Stephen's journey through his university days in Dublin, detailing his growing disillusionment with Irish society, the Catholic Church, and its rigid constraints. It vividly portrays his evolving artistic consciousness, his exploration of aesthetic theories, and his struggle to find his own identity and purpose. Stephen Hero offers a more direct and less refined glimpse into the experiences and ideas that shaped Joyce's later masterpiece.