Arthur Symons, Spiritual Adventures and Imaginary Portraits

Arthur Symons, Spiritual Adventures and Imaginary Portraits
The essay will examine how Arthur Symons uses the ‘imaginary portrait’ to portray a fictional autobiography of himself in a Prelude to life, the first chapter of Spiritual Adventures. It will look at how Symons was inspired by Walter Pater’s Imaginary Portraits and why an author may create a fictional autobiography rather than an actual one, particularly in context to Symons’ life.