While the Biblical element played a major role throughout the novel, blindness also played its part. In protest to this the reader may note that neither Dorian or any of the other characters lack in sight, but the literal blindness is not the one that Thomas C. Foster refers to in Chapter 22 titled “He’s Blind for a Reason, You Know”; within this chapter, Foster alludes to the notion that “when literal blindness, sight, darkness, and light are introduced into a story, it is nearly always the case that figurative seeing and blindness are at work. Here’s the caveat: seeing and blindness are generally at issue in many works, even where there is no hint of blindness…” (212). Based on the acquired information one can conclude that Dorian was in fact blind from the very beginning since he was naïve to the world and the corruption that surrounded him, that is until he met Lord Henry, who …show more content…
The story of Dorian Gray became the inspiration behind a new age of writing, more daring and defying to the point of the notion itself becoming cliché in the public’s eyes, however the beauty of this specific book lies not in the over utilized concept of making a pact with the devil, but in the fact that the plot can be infinitely analyzed and new meanings found within each sentence. There is not an explicit meaning to the novel, yet one can assume that the overview is such that life exists to test those who have been fortunate, or rather unfortunate enough to have been born; no life is perfect, and temptation of sin awaits at every step, yet it is the task of the one being tested to resist unbecoming influence and carve one’s own path, while enjoying things as they come rather than becoming infatuated with ephemeral aspects of existence such as one’s beauty or the lack
Magic Realism is a literary genre that combines two seemingly contrasting elements and fantasy reality by introducing supernatural or unreal elements into depictions of real life. “House Taken Over” by Julio Cortazar is a good example of Magic Realism because it has supernatural feelings and events throughout the story in real life events and situation. An example from the story is paragraph twenty five it explains the sister dropped her knitting because her ball of yarn was on the other side of the house,Irene had never been on the other side and for the yarn to be over has a supernatural or unreal feeling to it. This is an example of Magic Realism because it has a supernatural feel to the event that has happened to Irene, this also feels
Oscar Wilde’s only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, revolves around a young man who has his wish of eternal youth granted. His age and sins are absorbed by his portrait, while he remains youthful and physically untouched. Ultimately throwing immortality away by not living as a proper human with morals, but by sullying his soul, demonstrated by the growing hideousness of his portrait throughout his his life. Wilde by using foil characters, choice of diction to employ emotional response, and an allegory within his novel, showcases human nature’s susceptibility to corruption. Surrounding the protagonist, Dorian Gray, are two juxtaposing characters: Basil Hallward and Henry Wotton.
Most people are taught from a young age what is right, and what is wrong. These teachings set up the basis for later discovering one’s personal values. In Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, these same principles are applied and challenged by Wilde. Not only does he question morality and human nature, but also the ideas of the Aesthetic movement- which influenced the ideals and behavior of Dorian Gray. Through Dorian’s morally ambiguous character, Wilde asserts that one is not purely good or evil, but a mixture of the two; Wilde establishes this theme when Dorian breaks up with Sibyl Vane, murders Basil Hallward, and stabs his decaying portrait.
Each person has a tendency to act a certain way around specific groups of people, however, the core of one’s personality can never truly change. By having created a perfect, yet, fictitious character, Dorian Gray deceives “high society… [with his] wealth and outer surface, [while] his victims and past accomplices in sin, know better,” than to believe that he is the youthful and innocent man he claims to be (Fritz 1). Lost in the greed of wanting to remain eternally handsome, Dorian continues to lead a dishonest life in which he loses the morals he had during
In chapter fourteen, Basil learns the truth about Dorian, and the roles of good and evil in mankind come into play. Dorian mentions, “Each of us has Heaven and Hell in him, Basil,” (Wilde), which directly acknowledges the belief of duality of man within Dorian, as he uses it to excuse the corrupt and awful ways he acts throughout the novel. Critical analysts of this novel such as Phillip K Cohen also note upon this in their critical essays: “Dorian knows well what a ‘terrible crime’ murder is, but he, who has committed it, never seeks forgiveness,” (Cohen). These actions and behaviors of Dorian Gray demonstrate how his obsession for an impossible wish to keep his youthful demeanor have destroyed him, leading to his death as a person emotionally, and physically. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Stevenson and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, while having protagonists with different goals, both explore the ideas of how an obsession can destroy their own lives.
The Picture of Dorian Gray, a novel laced with sin, treachery, and raging battles of inner conflict, is Oscar Wilde’s sole novel. Considered immoral and scandalous upon publication, the book centers around a young man named Dorian Gray, who does not age or reflect the darkness of his heart outwardly, and instead a portrait of him bears the damage his destructive life wreaks on his soul. However, the meaning of the story extends past the simple fact that Dorian lives a life of immorality—he walks the path that takes him there with his two friends, Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotten. The two attempt to guide and influence Dorian throughout the novel in their own ways, and are a vital piece of Dorian’s tale. Basil and Henry act as character foils as well as a symbolic angel and devil for Dorian Gray’s character, and also contribute themes of choosing one’s own fate.
The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, is a novel about greed and ruin. Dorian Gray, received infinite youth from a portrait of him, which portrays all his sins and wrongdoings on itself, rather than his body. This freedom from morality leads Dorian Gray down a road of destruction until his sins are returned to him and he meets his end. Through a psychoanalytic Freudian lens, it is clear that Dorian Gray exhibits many of Sigmund Freud’s theories, including his theory of personality, the Oedipus complex, and the defense mechanisms.
One of the greatest forces in the world is the influence the human soul has among individuals. Laurence Sterne wrote No body, but he who has felt it, can conceive what a plaguing thing it is to have a man’s mind torn asunder by two project of equal strength, both obstinately pulling in a contrary direction at the same time. In Oscar Wilde’s work, Dorian Gray was profoundly conflicted internally by forces that had opposing principles and ideologies which ties into the one of the biggest themes in the novel, good vs. evil. On the one hand, there’s the evil that breeds hedonism- Lord Henry.
In this novel, beauty and youth reign over everything. In Victorian period, The Picture of Dorian Gray was characterized as scandalous and immoral. Typical idealistic image of behavior and modesty inherent to old time Victorian England was discredited in the novel. The Picture of Dorian Gray contained radical ideals for the period of time it was written. Dorian represents all what was disgraceful and forbidden condemned in Victorian
The Picture of Dorian Grey as a novel in the Victorian Era was shocking to readers of the time due to the open nature of topics like: sexuality, greed and corruption. A Freudian perspective of the characters: Basil, Lord Henry and Dorian can be seen as the Id, Ego and Super Ego. Basil is the Super Ego, he conforms to a certain extent and tries to make Dorian lead a moral life when it comes to desperate times of the loss of the 'real Dorian'; Lord Henry can be seen as the Id, the immoral character who tries to convince Dorian to submit to his natural urges and passions; Dorian is the Ego, one who in the beginning is in between the two and has a power struggle within as to how he should act as a character in the novel. In answering this question and exploring the conflicts shown in the novel one must look at the gender, identity and sexuality.
In analyzing Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, concepts such as influence and the origin of evil in Dorian Gray play an exceptionally valuable role in understanding the motives of the characters. Although some critics argue characters such as Lord Kelso significantly influence Dorian’s corruption, Lord Henry Wotton’s toxic personality undeniably impacts Dorian the most. Throughout the course of the novel, Lord Henry remains the ultimate source of evil and uses deception and persuasion to poison Dorian from a naïve boy to a destructive monster.
Themes of the evil and representations of the devil also feature in Dorian Gray. The devil is represented by Lord Henry Wotton – his worldview and words have a profound effect on the innocent minded Dorian, who takes Henry's philosophy into practice. Hence, symbolically Henry is the evil influence upon Dorian. Evil is also showcased through the deal with the devil that Dorian makes. In the beginning of the novel, Dorian desires to sell his soul in order to remain young and beautiful forever. His wish is granted and that sets in motion the path of infamy which Dorian will take. In Wilde's time, Morality, Hedonism and culture's obsession with beauty and youth were key issues in society. Wilde understood this and included such themes into Dorian Gray. Hence, making the text relatable and vital to the period in which Dorian Gray was penned. Wilde in Dorian Gray is making a wider statement about society – Victorian era Britain was supposed
In the Victorian prose, The Portrait of Dorian Gray explores the idea of duality. The divided self within the character of Dorian Gray begins with his misunderstanding of his self-image, because of the influence of a portrait. Dorian’s fate and transformation connect to the painting, which leads to his downfall. The painting contains Dorian's moral decline as changes to the picture affects his life. Through the portrait, he gains an image of himself as an independent individual compared to his previous characteristics where he followed traditional Victorian standards. The sinful actions of Dorian Gray demonstrate duality, because of the self-image he gains from a portrait allowing him to live morally free until he redeems himself by
Assimilating to the role of a tragic hero, Dorian Gray exhibits an unconventional philosophy, hedonism, which contradicts the norms of the Victorian Era. Through this characteristic, his devotion to the aesthetics of his life takes precedence over morality and ethics. Extolling at the magnificence of his painting, symbolizing the consequences of his transgressions, is the manifestation of the temptation that has corrupted the sanctity of his cerebral cortex. In essence, his obsession with “eternal youth, infinite passion, pleasures subtle and secret, wild joys and wilder sins” were the focus of his existence from which the allusion to the Faustian legend can be interpreted as dealing with supernatural forces of nature to further his conviction. Tempted by the extravagant luxuries that are limited to humanity for a short period of time hinders one from using it to its full potential. Relinquishing his virtues by bequeathing it to the portrait, he surrenders to his temptations as he “draws the screen back into its former place in front of the picture, smiling as he did so… if the picture was to alter, it was to alter. That was all.” Desiring a selfish satisfaction that goes against conventional wisdom qualifies as a sin, due to his excessive lifestyle consisting of no consequences. His principles have been bestowed upon another entity to feel the ramifications of Dorian’s eternal youth, which enables him to abuse the wonders of appearance to his heart’s content. His surrendering to the temptation of eternal youth is one trait that essentially
In chapter 20 of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Dorian reflects on his past crimes and wonders whether he will ever change and retrieve his innocence again. Throughout the final chapter of the novel, the elements of Gothic novel that Wilde explores conveys the idea of the pursuit of individualism. Dorian’s wild, racing emotions clearly show how much he is driven by his readiness to fulfill his desires under any circumstance. Through this, the use of specific words and punctuation markings highlight Dorian’s personal yearning of removing himself from his past.