Wilde and Petronius: The "Satyricon" as a Template for "The Picture of Dorian Gray"

Research Paper (undergraduate) , 2010 , 12 Pages , Grade: A

Didactics for the subject English - Literature, Works

It is no secret that the prominent aesthete Oscar Wilde was familiar with the work of Petronius of Rome. In fact, it’s so far from a surreptitious topic that it remains undecided whether Wilde can be held responsible for a translation of Petronius’s The Satyricon. His familiarity becomes quite apparent as well when we see Petronius’s text specifically referenced within Wilde’s work, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde’s texts were often thought to have subtle hints of homoeroticism while Petronius’ The Satyricon demonstrated time and time again the blatant and unmistakably Roman depictions of homoeroticism. Furthermore, Wilde’s texts were eventually condemned for their suggested homosexual connotations, while the homosexual events in The Satyricon were dismissed as standard. However, Wilde’s reference of Petronius goes well beyond a mere scholarly allusion to demonstrate his well-read nature.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Wilde and Petronius: The Satyricon as a Template for The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Introduction
• The Satyricon and The Picture of Dorian Gray
• The Plots of Our Irish and Roman Authors
• Comparing Characters
• Functioning Relationships
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the similarities between Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray and Petronius's The Satyricon, arguing that Wilde utilized the latter as a framework for his own novel. The analysis focuses on how these texts share similar plot structures, characters, and thematic concerns, suggesting a deliberate connection between the two works.

• The use of The Satyricon as a template for The Picture of Dorian Gray
• The role of homoeroticism in both texts
• The representation of beauty, temptation, and corruption
• The dynamics of male relationships and power structures
• The relationship between art and morality

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• The introduction establishes the author's argument that Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray is heavily influenced by Petronius's The Satyricon.
• This chapter examines the plots of both novels, highlighting their shared elements, such as the presence of a beautiful young man who is desired by two older men, and the exploration of themes like beauty, temptation, and corruption.
• This chapter delves into the individual characters in each text, comparing Dorian Gray to Giton and examining the parallel roles of Basil Hallward with Encolpius, and Lord Henry with Ascyltos.
• The chapter analyzes how the relationships between the characters in both texts function, focusing on the dynamics of power and desire, and the themes of jealousy, betrayal, and corruption.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key terms and concepts explored in this paper include Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Petronius, The Satyricon, homoeroticism, beauty, temptation, corruption, male relationships, and the dynamics of power.

• Grade: A
• Author: Morgan Crouch (Author)
• Publication Year: 2010
• Pages: 12
• Catalog Number: V162240
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640769629
• ISBN (Book): 9783640769902
• Language: English
• Tags: Petronius, Oscar Wilde, Homosexuality in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Homosexual Domination in The Satyricon