Introduction
A poet is sitting in his room beside a Sphinx. Within the poem the Sphinx forms his main focus of interest, his whole attention belongs to her: a cheap souvenir from some street corner. But inside of the poet’s room the Sphinx no longer remains a little piece of stone but, right in front of his eyes, becomes a real-life Sphinx – the age-old female demon of death, who besieged the city of Thebes as a punishment for the king of Thebes who introduced homosexual love into Greek culture and thus incured Hera’s hatred.
The Sphinx, one of Oscar Wilde’s most enchanting poems, is woven out of a net of various mythological beliefs and religious ideas. Wilde invokes a hotch-potch of varying creatures, who convey a magical atmosphere of ancient grandeur. In order to understand the poem one has to get to know the concepts that stand behind the various mythical creatures, gods and heroes. Therefore I will explain to which mythologies Wilde relates to and how they refer to each other. In this connection the time of Oscar Wilde has to be taken into consideration, too: Victorianism, with its crumbling of old values and conquering of new worlds; the period of decadence; the period of aestheticism.
I would like to show some of the multitude of possible accesses, e.g. the identification of the Sphinx with the figure of the femme fatale; the personification of the Sphinx as the temptations and desires of the poet respectively The Sphinx as a metaphor for the loss of Christian faith in Victorian culture.
Table of Contents
1. Introduktion
2. Religion and Mythology
2.1. Mythology in the ancient religions
2.2. Religion in Victorianism
2.3 Religious and philosophical ideas of Oscar Wilde
3. The Sphinx
3.1 Characterisation in mythology
3.2 Characterisation in the poem
3.2.1 Male or female?
3.2.2. Old age and wisdom
4. Sexuality and death – the Sphinx as femme fatale
4.1 ‘A thousand weary centuries…’
4.2 Her lovers
5. Ammon
5.1 The ideal lover for the femme fatale
5.2 The ideal lover for the poet
5.2.1 The sphinx as a personification of ‘inner desires’
5.3 A symbol for the end of religion
6. The Sphinx as a metaphor for the loss of Christian faith
7. Conclusion
8. Bibliography
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines Oscar Wilde’s poem "The Sphinx" by analyzing its complex integration of mythological beliefs and religious imagery within the context of the Victorian era. The primary research goal is to interpret the Sphinx figure as a representation of the femme fatale, a projection of the poet's inner desires, and a metaphor for the decline of Christian faith in the late 19th century.
- Analysis of Egyptian and Greek mythological influences in the poem.
- Exploration of the Sphinx as a personification of the femme fatale archetype.
- Investigation into the poem’s relationship with Victorian aestheticism and decadence.
- Deconstruction of the Sphinx as a metaphor for religious uncertainty and the loss of traditional values.
- Examination of the poet’s psychological projections and the personification of 'inner desires'.
Excerpt from the Book
4. Sexuality and death – the Sphinx as femme fatale
In Wilde’s time, e.g. in the art of Symbolism at the turn from 19th to 20th century, the female Sphinx was often seen as a symbol for the mysteriousness of women, respectively for the femme fatale. The term femme fatale was ‘invented’ in late Victorianism. The strongly perceived fear of lethal danger of sexual intercourse, which culminated in the Contagious Diseases Act (1886), and the denying of sexual desires led to the repression of sexuality, which on the other hand led to the fascinating construct of the sexually active and independent woman: the femme fatale. The femme fatale can be described as a disastrous and seductive, yet very intelligent woman, with a strong disregard to norms and social conventions. She is associated with historical figures, e.g. Salome and Cleopatra. The femme fatale provoked Victorian morality by rebelling against authority, by her strive for the free acting out of her sexuality, her subversion of traditional gender roles and her breaking of social taboos, just like Wilde himself did, being a homosexual dandy and a decadent aestheticist.
Chapter Summary
1. Introduktion: This chapter introduces the poem "The Sphinx" within the framework of Victorian aestheticism, decadence, and the author's fascination with ancient mythologies.
2. Religion and Mythology: This section explores the interconnectedness of religion and myth in ancient cultures and contextualizes the religious crisis of the Victorian era caused by scientific advancements.
3. The Sphinx: This chapter provides a detailed characterization of the Sphinx, contrasting its traditional mythological roots with its complex, enigmatic representation within Wilde's poem.
4. Sexuality and death – the Sphinx as femme fatale: This chapter analyzes the Sphinx through the lens of the femme fatale archetype, focusing on themes of forbidden love, violence, and the subversion of social taboos.
5. Ammon: This section examines the god Ammon as a central figure in the poem, functioning both as a mythologically grounded entity and a reflection of 19th-century symbolic desires.
6. The Sphinx as a metaphor for the loss of Christian faith: This chapter explores how religious references in the poem signal the decline of Christian orthodoxy and the poet's internal conflict regarding faith.
7. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the poem's multifaceted layers of interpretation and reiterates the Sphinx's role as a projection of the poet's cultural background and personal desires.
8. Bibliography: This section lists all primary and secondary sources referenced throughout the research paper.
Keywords
Oscar Wilde, The Sphinx, Victorianism, Mythology, femme fatale, Aestheticism, Decadence, Religion, Symbolism, Christian faith, Ancient Egypt, Greek mythology, Ammon, Forbidden love, Inner desires
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on interpreting Oscar Wilde's poem "The Sphinx" by analyzing how it incorporates mythological beliefs and religious ideas to reflect the cultural anxieties of the late Victorian era.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The key themes include the femme fatale archetype, the impact of decadence and aestheticism, the conflict between science and religion, and the psychological projection of the poet's forbidden desires.
What is the main objective of the study?
The study aims to demonstrate that the Sphinx in Wilde's poem is not merely an aesthetic choice, but a complex symbol for sexual rebellion, cultural decadence, and the erosion of Christian faith.
Which scientific method is employed?
The work utilizes a literary analysis approach, drawing upon cultural history, theological contexts, and the historical interpretation of myths to decode the symbolic meaning of the poem’s imagery.
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers the mythological characterization of the Sphinx, its identification with the femme fatale, the role of specific gods like Ammon, and the overarching metaphor of lost religious faith.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Oscar Wilde, The Sphinx, Victorianism, femme fatale, aestheticism, mythology, decadence, and religion.
How is the Sphinx connected to the figure of Cleopatra?
The paper suggests that the Sphinx learns her seductive and destructive tricks from figures like Cleopatra, who embodies the femme fatale per excellence in historical and literary tradition.
Why does the poet eventually reject the Sphinx?
The poet rejects the Sphinx because he becomes terrified of his own projected desires and the "bestial" nature he senses within himself, ultimately seeking comfort in Christian symbols like the crucifix.
How does the author interpret the role of Ammon?
Ammon is interpreted as the climactic lover of the Sphinx and a personification of the 'old' religion that is being destroyed by modern temptations, paralleling the decline of faith in the 19th century.
Is the Sphinx portrayed as a truly evil creature?
The paper argues that the Sphinx is not inherently evil; rather, she remains an enigmatic, neutral figure upon whom the poet projects his own fantasies of decadence and violence.
- Quote paper
- M.A. Melitta Töller (Author), 2005, Religion and mythology in Oscar Wilde's poem "The Sphinx", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/82800
