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Wildes view of himself in dorian gray
Essay about oscar wilde in Picture of Dorian Gray
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In Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry has exhibited valid acts of someone who is hedonistic. Throughout the first few chapters in the text Lord Henry has displayed substantial liking to pleasure, dislike of philanthropism and the love of beauty and youth. First of all Lord Henry believes that it is a silly habit to lose one’s pleasure (page 4), this belief is a strong indication that he is hedonistic because it seems to be something that influences him to continue on living. The dictionary defines a hedonistic person as someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures and that’s exactly what Lord Henry believes in. Next, Lord Henry does not believe in philanthropy (page 39), he believes that “philanthropic people lose all
sense of humanity.” This implies that one’s duty is only to himself and no one else and that he believes that there is no real pleasure in helping anyone other than himself. Lastly, Lord Henry adores beauty and youth, he assumes that one should do everything pleasurable while they are young. This is another sign of hedonism because Lord Henry is displaying fear of the road blocks that accompany old age, he fears that he wouldn’t be able to live life to the fullest once he becomes too old. Through Oscar Wild’s novel readers are introduced to Lord Henry a hedonist who demonstrates a great love of pleasure, ill will towards philanthropism and fondness of youthfulness.
Through the novel, Henry’s conversations with Dorian and Basil Hallward depict him as an invested disciple of Pater. Henry’s insight into Pater’s philosophy can best be seen when he states that, “the only horrible thing in this world is ennui” or boredom (Wilde 220). Henry echoes Pater’s distaste for the formation of habits and not having new experiences that bring the individual out of their daily rut. Henry is the one who advises Dorian to live his life to his fullest and to appreciate art and beauty, but the reader is not privy to Henry’s private life or his internal thoughts. While Henry accurately represents Pater’s ideals through his speech, the reader cannot assume that he also enacts them in his daily life.
such a process, this was just one of the causes of the break with Rome
One’s pursuit of the good life can be altered by how much we allow ourselves to be influence by different ideas, groups, or individuals. We can suffer the dangers of egocentrism, which we see in God in America: The New Adam through the Spanish colonists and the Puritans. The other extreme we could suffer is complete conformity to someone else’s vision of the “good life” which is shown in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Although Wilde halts short of stating that Basil and Lord Henry have sexual feelings for Dorian , the language he uses to describe their devotion for Dorian is unmistakably the language of deep, romantic intimacy. “Tell me more about Mr. Dorian Gray. How often do you see him?”. “Every day. I couldn’t be happy if I didn’t see him everyday. He is absolutely necessary to me”. This common motif of homoerotic bonds between men plays a large role in structuring the novel. Basils painting is born from his adoration of Dorians beauty , comparatively Lord Henry is overcome with desire to seduce Dorian. This sense of camaraderie between men fits into Wildes aesthetic values, for it returns him to his past where the philosophy of beauty was not only the basis of society but fundamental to culture. As a homosexual living in an intolerant society, Wilde asserted this philosophy in order to justify his own lifestyle.
When Dorian Gray first meets Lord Henry at the studio of artist Basil Hallward, he is fascinated with Lord Henry’s wit and the radical social doctrines that he advocates. Dorian is easily molded and falls for the argument he hears. According to Lord Henry the goal of new hedonism, “to realize one’s nature perfectly…to give form to every feeling, expression to every thought, reality to every dream” (198-199). As far as philosophies go this seems rather innocuous until Lord Henry goes on to clarify that, “every impulse that we strive to strangle broods in the mind, and poisons us…the only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing” (199). Lord Henry’s advice entices the malleable Dorian, who does not seem to realize that Lord Henry may advocate giving in to every impulse, even the destructive ones, but he does not follow this advice himself. As Basil Hallward informs Lord Henry, “you never say a moral thing, and you never do a wrong thing. Your cynicism is simply a pose” (188). Dorian, however, takes Lord Henry’s advice concerning new hedonism at face value and the results are disastrous.
Aestheticism is a philosophy in which its followers practice complete self-indulgence. Aesthetic principles teach that the arts, beauty, and youth are absolute over anything else. People who follow this philosophy are very egotistical, and are extremely concerned with appearances. It is often associated with jewelry, painting, music, and perfumes. (insert quote to prove) All followers of Aestheticism put activities pertaining to beauty above anything else. Their priorities hold beauty above attributes such as kindness, morality, and intelligence. Hedonism is a practice that is very similar. Followers of the philosophy of Hedonism conclude that pleasure is the most important aspect of life. In the picture of Dorian Gray, Aestheticism and Hedonism are very active philosophies used by the novel’s characters. Lord Henry influences Dorian to follow these teachings, and as a result Dorian becomes intensely vain and selfish. The portrait is in direct correlation with the immoral influence and the intense vanity. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde effectively uses the portrait of Dorian Gray as a symbol to satirize the adverse effects that social pressures and excessive vanity have on a person’s morality.
none of them work, in fact they look down upon it and they very much
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.
"The soul is a terrible reality. It can be bought and sold. It can be poisoned or made perfect. There's a soul in each one of us. I know it." This is a statement made by Dorian Gray to his best friend, Lord Henry, a few hours after he realizes that his behavior of the last eighteen years has been absolutely terrible.
When Lord Henry first meets Gray, he instills an obsession with youth in him, and leads him to believe that it is the most important part of Gray. Gray is so heavily affected by Lord Henry 's ramblings that he begins to believe that he is, in fact hedonistic, but represses
Oscar Wilde’s ‘The picture of Dorian gray was based on the importance of Beauty and aesthetics. Lord Henry claims to value beauty and youth above all else. “But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins. Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face. The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid.” Here Henry talks about his belief that everything that matters shows itself in appearance. According to him, a person's thoughts and personality have influence over the alignment of their features. It is this very logic, which Lord Henry transfers to Dorian that drives him to make the wish that ultimately damns him. The moment Dorian Gray realizes that he would get to keep his beautiful appearance regardless of the sins he indulges in, he thinks himself free from the bounds of morality and righteousness. He values his physical appearance more than the state of his soul, which is openly displayed by the ever-increasing degradation of the portrait. This superficial faith in the ultimate value of youth and beauty is therefore the driving mechanism behind the protagonist's damnation. It is important to bear in mind that the beauty that Dorian incessantly pursues is a beauty defined by a purely artistic sensibility, as opposed to a humanitarian one. When faced with the news of his fiancé’s suicide,
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.
In the early chapters of The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, we are introduced to a young and naïve character, Dorian Gray. Wilde’s descriptions of the young man create a picture of an innocent yet easily influenced Dorian, who is just beginning to learn what the adult world is all about. He is happy and handsome, yet when he is introduced to Lord Henry, he begins to experiment a little bit more on the side of sin. He becomes obsessed with youth and beauty, and he says that he “would give everything, even [his] very soul” to remain attractive and young. After this declaration, the reader is introduced to a changed Dorian Gray and his new philosophies about life, which begin to sound a lot like Lord Henry’s thoughts. Dorian “falls in love,” and then he breaks a girl’s heart, causing her to end her life. His beautiful portrait begins to alter, and to keep others from witnessing this, he locks the picture away.
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.
Basil’s questioning of Dorian marrying an actress from the slums of London begins to show Basil evolving to a position of the super ego he knows what is right yet is over ruled by the devil on Dorian’s Shoulder, Lord Henry. Both men idolize youth they both make Dorian Gray to be the symbol of youthfulness. Basil is ultimately self-defeating when he presents the portrait Dorian Gray and he begins to idolize the lifestyle of Lord Henry. It is made clear to Dorian that it is Hippocratic to change your ways to appear pure after a lifetime immorality. “Even the cardinal virtues cannot atone for half-cold entrées,” (Wilde). Even though he is warned early of the risks of the lifestyle, Dorian follows in the ways of Lord Henry. A life of hypocrisy is comparable to the aristocratic life Dorian lives he, “can flaunt [his] moral views about [h...