Today, a Gothic novel is commonly defined as “a story of terror and suspense, usually set in a gloomy old castle or monastery” . This definition is based on the traditional Gothic novel, which was originated by Horace Walpole in 1764 . A number of elements came to be classed as Gothic and by the end of the century, the genre was fully established . However, when examining different Gothic works that have been published since the beginning of the Gothic tradition, one finds that the Gothic cannot be reduced to a scary story with a medieval setting.
The Gothic is a genre that changes over time. The traditional elements usually persist, but new features are added to enrich the genre and to catch the spirit of the time. Kelly Hurley made the important observation that the “Gothic is rightly […] understood as a cyclical genre that re-emerges in times of cultural stress in order to negotiate anxieties for its readership by working through them in displaced (sometimes supernaturalized) form.” When a nation is exposed to either internal or external threats, which often cannot be clearly defined, the people begin to feel uncomfortable. The Gothic novel then, according to Hurley, can help these people in distress by giving concrete shapes to their fears.
When the Gothic novel first came up at the end of the 18th century, people in Britain were coping with the impact of the French Revolution. The tradition flourished until the 1820s, when Charles Maturin’s work Melmoth the Wanderer failed to reach a large readership . In the 1890s then, which is known as the time of the Gothic revival, new Gothic figures emerged with even greater force than at the previous fin de siècle . The Victorian public had undergone great changes, resulting from the British Empire being threatened by external and internal forces. Interestingly, the setting was now no longer removed in time and space; Gothic occurrences at this point revolved around the city of London.
Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray is an important work of this era; it shows most of the new features of the New Gothic. This paper will focus on the changes in Victorian society that led to a revival of the Gothic novel and discuss the traditional as well as the new elements that have arisen in the Gothic tradition at the end of the 19th century. Wilde’s novel will hereby provide the textual evidence.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Gothic genre
2.1 Origins of the Gothic tradition
2.2 The Gothic Return in the 1890s
2.3 Scientific Theories of the Victorian fin de siècle
2.4 Main Characteristics of the New Gothic
3. The Gothic in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray
4. Conclusion
5. Bibliography
5.1 Primary Literature
5.2 Secondary Literature
Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines how the revival of the Gothic genre in the late 19th century reflects the anxieties and cultural shifts of Victorian society, specifically through the lens of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. The study explores the intersection of contemporary scientific discourse—such as theories of degeneration and atavism—with traditional Gothic tropes to understand how the novel addresses moral decay, hidden secrets, and the visibility of vice in a modernized, urban setting.
- The historical transition from traditional Gothic to the "New Gothic" of the 1890s.
- The influence of Victorian scientific theories on literature.
- Social and cultural anxieties regarding the British Empire and human degeneration.
- The integration of traditional and modern Gothic elements in Oscar Wilde’s writing.
- The portrayal of the "divided self" and the visibility of vice in Victorian literature.
Excerpt from the Book
The Gothic in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray is an important work of the 19th century Gothic Revival. It shows a number of characteristics of the New Gothic, such as the illustration of scientific theories, the modern setting and the treatment of the middle classes. At the same time, the novel draws on traditional elements of the Gothic novel including the sensationalist atmosphere, supernatural occurrences, the use of antiquated settings, and the protagonist being haunted by a hidden secret from the past. This section of the paper will explore how traditional and new Gothic elements work together to produce this thrilling and captivating Gothic work.
As Robert Mighall expressed in A Geography of Victorian Gothic, the central motif of Wilde’s novel - the portrait that bears the burden of Dorian Gray’s sins and vices – “operates within a framework of expectations about the visibility of vice”44. Basil Hallward, the man who painted the ominous portrait, voices the Victorian’s belief that ”Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man’s face. It cannot be concealed. People talk sometimes of secret vices. There are no such things. If a wretched man has a vice, it shows itself in the lines of the mouth, the droop of his eyelids, the moulding of his hands even.”45. Dorian Gray however, is able to escape this terrible law by uttering a “mad wish”46, which forever frees him of the visible signs of age and sin.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines the Gothic novel as a cyclical genre that adapts to times of cultural stress and introduces the focus on Oscar Wilde's work as a representative text of the late Victorian era.
2. The Gothic genre: This chapter traces the evolution of the Gothic tradition, from its 18th-century roots to its revival in the 1890s, highlighting the influence of new scientific theories and societal changes.
3. The Gothic in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray: This chapter analyzes how Wilde incorporates both traditional Gothic elements and modern anxieties about degeneration and vice to construct his narrative.
4. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the main arguments, reaffirming the novel's place within the Gothic genre and its role as a commentary on the moral and scientific concerns of its time.
5. Bibliography: This section lists the primary and secondary sources used to support the analysis throughout the paper.
Keywords
Gothic novel, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Victorian era, Gothic revival, human degeneration, atavism, New Gothic, scientific theories, visibility of vice, supernatural, fin de siècle, decadence, social anxiety, double life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the late 19th-century revival of the Gothic genre, specifically analyzing how Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray reflects Victorian societal fears, scientific debates, and moral anxieties.
Which specific themes are addressed in this work?
Key themes include human degeneration, the "New Gothic" characteristics, the shift from rural to urban settings, the visibility of vice, and the concept of the divided self.
What is the primary goal of the study?
The objective is to demonstrate how Wilde integrates scientific theories—such as atavism and social repression—with traditional Gothic elements to create a compelling narrative about the corruption of the soul.
What methodology is employed to analyze the text?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, referencing contemporary scholarly criticism and scientific theories of the late 19th century to interpret the textual evidence in Wilde's novel.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the origins of the Gothic, the historical context of the 1890s, relevant Victorian scientific theories, and a detailed thematic analysis of Wilde’s masterpiece.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Gothic revival, Victorian era, human degeneration, atavism, the visibility of vice, and the "New Gothic" style.
How does the setting of the novel contribute to its Gothic nature?
The paper explains that the shift of the setting to London reflects the fear that threats to human nature were no longer external but internal, emanating from the center of the British Empire itself.
How does the portrait serve as a bridge between traditional and new Gothic tropes?
The portrait acts as a supernatural element typical of traditional Gothic stories, while simultaneously serving as a modern "visible symbol" of the degeneration and moral decay that scientists were obsessively cataloging at the time.
- Quote paper
- Marlissa Gerken (Author), 2005, 'The picture of Dorian Gray' and Gothicism, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/77530
