What genre is A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce?

is considered a
master of the Bildungsroman, the German word for what is essentially equates to a coming-of-age
story. However, when examining , there exists a more specific genre to
explain the coming of age of Joyces young anti-hero, Stephen Dedalus: the K¼nstlerroman.
Whereas a Bildungsroman deals more broadly in the coming of age of a young , typically ending
with some marked character development or critical change, the K¼nstlerroman tracks the
personal development of an aspiring artist.

A complex novel rich with
numerous themes and motifs, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man easily
fits into many other literary genres. The novel is often considered to be semi-autobiographical,
where Joyce has injected some of his own life experiences and struggles as an artist into the
character of Stephen Dedalus. Additionally, many would argue that although often considered as
belonging in the general category of British Literature, the Irish experience is so unique as to
necessitate its own, separate genre.