Aestheticism In Oscar Wildes The Picture Of Dorian Gray

INTRODUCTION 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 Industrialism or Capitalism. His views, especially those presented in a collection of essays called The Renaissance, had a profound impact on the English poets of the 1890s, most notably Wilde himself. In Wilde’s only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray,†¦show more content†¦Ascetism is a lifestyle characterised by abstinence from sensual pleasures, which was adopted by much of the world-weary middle class. In this decade, many people in continental Europe felt a sense of discontent. The morals that once seemed to control life and give it meaning were lost to an age of enlightenment. The two main reasons for this disillusionment were connected to the public functions of morality and art, which, in Victorian England, were directly linked. It was thought that art should function as a moral barometer, and for many people, this dictum left room for only the most restrictive values and uninspired art. The term â€Å"fin de sià ¨cle† therefore came to describe a branch of thinking that sought to restore beauty and meaning to art and to broaden it’s public appeal. Thus, the concept of aestheticism was born. In this climate, an artist could assert himself as a rarefied being, one leading the search for beauty in an age marked by social hypocrisy, shameful class inequality and illiberal complacency. No-one adopted this attitude more boldly, or with more shameless flair, than Oscar Wilde. His dedication to living a life of beauty and to transform his life into a work of art is reflected in the beliefs and actions of many characters in his onlyShow MoreRelatedAbstract 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 MoreThe Picture of Dorian Grey, by Oscar Wilde771 Words   |  4 Pagesheld without losing the other, due to their conflicting natures. While the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray brings out the central question â€Å"Is it better to pursue Aesthetics or Morality?† it describes the life of Dorian Gray, who constantly sought to maintain his appearance at the cost of his morals, and answers the question by revealing the consequences of living Mr. Gray’s â€Å"beautiful† lifestyle. In the novel, Oscar Wilde depicts the explosion of aesthetic philosophy in higher English society duringRead MoreThe Picture of Dorian Gray: Corruption Through Aestheticism1464 Words   |  6 PagesThe Picture of Dorian Gray: Corruption Through Aestheticism The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is the story of moral corruption by the means of aestheticism. In the novel, the well meaning artist Basil Hallward presets young Dorian Gray with a portrait of himself. After conversing with cynical Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian makes a wish which dreadfully affects his life forever. If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that I would give everythingRead MoreOscar Wilde s The Picture Of Dorian Gray1544 Words   |  7 Pagescelebrity I find that it is inevitable to avoid being a part of some sort of controversy. At the height of Oscar Wilde’s career is where he found himself in just that. Although Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray is praised today, in the late 1800s it was seen by others as a negative shift in society and literature. In the film â€Å"Wilde†, after the release of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde’s wife Constance and his mother Jane have a conversation in regards to the novel that gives insight to howRead MoreThe Picture Of Dorian Gray Essay1871 Words   |  8 Pagestheir muse. Oscar Wilde was no exception. In creating the story of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde used his experience of sitting in on a painting session, done by a Basil Ward. He then proceeded to comment on how it would be amazing if the painting aged while the subject of the painting did not. Throughout the novel, we notice this kind of lifestyle being lived out by Dorian and Lord Henry, but we also see how Dorian handles his conscience based on his actions. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novelRead MoreThe Picture Of Dorian Gray Aestheticism Analysis1585 Words   |  7 Pagesby Oscar Wilde in the preface to his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (3). Along with the rest of Wilde’s preface, this sentence rebukes literary realism in favor of aestheticism. This is unsurprising to anyone who is familiar with the playwright’s other plays and lectures; Wilde was an avid opponent of realism and a firm believer in the concept of â€Å"art for art’s sake.† Critic Elizabeth Prettejohn claims that aestheticism includes a focus on the visual elements of a piece of art. Oscar WildeRead MoreThe Picture Of Dorian Gray1564 Words   |  7 PagesTheories and Ideas in The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray was published in 1891. The novel reflects the authors carelessness and hastiness. The plot of the story is simple, however, the issues that come about are very complex. The novel is about three characters: Basil Hallward, Lord Henry, and Dorian Gray. In the beginning of the story, Basil paints a portrait of Dorian and gives it to him as a present. Lord Henry talks about the importance of being young andRead MoreOscar Wilde: A Brief Biography660 Words   |  3 PagesBackground Information: Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde, son of William and Jane Wilde, was born October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. Wilde was born into a well educated and literate family, as his father was an ear and eye surgeon who had written multiple books during his practice. His mother was also a writer; she wrote articles relating to Irish nationalism, the rights of women along with multiple poems, essays, and stories (Shuman). Oscar excelled in school and received multiple recognitionsRead MoreThe Theme of Decadence in the Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde1553 Words   |  7 PagesThe theme of decadence in The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde Staring from the definition found in the dictionary, the decadence is a literary movement especially of late 19th-century France and England characterized by refined aestheticism, artifice, and the quest for new sensations. [1] In decadence, important is not necessarily what is seen, but the hermeneutics: what man feels when he sees the creative result of this feeling. It is the current that requires a co-operationRead More Essay on Picture of Dorian Gray: Discovering Wilde900 Words   |  4 PagesDiscovering Wilde in The Picture of Dorian Gray  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   The Picture of Dorian Gray can be defined as a symbolic representation of a dialectic between two aspects of Wildes personality. Dorian is an archetypal image by which both aspects are fascinated. This suggests that his behaviour symbolizes Wildes unconscious (i.e. unacknowledged) attitudes. Dorian is characterized by his evasiveness and his obsession with objets dart. For example, when Basil comes to console him about Sibyls death