500
Maureen Moore
Mr. Bamford
English 10 Period 7
February 22, 2015
I. Thesis: The Picture of Dorian Gray was a philosophical novel written by Oscar Wilde at the end of the nineteenth century. Although the story took place during the Victorian era, Wilde's book was very controversial for a multitude of reasons.
Introduction: In essence, the book was an assault on repressive Victorianism, and Wilde seemed to be expressing much of himself in his novel including his homosexual tendencies. Considering that Wilde's novel had been censored and edited before it's release to the public, it is arguable that Oscar Wilde's work was very daring and perhaps even impulsive for its time.
I. topic # I - The defining features of the victorian age (named so after the reign of queen Victoria):
Aestheticism is a fashionable dogma that was accepted by society at the time . Aestheticism was an exaggerated adherence towards art and the belief that art should exist for beauty alone.
A. Subtopic #1 (Supporting details/research/quotes):
Wilde uses gothic elements to capture the corrupt soul of Dorian Gray through an aesthetic approach. Dorian Gray is first described as an innocent, naive, and pure soul who has a vulnerability to outside influence. When Dorian is first introduced to Lord Henry he becomes a victim to Henry's manipulative character;accordingly, a curiosity for sin awakens inside him. Dorian begins to undergo a dramatic transformation throughout the novel, and starts to lose his innocence./ Beauty is exaggerated in the book partly to expose the sins and immoral values of Victorian England. Likewise, scholars have proposed that Dorian Gray was given the name intentionally. The name Dorian etymologically means "gold"or "golden", like Dorian's good looks. Yet Dorian's soul is neither completely black or white/ good or evil, so it resides in a moral gray area.
/ "Beauty is a form of genius-- is higher, indeed than genius, as it needs no explanation. "
This part of the novel was a culmination (climax) to Dorian's developed fear of aging. Lord Henry planted a seed of doubt, making Dorian fall for the idea that once his youth dies his life will be pointless. Beauty matters above all else.
Analysis:
B. Subtopic #2 (Supporting details/research/quotes)
The decadent movement that was prevailing in Europe during the late nineteenth century (a major defining feature of the book) was marked by aestheticism, and the desire for experiencing contemporary sensations. Decadence was a defiance against society and morals which can be encompassed by corrupted lifestyles and obliteration of the soul by exceeding the boundaries of normality and what is perceived as moral./ Lord Henry is best representative of the decadence movement because of his alternative, if not evil,thoughts. Lord Henry is portrayed as the most hedonistic character in the novel. An aristocrat, Henry does everything for his own pleasure and most notably, he creates a monster out of Dorian by spoiling his soul./ This is one of the reasons why the novel provoked the press and attracted negative reactions , because it mocked the Victorian attitude towards life in addition to openly challenging the traditional values.
/ "You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit"
Lord Henry's judgements always scared Dorian Gray. Nevertheless, Gray was aware of Henry's poisonous sentiments and yet he remained very fond and constantly fascinated by Lord Henry. Although, Gray might have considered Henry a friend and a kind of mentor, to Henry, Dorian was nothing more than a victim of his own game. He induced his malicious elements into the innocent man, and watched their corruptive influence take an effect on Dorian.
"Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man's face"
Basil Hallward was a true friend of Dorian's because he was genuinely concerned for the salvation of Dorian's soul. In the beginning, of the novel the painter worried that Henry had destructive effect on others, and he attempted to shield Dorian from his influence. To Hallward, Dorian represented all that is good, and he couldn't believe that underneath Dorian's outer beauty there resided evil. This was Hallward's weakness; he was too gullible and blindly convinced that his muse was an angel (because he looked like one).
II. topic # 2 - ways in which the work reflects its time period:
The picture of Dorian Gray clearly reflects the Victorian era through its extensive historical context, social behaviors, and the issues that society deals with.
Subtopic # 1 & 2 (Further Evidence)
-The fact that Dorian Gray was getting his portrait done by Basil Hallward, is one of the obvious facts (in the beginning of the story) that reveals the setting takes place in the distant past, when photography was not yet invented.
- Although wilde never openly states the specific time, by including " the yellow book" into the story, its easier to determine that Dorian was living during the late eighteen hundreds making him a contemporary of his author Oscar Wilde. The yellow book, as Dorian refers to it, was an important book written by J.K. Huysman, during the decadent period.Dorian takes the book as a guide and tries to pursue the aesthetic ideals depicted in the book, but the yellow book is meant to represent the toxic influence that Lord Henry has on Dorian.Moral and social behavior was valued at this time; the yellow book challenged the boundaries of morality.
" As for being poisoned by a book, there is no such thing as that...The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame"
Lord Henry claims that art can have no power of infecting the mind, after Dorian convicts Henry of introducing him to a harmful literature. His statement is hard to believe, because it does change Dorian and takes him done the wrong path.
III. topic # 3 - Oscar Wilde's life (important aspects included)
-Originally from Ireland, Oscar Wilde was regarded as one of the greatest playwrights in England (of the Victorian Era).
- He was a proponent to the aesthetic movement as many of his writing dealt with the pressing issues of the time.
-Wilde was known for his wit and homesexuality. He was arrested and convicted for gross indecency with other men and spent two years of his life in jail.
- Died from meningitis after his release. He was later buried in Paris.
IV. topic # 4- ways in which the work reflects Oscar Wilde's life
Subtopic #1 & 2:
Oscar seemed to be expressing himself in the book through multiple characters (particularly Dorian Gray). / To further analyze, he used his characters as representatives of different parts of his personality./
(Supporting details) /After the publication of his novel, Wilde's reputation was hurt for the most part, because the writing embodied the authors sexuality. Much like his main character, Dorian Gray, Wilde lost the battle with his public image by hurting his own virtual portrait. In addition, scholars suggest Basil Hallward resembled the good and controlled version of Oscar. Whereas, Lord Henry Wutton characterized sin and curiosity.
" An artist should create beautiful things, but put nothing of his own life into them"
Basil Hallward stated about his art. The statement is very ironic because Wilde did exactly the opposite with his own work.
V. Conclusion:
Through Oscar Wilde's popular novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde writes about the Victorian society which was an aristocratic world that revolved around scandals, prejudices, and lies. Wilde's book emphasizes the importance of honesty and purity. Oscar Wilde seemed disgusted by the era that he was living in and used his work to show his disapproval.
Maureen Moore
Mr. Bamford
English 10 Period 7
February 22, 2015
I. Thesis: The Picture of Dorian Gray was a philosophical novel written by Oscar Wilde at the end of the nineteenth century. Although the story took place during the Victorian era, Wilde's book was very controversial for a multitude of reasons.
Introduction: In essence, the book was an assault on repressive Victorianism, and Wilde seemed to be expressing much of himself in his novel including his homosexual tendencies. Considering that Wilde's novel had been censored and edited before it's release to the public, it is arguable that Oscar Wilde's work was very daring and perhaps even impulsive for its time.
I. topic # I - The defining features of the victorian age (named so after the reign of queen Victoria):
Aestheticism is a fashionable dogma that was accepted by society at the time . Aestheticism was an exaggerated adherence towards art and the belief that art should exist for beauty alone.
A. Subtopic #1 (Supporting details/research/quotes):
Wilde uses gothic elements to capture the corrupt soul of Dorian Gray through an aesthetic approach. Dorian Gray is first described as an innocent, naive, and pure soul who has a vulnerability to outside influence. When Dorian is first introduced to Lord Henry he becomes a victim to Henry's manipulative character;accordingly, a curiosity for sin awakens inside him. Dorian begins to undergo a dramatic transformation throughout the novel, and starts to lose his innocence./ Beauty is exaggerated in the book partly to expose the sins and immoral values of Victorian England. Likewise, scholars have proposed that Dorian Gray was given the name intentionally. The name Dorian etymologically means "gold"or "golden", like Dorian's good looks. Yet Dorian's soul is neither completely black or white/ good or evil, so it resides in a moral gray area.
/ "Beauty is a form of genius-- is higher, indeed than genius, as it needs no explanation. "
This part of the novel was a culmination (climax) to Dorian's developed fear of aging. Lord Henry planted a seed of doubt, making Dorian fall for the idea that once his youth dies his life will be pointless. Beauty matters above all else.
Analysis:
B. Subtopic #2 (Supporting details/research/quotes)
The decadent movement that was prevailing in Europe during the late nineteenth century (a major defining feature of the book) was marked by aestheticism, and the desire for experiencing contemporary sensations. Decadence was a defiance against society and morals which can be encompassed by corrupted lifestyles and obliteration of the soul by exceeding the boundaries of normality and what is perceived as moral./ Lord Henry is best representative of the decadence movement because of his alternative, if not evil,thoughts. Lord Henry is portrayed as the most hedonistic character in the novel. An aristocrat, Henry does everything for his own pleasure and most notably, he creates a monster out of Dorian by spoiling his soul./ This is one of the reasons why the novel provoked the press and attracted negative reactions , because it mocked the Victorian attitude towards life in addition to openly challenging the traditional values.
/ "You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit"
Lord Henry's judgements always scared Dorian Gray. Nevertheless, Gray was aware of Henry's poisonous sentiments and yet he remained very fond and constantly fascinated by Lord Henry. Although, Gray might have considered Henry a friend and a kind of mentor, to Henry, Dorian was nothing more than a victim of his own game. He induced his malicious elements into the innocent man, and watched their corruptive influence take an effect on Dorian.
"Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man's face"
Basil Hallward was a true friend of Dorian's because he was genuinely concerned for the salvation of Dorian's soul. In the beginning, of the novel the painter worried that Henry had destructive effect on others, and he attempted to shield Dorian from his influence. To Hallward, Dorian represented all that is good, and he couldn't believe that underneath Dorian's outer beauty there resided evil. This was Hallward's weakness; he was too gullible and blindly convinced that his muse was an angel (because he looked like one).
II. topic # 2 - ways in which the work reflects its time period:
The picture of Dorian Gray clearly reflects the Victorian era through its extensive historical context, social behaviors, and the issues that society deals with.
Subtopic # 1 & 2 (Further Evidence)
-The fact that Dorian Gray was getting his portrait done by Basil Hallward, is one of the obvious facts (in the beginning of the story) that reveals the setting takes place in the distant past, when photography was not yet invented.
- Although wilde never openly states the specific time, by including " the yellow book" into the story, its easier to determine that Dorian was living during the late eighteen hundreds making him a contemporary of his author Oscar Wilde. The yellow book, as Dorian refers to it, was an important book written by J.K. Huysman, during the decadent period.Dorian takes the book as a guide and tries to pursue the aesthetic ideals depicted in the book, but the yellow book is meant to represent the toxic influence that Lord Henry has on Dorian.Moral and social behavior was valued at this time; the yellow book challenged the boundaries of morality.
" As for being poisoned by a book, there is no such thing as that...The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame"
Lord Henry claims that art can have no power of infecting the mind, after Dorian convicts Henry of introducing him to a harmful literature. His statement is hard to believe, because it does change Dorian and takes him done the wrong path.
III. topic # 3 - Oscar Wilde's life (important aspects included)
-Originally from Ireland, Oscar Wilde was regarded as one of the greatest playwrights in England (of the Victorian Era).
- He was a proponent to the aesthetic movement as many of his writing dealt with the pressing issues of the time.
-Wilde was known for his wit and homesexuality. He was arrested and convicted for gross indecency with other men and spent two years of his life in jail.
- Died from meningitis after his release. He was later buried in Paris.
IV. topic # 4- ways in which the work reflects Oscar Wilde's life
Subtopic #1 & 2:
Oscar seemed to be expressing himself in the book through multiple characters (particularly Dorian Gray). / To further analyze, he used his characters as representatives of different parts of his personality./
(Supporting details) /After the publication of his novel, Wilde's reputation was hurt for the most part, because the writing embodied the authors sexuality. Much like his main character, Dorian Gray, Wilde lost the battle with his public image by hurting his own virtual portrait. In addition, scholars suggest Basil Hallward resembled the good and controlled version of Oscar. Whereas, Lord Henry Wutton characterized sin and curiosity.
" An artist should create beautiful things, but put nothing of his own life into them"
Basil Hallward stated about his art. The statement is very ironic because Wilde did exactly the opposite with his own work.
V. Conclusion:
Through Oscar Wilde's popular novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde writes about the Victorian society which was an aristocratic world that revolved around scandals, prejudices, and lies. Wilde's book emphasizes the importance of honesty and purity. Oscar Wilde seemed disgusted by the era that he was living in and used his work to show his disapproval.
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What kinds of foods consist of essential carbs?