Oscar Wildes The Picture Of Dorian Gray - 1807 Words

Naudiyal,1 INTRODUCTION Oscar Wilde introduces his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, with a reflection on art, the artist, and the utility of both. Dorian uses a mirror to contrast himself with the work of art (one that Lord Henry gave him). In the way of every single extraordinary book, the main novel of Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray offers us little that is new and, obviously, does not open another world for us, but rather still it remains a splendid gem consistently. It is a novel that shows Victorian culture of 1890 s London as much with respect to our contemporary time. Physical appearance was very important in Victorian time. One s dressing style and appearance were the symbol of their occupation and status in the†¦show more content†¦The ladies needed to set themselves up for what was to happen to their lives and it decided their future. If a lady did not meet the desires of the Victorian male, she would end up spouseless.They expected the men to take care of them and provide for them since they were unable to provide for themselves. Meaning of Superficial The word superficial basically means appearances and the surface. Superficial can have a negative meaning; calling someone superficial is saying that they are shallow and care too much about appearences. It means you need to define how people and society care too much about physical appearances and dont care enough about peoples skills, lives and personality. Like when you see a man in a suit you automatically assume his successful, without knowing anything about him. And attractive people are more likely to get jobs over and equally skilled un-attractive person. Superficial nature of society shown in novel As the men had expectations for the ideal Victorian women, the women also had expectations for the ideal Victorian man. Men became victims of social pressures. Victorian men were not just running after respect within their own particular sex, but they also expected to awe the ladies as well. If they were not married, it portrayed that they were not completely manly in light of the fact that they didn t have a family to support. Supporting a family was a mark of genuine progress within the male sex.Show MoreRelated The Conscience of Dorian Gray in Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray2865 Words   |  12 PagesThe Conscience of Dorian Gray in Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray Much of the criticism regarding The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde has dealt with Dorian Gray’s relation to his own portrait (Raby 392). While some may argue that the portrait represents a reflection of Dorian Gray’s character, this is only a superficial analysis of the novel and Dorian’s character. While Dorian Gray’s true character never changes, it is his own perception of his character (his conscience) thatRead More Manipulation in Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray 2501 Words   |  11 PagesManipulation in Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray  Ã‚        Ã‚  I do not think that one person influences another, nor do I think there is any bad influence in the world, Oscar Wilde uttered when under trial (Hyde 353). Although this statement may be true, one of Wildes most famous works shows a great deal of the effects of people shaping one another, causing one to wonder about Wildes sincerity in that statement. The Picture of Dorian Gray shows variations on the existence and purposesRead MoreAestheticism In Oscar Wildes The Picture Of Dorian Gray1532 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION Aestheticism, which found its footing in Europe in the early nineteenth century, proposed that art ‘need not serve moral, political, or otherwise didactic ends.’ Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde was a dramatic leader in promoting the movement near the end of the nineteenth century. The English essayist Walter Pater, an advocate of art for arts sake, helped to form society’s aesthetics in which they was more concerned with the self, than with popular movements like IndustrialismRead MoreEssay on Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray1199 Words   |  5 PagesOscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray - What is the author trying to say about life through this book? Explain why you think so. I am not to sure on exactly what the author is trying to say through this book. I think he is telling us to live a full and moral life. Well I dont think he expects us to lead a completely moral life, but because of the picture of Dorians soul I think he was trying to say lead a good life. He wants us to know that we can sin, its completely normal, but the moreRead MoreArt And Art In Oscar Wildes The Picture Of Dorian Gray835 Words   |  4 Pagesfew, have made their significant contributions to the study. Challenging much of the set outlooks on art and artists are the views of Oscar Wilde. In the preface to his scandalous novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde professes his views on art and artist. The preface to the novel starts with the line, â€Å"the artist is the creator of beautiful things.† Oscar Wilde was deeply inspired by the movement of Aestheticism which went by the propaganda of ‘art for art’s sake’. Art was not supposed toRead More Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay examples1731 Words   |  7 PagesOscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel by Oscar Wilde. The genre of this novel can be classified as a comedy of manners or a gothic novel. The Picture of Dorian Gray was first published in 1890 in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine. Another version with an additional six chapters was published in 1891. One of the major themes in the novel was the Supremacy of Beauty and Youth. A very attractive man has a portrait painted of himself, and after being warnedRead MoreAbstract Aestheticism in Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray2148 Words   |  9 Pagesexpression, but also one of social advancement. With this idea at its forefront, art suddenly inundated places where art was never previously found, such as social education and morality. In contrast, Oscar Wilde was a key advocate of an idea known aestheticism, a concept that relied on art simply being art. Oscar Wilde played a major role in Victorian England, having a major influence through his writing. At its peak the movement had a disdain for any traditional, natural, political, or moral ideals; ratherRead More Criticism of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay examples1120 Words   |  5 PagesCriticism of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, written by Oscar Wilde originally appeared in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine in 1890.   It was then published in 1891, in book form, containing six additional chapters with revisions. The first reviews of Dorian Gray were mostly unfavorable.   It was condemned for its speculative treatment   of immoral or at least uncomfortable subjects. A review in the St. James’s Gazette by Samuel Henry JeyesRead MoreAnalysis Of Oscar Wildes The Picture Of Dorian Gray1118 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel, â€Å"The Picture of Dorian Gray† Oscar Wilde shows the importance of having an equal balance between the id, superego, and ego, which each character within the novel portrays. When one triumphs the other it may be detrimental to oneself, as well to society as a whole. Sigmund Freud developed psychodynamic theories of personality that â€Å"view human behavior as a dynamic interaction between the conscious and unconscious mind† (Myers 514). He focuses on the importance of the equal balance toRead MoreThemes, Motifs and Symbols in Oscar Wilde’s the Picture of Dorian Gray1436 Words   |  6 PagesThemes, motifs and symbols in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray The only published novel by Oscar Wilde, which appeared in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine in 1890, was seen as immoral and scandalous, so the editors of the magazine censored about five hundred words without Wilde’s knowledge. Even with that, the novel was not received very well. Disappointed with this, Wilde revised his novel, added a preface, where he explains his philosophy of art, and six new chapters. Since Wilde was devoted