Portnoy's Complaint | Literary Precedents

Portnoy's Complaint Literary Precedents

The main character of Portnoy's Complaint follows the footsteps of Joyce's Dedalus. In this novel of consciousness and subconsciousness, however, the Rothian hero does not grow up as an artist. Portnoy tries to mature but basically remains a complaining Jewish hero. Roth follows the path of Bellow, Malamud and others who write of American-Jewish moralists and traditionalists. However, Roth dares to demythologize the belief in tradition and faith. Portnoy is alienated by the pressures of pleasing his family and maintaining sexual relationships. The ineffectuality of liberalism disillusions and further alienates him.