Beauty Being like everyone else is what seems to be expected in today’s society. Being who you truly are as a person just is not common in this day in age. Dorian in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” experienced similar criticism due to his unbearable beauty. Society has its way of judging and creating standards in order to create expectations on how life should be. Members in society are expected to exceed those, as in Dorian in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”. Beauty is the root of evil. How you look is what ranks you in today’s society. Physical features such as hair, eyes, lips and body shape as well as what you’re wearing and how you wear it all matter when you’re trying to come out on top in today’s world. …show more content…
“Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter” (Wilde) which, in a sense expresses Basil’s admiration with Dorian. So much so that he would not have minded to be in Dorian’s position. How others look will have you questioning yourself. Are you to skinny? Too fat? Is your nose too wide? Are you good enough? Especially when there are set rules and standards that many seem to follow. Such rules and standards is what had Basil questioning his worth and Dorian in fear of losing his position in …show more content…
At the height of Oscar Wilde’s career, which was the era of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde was writing at a period of time when only the wealthy and educated would be able to afford his works. He himself was always fascinated with looks even as a child. Even though Wilde believed that an artist should not put themselves in their work, he did very much of that. When The Picture of Dorian Gray was released, critics were outraged by the lack of mortality in the novel. The homosexual tendencies within the book were believed to be downright immoral which caused Wilde’s infamous imprisonment for homosexuality. While Wilde was on trial, he was asked several questions about The Picture of Dorian Gray in which it was suspected that Wilde was confessing his relationships and love for men. The irony of it all is that Wilde was at that moment having an affair with another male. Expressing his feelings in his writing was a different and unique way of confessing to society. Society at the time only believed in men and women relationships and since Wilde did not follow the set rules and expectations he was highly frowned upon. As in today’s world; if you choose to be different in any way, society lashes back unapologetically. Oscar Wilde was a believer that all art is surface and a symbol and his art was a symbol of his lifestyle. Contradictory to Wilde’s works, however, Wilde felt that all art is
In the essay “What Meets the Eye”, Daniel Akst explains scientific facts about the beauty of men and women matters to people. He argues that attractive individuals receive attention, great social status, marries, and gets paid more on a job. One can disagree with Akst’s argument because anyone with the skills and knowledge, despite the appearance, can gain a decent relationship and can get paid well. Akst looks at beauty as if it can lead individuals to an amazing and successful life, but he is wrong. Nancy Mairs’ and Alice Walker’s views on beauty are explained internally and through self-confidence. Both women’s and Akst’s arguments on beauty share some similarities and differences in many ways, and an
During this time an artist was seen as an important figure to society because he was able to visually create and give meaning to beautiful things, which was considered art. Art and beauty became correlated this way. Sometime it is thought that artwork has to be significantly beautiful to be considered art. Basil believes that he has created his one and only master piece, which is the picture of Dorian Gray. He sees so much of himself in the art that becomes insecure about his masterpiece. In Victorian times the artist was always more important than the artwork because of what he could possibly represent in the eyes of society as an artist. This allowed Basil to become insecure about his artwork, he did not want to be judged based off of his artworks that he put some much of himself into; artistically and intelligently. This is the reason he becomes too reluctant to exhibit his artwork, “I know you will laugh at me,” he replied, “but I really can’t exhibit it. I have out too much of myself into it.” (6). This statement by Basil shows his insecurities and afraid of judgement as an artist. it also depicts that he is very concerned with the reaction and judgements of others because he tells Lord Henry his reason for not wanting to exhibit his painting Dorian, which he becomes very drawn and attracted to. Basil pushes Victorian gender roles by showing
Dorian Gray’s obsession with beauty emphasizes his feministic qualities and disregards all expectations of a male in his society. Wilde’s description of Dorian “with his finely curved scarlet lips, his frank blue eyes, his crisp gold hair” resembles more a woman than a man, as it lacks a chiseled jaw or the scruffy appearance associated with man (14). Lord Henry speaks of Dorian’s “wonderfully beautiful face,” accentuating his feminine qualities, discarding words such words as handsome (20). Lord Henr...
In today’s culture, depending on the person, beauty can be depicted as a positive influence or as a negative influence. Alyssa Giacobbe outlines beauty in her article, “Youth, Beauty, and An Obsession with Looks.” Giacobbe swings towards a more negative viewpoint.
Beauty is dangerous, especially when you lack it. In the book "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison, we witness the effects that beauty brings. Specifically the collapse of Pecola Breedlove, due to her belief that she did not hold beauty. The media in the 1940's as well as today imposes standards in which beauty is measured up to; but in reality beauty dwells within us all whether it's visible or not there's beauty in all; that beauty is unworthy if society brands you with the label of being ugly.
Oscar Wilde’s novel, Picture of Dorian Gray, portrays the dichotomy of the double life led by Dorian Gray.1 The contrast between the portrait and Dorian personifies the universal battle of sin versus morale and ultimately serves as a moral compass for society.2 Dorian’s development of a double life identifies with the results of sociological oppression leading to confinement.3 The development of this contrasting lifestyle inevitably influences a fatal deterioration of his soul and heart.4 Oscar Wilde’s exaggeration of the effects of the double life of Dorian Gray within his novel Picture of Dorian Gray ultimately conveys the degradation due to a confinement of the soul, and personifies the dualism between private and public lives.5
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.
Woodcock, George. The Paradox of Oscar Wilde. London-New York: T.V. Boardman and Co., Ltd., 1950.
Duggan, Patrick. "The Conflict between Aestheticism and Morality in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray." Journal of the CAS Writing Program (2008): 61-68. Print.
Dorian Gray's life is dictated by his physical appeal. His beauty lies within his youth. Dorian's perception of beauty allows him to love. He is convinced that his beauty allows him to accomplish anything he desires regardless of the consequences and still be loved by his friends. He uses his beauty to mitigate his evil actions. Dorian says, “I don't wish to know anything about them. I love scandals about other people, but scandals about myself don't interest me. They have not got the charm of novelty.” Youth and beauty are the most precious things to Dorian. In his life, beauty is of utmost importance. Then he sees the picture of himself, painted by Basil, absorb his sins and this changed his view. “I hope it is not about myself. I am tired of myself tonight. I should like to be somebody else,” Dorian said. He aspired to have had a good life rather than one filled with artificial meaning and beauty. The moral beauty of Doran lies within the portrait of himself. The portrait imitated his life. He finally realized that beauty cannot help him escape his evil actions. He deeply lamemted his wish that the portrait bore the burden of his age an...
He also blames all the misery of his life on the hideous painting of him (152). Dorian's hatred towards the two pieces of art mirror how Victorian society looks upon art created by people like Oscar Wilde. Oscar Wilde's plays, essays and other works of art are looked upon poorly by some in the Victorian era as his work was considered by some to be corrupt. Oscar Wilde, however, uses the book The Picture of Dorian Gray to subtly counter these points. “All art at once” surface and symbol.
Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray has acquired both praise and condemnation for its presentation of human morals. Because the novel explores the ethical decisions that lead to Dorian Gray’s eventual demise, the themes of individualism and immorality are explored by critics as Bryan Aubrey and Philip K. Cohen. Essayist Bryan Aubrey examines how some characters in the novel exert themes as beauty versus ethics, and art versus life. He analyzes why Wilde creates catastrophic characters as Dorian Gray, Basil Hallward, and Lord Henry Wotton, in order to serve as human representations of these ideas. Aubrey alludes to Lord Henry’s use of hedonistic influence on Dorian Gray, by arguing how his purpose “is to cultivate an intensity of experience
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.
The Importance and Centrality of Beauty as shown in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or is it? Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray deeply expresses its thoughts on the importance of outward beauty in both its characters and descriptions of the environment. The importance of beauty is a very integral part of the novel in both scenery and character development. Dorian’s constant inner conflict between him and the portrait and how it ultimately leads to his death. Lord Henry and his first interaction with Dorian that leads the younger boy to alter his own vision of beauty and become selfish in the way he views beauty.
Seemingly striving after impersonality and aesthetic perfection in his work, Basil feels the greatest anxiety of having put "too much of himself" into his picture of Dorian (Chapter 1, page 20) that he can't exhibit it. To display his work of art in public would, in a sense, amount to exposure of Basil's attraction to Dorian Gray. This is one reason, and another reason is that he may fear that more people will see and get attracted by Dorian Gray. He admits to Lord Henry that "he is much more to me(Basil) than a model or a sitter."In his deep consciousness, he is quite possessive and self-contemptuous. He refused to introduce Dorian Gray to...