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.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Question of Authorship
3. Narrative Parallels and Character Similarities
4. Homoeroticism and Subtext
5. Victorian Context and Public Perception
6. Conclusion
Objective and Key Themes
This paper explores the intertextual relationship between Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray and Petronius's The Satyricon, arguing that Wilde utilized the Roman classic as a structural and thematic template to mask and articulate homoerotic themes within the restrictive moral climate of the Victorian era.
- The deliberate mirroring of characters between The Satyricon and The Picture of Dorian Gray.
- The use of classical literature as a "coded" language for same-sex desire.
- The impact of Victorian social, legal, and moral standards on Wilde's literary expression.
- The juxtaposition of Roman acceptance of homoeroticism against Victorian condemnation.
- The re-evaluation of Wilde's artistic integrity and his mastery of synthesis.
Excerpt from the Book
The Similarities between Giton and Dorian
The similarities between Giton and Dorian are uncanny. Though Giton is a slave, and Dorian a wealthy noble, their purpose within the narrative is virtually identical. They both exist as a resource of beauty, attracting the attention of their two male counterparts. Dorian’s “finely-curved scarlet lips, his frank blue eyes, his crisp gold hair,” (Wilde 24) match up with the descriptions of Giton’s “beautiful mouth…” and “rare…combination of wisdom and beauty” (Petronius 43). But their youth and good looks are of secondary importance only to that of their role as temptations. “Dorian is truly the man in the middle,” much like that of Giton (Leibman 319). Charles Knight proclaims in his essay “Listening to Encolpius: Modes of Confusion in the Satyricon,” that Giton functions “as a slave who seeks his fortune through his body” (Knight 14). Dorian, with the beauty instilled within him by the affection of Basil and Henry, acts much the same through a series of vane events.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the premise that Oscar Wilde was deeply influenced by the work of Petronius and posits that this influence served as a framework for his own novel.
2. The Question of Authorship: Discusses the debate surrounding Wilde's potential translation of The Satyricon and concludes that the question of authorship is secondary to the thematic connections between the texts.
3. Narrative Parallels and Character Similarities: Analyzes the structural mirroring between the primary characters of both novels, specifically comparing the relationships between Encolpius/Ascyltos/Giton and Basil/Henry/Dorian.
4. Homoeroticism and Subtext: Examines how Wilde used the explicit homoeroticism of The Satyricon to camouflage and provide a precedent for the implicit same-sex desire in his own work.
5. Victorian Context and Public Perception: Explores the tension between Wilde’s creative expression and the legal/social persecution he faced, highlighting how Petronius provided a safe space for his literary exploration.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes how viewing The Picture of Dorian Gray through the lens of Petronius provides a more profound understanding of Wilde's advocacy for acceptance and the expression of love.
Keywords
Oscar Wilde, Petronius, The Satyricon, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Homoeroticism, Victorian Era, Intertextuality, Literary Allusion, Same-sex desire, Character Parallelism, Aesthetics, Cultural Context, Narrative Structure, Classical Influence, Moral Standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research examines the literary influence of Petronius's The Satyricon on Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, focusing on how Wilde used the ancient text to construct and hide homoerotic themes.
What are the central themes discussed?
Central themes include the intersection of classical literature and Victorian morality, the nature of same-sex love in literature, and the use of subtext and allusion to bypass social censorship.
What is the main hypothesis of the author?
The author argues that Wilde did not just reference Petronius as a scholarly nod, but actively used the structure and character dynamics of The Satyricon as a template to provide weight and justification for the relationships in his own novel.
Which methodology is employed?
The paper uses comparative literary analysis, examining the characters, plot, and socio-historical contexts of both primary texts to identify parallels and structural similarities.
What does the main body address?
The main body addresses the specific character mirrors, the varying levels of homoerotic explicitness in both cultures, and the strategic use of classical history by Wilde to navigate Victorian prejudice.
How would you define the core keywords?
The keywords center on the comparative study of two specific literary works, the themes of identity and desire, and the historical pressure on gay authors during the 19th century.
How does the author treat the debate over the translation of the Satyricon?
The author concludes that whether or not Wilde actually translated the text is ultimately irrelevant; the fact that he was associated with it and drew inspiration from it provides sufficient evidence of his intellectual connection to the work.
What role does the Victorian public play in the argument?
The Victorian public serves as the antagonist context, representing the legal and moral limitations that forced Wilde to use "subliminal cohesion" and "controlled interpolation" to express his creative vision.
Why does the author contrast Roman antiquity with the Victorian era?
The contrast serves to highlight the "normality" and acceptance of homoeroticism in classical times, which the author suggests Wilde used to emphasize how restrictive and stifling his own contemporary society had become.
- Citation du texte
- Morgan Crouch (Auteur), 2010, Wilde and Petronius: The "Satyricon" as a Template for "The Picture of Dorian Gray", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/162240
