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Symbolism in the picture of dorian gray
Essay symbolism in the picture of dorian gray
The picture of dorian gray literary analysis
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The Picture of Dorian Gray as a Moral Book
The Picture of Dorian Gray was a remarkably well-written book due to the reaction of its themes by society. In the preface of the novel, Wilde introduces the opinion that "...there is no moral or immoral book. Books are well written or badly written. That is all." Numerous views can be taken upon this fastidious comment. Many would agree that Wilde is justifiably correct because the preface was written with the intention that his readers understand the deeper meaning of the themes than worrying about whether it is considered morally acceptable; or perhaps, the view that it could be considered moral or immoral by the impact it has on the readers' lives. Even though there are several positions held on what The Picture of Dorian Gray's most important meaning is about, the most prominent is the novel as a moral book. Lord Henry Wotton immediately begins to corrupt Dorian's mind after they first meet by forcing his immoral thoughts of "yielding to temptation" which allows Lord Henry to hold his attention. After listening for quite a while to Lord Henry's views, Dorian begins to change his own to match them, and therefore begins to live a life of immorality. The yellow book is a device that Lord Henry uses to further corrupt and drive Dorian deeper into the pits of sin. Through Lord Henry's influence, the changes in Dorian Gray, and the impact of the yellow book, Oscar Wilde efficiently reveals The Picture of Dorian Gray as a moral book.
Lord Wotton sees Dorian as "wonderfully handsome...all of youth's passionate purity," and cannot resist the t...
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...self from the influence of this book. Or perhaps...that he never sought to free himself from it." Dorian procures nine copies from Paris to have them bound in different colors to fit his mood, which implies that he was in all probability never without it. From the yellow book the moral learned is "all access as well as all renunciation" leads to punishment.
In conclusion, it has been reiterated that Lord Henry's influence, the changes in Dorian, and the immorality of the yellow book further enforced The Picture of Dorian Gray as a moral book. Oscar Wilde allows for those who could understand the real meaning of the novel by comprehending the importance of these three things to discern that he fully intended on writing this novel as a moral book.
In the beginning of the book, Dorian seems to be an innocent, charming, beautiful young man, and even referred to as “a wonderful creation” (ch 2). Dorian is described as this amazing person, with looks comparable to a God, charm that could swoon any woman, and a mesmerizing persona about him with the ability to draw anyone near, yet he seems to be so imperceptive to himself. His attitude of simplicity causes readers to be fond of him, passing their first judgments that he could not possibly be evil. As the story moves along readers see the first inkling that Dorian may not be so perfect. Dorian comments on “how sad it is…[that he] shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But the picture will remain always young” (ch 2). This statement lets readers inside Dorian’s thoughts, showing how shallow and frivolous Dorian views life to be. He places so much value and esteem on looks alone, forgetting that being painted should be an honor, or at the very least...
Jonathan Swift is one of the best known satirists in the history of literature. When one reads his works, especially something like Gulliver’s Travels, it is easy for one to spot the misanthropic themes, which emerge within his characterization. Lamuel Gulliver is an excellent protagonist: a keen observer, and a good representative of his native England, but one who loses faith in mankind as his story progresses. He ends up in remote areas of the world all by accidents in his voyages. In each trip, he is shipwrecked and mysteriously arrives to lands never before seen by men. This forms an interesting rhythm in the novel: as Gulliver is given more and more responsibility, he tends to be less and less in control.
Throughout the narrative, Gulliver's encounter with the Yahoos is significant in the way that Swift satirizes human characteristics as a whole. This can be seen through the Yahoos desire to continuously fight with against other groups of people or even each other for no justifiable reason. The Yahoos also have immense greed for things that are not even that useful for them, or have no significant cause for them to posses in the first place, such as stones. They do however want those things as it equivalent to them as jewellery for humans. The Yahoos are used as an example of human greed and selfishness. The Yahoos are not visually appealing to Gulliver as he describes how he feels about them in his first encounter with them, In this journey, Gulliver clearly does not like the Yahoos and Swift satirizes the fact that it is odd that Gulliver is so disgusted by the Yahoos considering how close they are to humans. Gulliver is a human being who does not like a human-like race that is not human. He does not like that they are greedy, selfish, and violent, which is ironic because that is exactly how people of his own race act.
Swifts Gulliver’s Travels enables us to critically and harshly analyse our world and encourages us to evaluate the customs of early 18th century English society in relation to an ideal humanity. In order to address the injustices prevalent in human constructs and behavior, Swift uses literary techniques to induce a state of extreme self-doubt. The satire's assessment of humanity's positive and negative traits is developed through Gulliver's awkward process of identifying with the loathsome Yahoos and idolising the rational Houyhnhnms. The allegory of a domestic animal portraying more "humanity" than humans exemplifies the flaws of human nature and the tumultuous, uncertain philosophical, ethical, and scientific thought, of Swifts period. The portrayal of the Houyhnhnms involves a direct attack on human nature. Although Gulliver's Travels Book IV makes a satirical attack on human nature in general, it does have specific targets in mind: namely, war and its associated destruction, the verminous, lying, criminal activities of lawyers, and the cruel shallowness of consumerism and wealth disparity. In intellectual terms the text leaves the reader feeling quite disturbed despite the use of humor and adventure telling. This essay will analyse Gulliver’s Travels Part 4 in terms of genre and will explore how the satire uses rhetorical means to provide commentary on rational humanity. In addition the essay will examine how Swift promoted change to early 18th century England by constructing an intricate attack on the philosophical position of his political adversaries.
On the surface, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver's Travels appears to be a travel log, made to chronicle the adventures of a man, Lemuel Gulliver, on the four most incredible voyages imaginable. Primarily, however, Gulliver's Travels is a work of satire. "Gulliver is neither a fully developed character nor even an altogether distinguishable persona; rather, he is a satiric device enabling Swift to score satirical points" (Rodino 124). Indeed, whereas the work begins with more specific satire, attacking perhaps one political machine or aimed at one particular custom in each instance, it finishes with "the most savage onslaught on humanity ever written," satirizing the whole of the human condition. (Murry 3). In order to convey this satire, Gulliver is taken on four adventures, driven by fate, a restless spirit, and the pen of Swift. Gulliver's first journey takes him to the Land of Lilliput, where he finds himself a giant among six inch tall beings. His next journey brings him to Brobdingnag, where his situation is reversed: now he is the midget in a land of giants. His third journey leads him to Laputa, the floating island, inhabited by strange (although similarly sized) beings who derive their whole culture from music and mathematics. Gulliver's fourth and final journey places him in the land of the Houyhnhnm, a society of intelligent, reasoning horses. As Swift leads Gulliver on these four fantastical journeys, Gulliver's perceptions of himself and the people and things around him change, giving Swift ample opportunity to inject into the story both irony and satire of the England of his day and of the human condition.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a rich story which can be viewed through many literary and cultural lenses. Oscar Wilde himself purposefully filled his novel with a great many direct and indirect allusions to the literary culture of his times, so it seems appropriate to look back at his story - both the novel and the 1945 film version - in this way.
...society you must be strong and powerful, but too much power corrupts. Respect comes and goes. Receiving respect can come by force and by natural decisions. Respectful instances make people give thanks but can be voluntary or involuntary. George Orwell shows his views on Fear of powers in 20th century dystopian literature. As a British novelist, Orwell succeeded in being an informant. His past experiences struck knowledge in the many of his followers. The novel 1984 is representation of the terror profound dictatorship. The fictional society, Oceania, has many problematic issues in what the future can indulge. The famous British novelist struck many and still captivates value in many eyes today. George Orwell with the maiden name of Eric Arthur Blair, the man was simply brilliant; he fulfilled his hopes and wishes into making a difference and entirely changed lives.
...any of the houyhnhnms ideals that he realizes he won't be able to accept or be accepted by the people of his native land. Having learned the things he has, the world of the Yahoos is contemptible and disgusting to him. This is very evident when Gulliver finally returns to his family. "The sight of them filled me only with hatred, disgust, and contempt"(304). Gulliver does not want the identity of Yahoo and can't stand to even be associated with them. Gulliver's quest for acceptance leaves him even more isolated then ever. He was neither accepted by those in his home land nor those in any of the lands he had visited. In the end he is an outcast that passes his days talking to horses, trying to relive his happier days of partial acceptance among the houyhnhnms.
Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, explores the themes of influence, corruption and conscience. “The obvious influence of Lord Henry upon Dorian shows how one may corrupt another to such an extent that one's own conscience withers and dies”(Weintraub 116).
Wilde, Oscar, and Michael Patrick. Gillespie. The Picture of Dorian Gray: Authoritative Texts, Backgrounds, Reviews and Reactions, Criticism. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2007. Print.
In Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, beauty is depicted as the driving force in the lives of the three main characters, Dorian, Basil and Lord Henry. Dorian, the main character, believes in seizing the day. Basil, the artist, admires all that is beautiful in life. Lord Henry, accredited ones physical appearance to the ability of achieving accomplishments in life. Beauty ordains the fate of Dorian, Basil, and Lord Henry. The novel embodies the relationship of beauty and morality. Beauty is not based on how attractive an object is to everyone, but how attractive it is to one.
An endeavor, such as the one taken by Gulliver always comes with a risk. Considering the fact that he was not content with his human nature, and demonstrated his preference for animals and their set of organization. One may ask why Gulliver preferred the lifestyle of horses to that of men. Answering this question, gives us a lead to track the madness that evolved as he went along this journey. Gulliver was unsatisfied with the state of affairs in his own country and was looking for a country which is Utopian with what he had. His anger was first against the authority of the land, the Kings and Queens, the religious set up and how these authorities proclaim laws and procedures that don’t favor the masses. To some extent it can be said that Jonathan Swift who chose this satirical method of writing was an agent of change for the ordinary people.
The historically acknowledged and critically acclaimed novel Gulliver’s Travels written by Jonathan Swift and Marcus Cunliffe satirically covers issues that plagued their society. The irony that stems from this work is that these issues have yet to disappear from today’s society, and whether it is a result of human nature or English colonialism is still up for debate. This novel portrays the common result of English classism, which occurs all to often, mocking the poor. In the Gulliver’s Travels Swift writes “When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my Father; where, by the Assistance of him and my Uncle John . . . I got Forty Pounds, and a Promise of Thirty Pounds a Year.” (Swift, Cunliffe) This quote shows Gulliver’s state of mind and his resistance
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.
..., nostalgic, and savage in all of the strange worlds he made Gulliver walk thought because he understood that humanity was small and foolish like the Lilliputians, large but morally conscious as the Brobdingnagians, able to make great advancements in science but not always without practicality like the Laputans, and like the Houyhnhnms and the Yahoos we continuously battle with our primitive and savage impulses while trying to perfect ourselves through the use of our reason.