There are some famous writers at the end of the 19th century who are often mentioned as “decadent”. They have asserted the superiority of beauty and pleasure over all other considerations. Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray presents the aestheticism and the hedonist way of living. The novel anticipates developments and structures of society of that time. The importance of Dorian’s experiences refutes the decadent theories which are described in the Yellow Book that enthralls the protagonist. The novel as a whole can be seen as a psychological study which analyzes the gradual debasement of Dorian’s nature. At the end of the story he is responsible for every vice and crime including murder.
The author shows that on the one hand pleasure and beauty are the highest goods, on the other hand he argues that they also bring death and crime. The task of this research paper is to analyze the mentioned contradiction and the influence of the Aesthetic movement on the novel as well as Oscar Wilde’s view of art.
I would like to begin with a brief survey of the social and intellectual background at the end of the 19th century, exploring the major art movements of that time and how far they affect Wilde’s work. Afterwards his main principles of Aestheticism and their reflection in the novel are analyzed as well as Dorian’s life under the influence of the hedonist model.
Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray reveals the contradictions of Wilde’s relationship with the decadent trends of that time. He adopts and proclaims their esthetical and literary views, but the flippant amoralism that he sometimes parades so defiantly is belied by the final catastrophe descending upon his hero as a result of his obvious moral degradation. The novel shows that man’s chief purpose in life can not be seeking pleasure. To be good is more important than to be beautiful. Though in the preface to his novel Oscar Wilde declares that all art is quite useless, the novel itself proves the opposite. The tension between the aesthetic (Art) and the moral (Life) is the focus of the novel. In setting a portrait, a work of art, at the center of the action, Wilde affects the interplay of natural perception and moral judgment in the novel.
The ideal of art for art’s sake was proclaimed by Wilde but hardly ever consistently put into practice.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Aesthetic movement in England
2.1. The Theory of Art for Art’s Sake
2.2. The main Principles of Oscar Wilde’s Aestheticism
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray in the Light of Decadent Conception
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This research paper examines the intersection of the Aesthetic movement and Decadent philosophy within Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, by analyzing the tension between the pursuit of beauty and the consequences of moral degradation.
- The historical and social context of the late 19th-century Aesthetic movement.
- The core principles of Wildean Aestheticism and the theory of "art for art's sake."
- The psychological transformation and moral decline of the protagonist, Dorian Gray.
- The contradictory relationship between beauty, pleasure, and societal morality.
- The symbolic function of the portrait as a representation of the soul.
Excerpt from the Book
The Picture of Dorian Gray in the Light of Decadent Conception
In The Picture of Dorian Gray the most noticeable element of decadence is “the elevation of art over nature” (Weir 1995: 109). The opening pages of the novel place side by side art and nature by pairing the dandified Lord Henry Wotton and as yet uncorrupted Dorian Gray, first in Basil Hallward’s studio, then in his garden. The dual setting (studio / garden) could be interpreted as a balance of art and nature, a balance “that is transposed by Basil Hallward into a yearning for a ‘harmony of soul and body’ that will be the basis of a ‘fresh school’ of art” (Weir 1995: 109). Dorian Gray is for Basil, the artist, the visible symbol of this ideal, but for Lord Henry, the aesthete, he becomes the symbol of a new Hedonism. Lord Henry’s influence is very important: instead of harmonizing soul and body, art becomes a means of separating them, as the portrait illustrates. Art is therefore a corruptive force, dividing rather than unifying reality. The decadent elevation of art over nature is thus allied to the theme of moral degradation, as Dorian’s affair with the actress Sybil Vane illustrates.
It is not life but art that inspires Dorian as well as Basil Hallward and, indirectly, Lord Henry. Just as Basil directs his passion from the flesh and blood youth to his painting, from person to artifice, so Dorian responds only to the actress in Sybil rather than to her personality. After Sybil’s death Wilde makes a slight allusion to the coming degeneration of Dorian’s life by depicting Dorian’s surrounding as ugly and abnormal, the first time that he describes something that does not suit to the aesthetic ideal.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the central role of decadence in late 19th-century literature and defines the paper's goal of exploring the conflict between hedonism and morality in Wilde’s novel.
2. Aesthetic movement in England: This chapter contextualizes the cultural shift toward aestheticism and decadence, contrasting these movements with traditional Victorian moral values.
2.1. The Theory of Art for Art’s Sake: This section explores the philosophy of aesthetic autonomy and the "supremacy of form" as promoted by figures like Gautier and adopted by Wilde.
2.2. The main Principles of Oscar Wilde’s Aestheticism: This section analyzes Wilde's belief in the superiority of art over nature and his personal synthesis of various intellectual influences.
3. The Picture of Dorian Gray in the Light of Decadent Conception: This chapter investigates how the novel functions as a psychological study of moral decline and the problematic elevation of art above life.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, noting that Wilde’s novel ultimately exposes the impossibility of separating art from moral responsibility.
5. Bibliography: Lists the academic sources used to support the analysis of Wilde’s work and the broader Decadent movement.
Keywords
Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Aestheticism, Decadence, Fin de Siècle, Art for Art’s Sake, Hedonism, Victorian Era, Moral Degradation, Symbolism, Walter Pater, Beauty, Portrait, Literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research paper?
The paper explores how Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, engages with the Decadent and Aesthetic movements of the late 19th century and examines the moral consequences of those philosophies.
What are the primary thematic fields discussed?
Central themes include the tension between art and morality, the theory of "art for art's sake," the influence of hedonism on individual identity, and the cultural context of the Victorian fin de siècle.
What is the primary objective of the work?
The objective is to analyze the contradiction between the pursuit of beauty and pleasure, as advocated by Aestheticism, and the inevitable moral collapse it triggers within the novel.
Which scientific method does the author employ?
The author uses a literary analysis and interpretive method, contextualizing the novel within historical and philosophical frameworks derived from primary texts and critical secondary literature.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body examines the historical background of the Aesthetic movement, defines its key principles, and provides a detailed reading of the novel's characters and symbols in relation to these theories.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Oscar Wilde, Aestheticism, Decadence, Hedonism, Art for Art's Sake, and the Victorian transition period.
How does the author interpret the relationship between art and the protagonist?
The author argues that art serves as a corruptive force for Dorian Gray, enabling him to detach his soul from his actions and leading to his eventual spiritual and physical destruction.
Does the author consider the novel to be a defense of the Aesthetic movement?
No, the author suggests that while Wilde adopted the views of the Aesthetic movement, his novel serves as a critique that demonstrates the tragedy of attempting to live entirely outside of moral constraints.
- Quote paper
- Natalia Spektor (Author), 2007, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and the Aesthetic Movement in England at the Turn of the Century , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/73870
