The Picture of Dorian Grey, by Oscar Wilde - 771 Words

Is it worth maintaining an ornately aesthetic life? Is it better to seek a moral lifestyle following society’s moral standards? With ideal appearances and superficial beauty, a decorated life can seem easier and more luxurious than a moral life. Leading a moral life is not as appealing to most people; and is filled with hardships and trouble over â€Å"doing the right thing†. One quality cannot be held without losing the other, due to their conflicting natures. While the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray brings out the central question â€Å"Is it better to pursue Aesthetics or Morality?† it describes the life of Dorian Gray, who constantly sought to maintain his appearance at the cost of his morals, and answers the question by revealing the†¦show more content†¦He wishes to stay as young and lovely as the portrait that Basil Hallward painted of him, and he wishes that the portrait could age instead. Dorian soon adopts Hedonism and resolves to live his li fe as a pleasure-seeker with no regard for morality, thanks to Lord Henry’s influence. Dorian’s connection with Sibyl Vane tests his commitment to this way of life by nearly leading him to stop living with Lord Henry’s teachings, but his love proves to be as superficial as he is. When he drives Sibyl to suicide after breaking her heart, Dorian notices the first transformation in his portrait, giving evidence that his picture is showing the effects of age and decay while his body remains ever youthful. Dorian goes through a time of inner-catastrophe as he weighs his guilt about Sibyl against the freedom from worry that Lord Henry’s philosophy guaranteed. When Dorian chooses to avoid responsibility by viewing Sibyl’s suicide as an achievement rather than a tragedy, he starts down the steep slope of his own downfall. This pursuit of aestheticism became so extreme, Dorian found no regret towards his wish and his now immoral lifestyle. As Dorian’s life progresses, his sins grow worse and his picture grows more hideous while he maintains his young appearance. Dorian seems to lack a conscience throughout the novel, and is encouraged by Lord Henry’s idea that â€Å"Conscience and cowardice are really the same things† (Wilde 7). Dorian Gray, however, eventually finds the desire toShow MoreRelatedThe Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde768 Words   |  3 PagesEgo, and the Id. The Superego is basically the conscience of our mind. The Ego is consciousness created by the combination of the Id and Superego. The Id is having thoughts of instincts and drives which are necessary to satisfy. In Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, we see the main characters representing the Superego, Ego, and Id. The Superego is representative of our conscience and is opposite of the id. â€Å"Superego† comes from Latin and really means â€Å"above the ego†. It is the greatest powerRead MoreThe Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde800 Words   |  3 PagesOne of Oscar Wilde’s most challenging themes, not only in his writing, but also in his professional life, is that of formulating an authentic identity in the realism of a hedonistic, pleasure-seeking lifestyle without boundaries. By first looking at this challenge in all its facets, it will be easier to comprehend the fundamental theme in his book The Picture of Dorian Gray. In his professional life, Wilde became known for his short stories, poems, plays, his only novel, and his wit. Wilde becameRead MoreThe Theme of Decadence in the Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde1553 Words   |  7 PagesThe theme of decadence in The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde Staring from the definition found in the dictionary, the decadence is a literary movement especially of late 19th-century France and England characterized by refined aestheticism, artifice, and the quest for new sensations. [1] In decadence, important is not necessarily what is seen, but the hermeneutics: what man feels when he sees the creative result of this feeling. It is the current that requires a co-operationRead MoreCompare And Contrast The Picture Of Dorian Gray And Frankenstein701 Words   |  3 PagesOscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, are considered classics in modern literature, as they are known for their captivating plot lines and unique writing styles. While both novels share similarities in their use of syntax, as well as their overall structure, The Picture of Dorian Grey and Frankenstein are almost complete opposites when it comes to the execution of these elements. The use of syntax in The Picture of Dorian Grey and Frankenstein are utilized forRead MoreProposal for A Narcissistic study of The Picture of Dorian Grey919 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ A Narcissistic study of The Picture of Dorian Grey General Overview Oscar Wilde’s The picture of Dorian Grey’s novel is about a young man named Dorian Gray, the subject of a painting by artist Basil Hallward. Basil is impressed by Dorians beauty and believes his beauty should not be wasted and it is responsible for a new mode in his art. Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basils, and becomes enslaved by Lord Henrys world view. He shows him a new hedonism, and suggests the only thingsRead MoreEssay on Oscar Wildes Success at a Gothic Novel1489 Words   |  6 PagesIn this essay I will be looking at how successful Oscar Wilde was at creating a gothic novel. I will be using Edgar Alan Poe’s short story The Fall of the House of Usher and the film Bram Stokers, Dracula and the The Picture of Dorian Gray. In this essay I will be looking at how successful Oscar Wilde was at creating a gothic novel. I will be using Edgar Alan Poe’s short story ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ and the film ‘Bram Stokers, Dracula’ and the earlier version ‘Nosferatu’ asRead MoreImmortal Literary Combat: Against Nature vs. Thoreau1290 Words   |  5 Pagesis to Dorian Grey, as Henry David Thoreau is to Christopher Mccandless; The story of Des Esseintes, in the book â€Å"À rebours† changed Dorian Grey, it, among other things, influenced him to commit horrible atrocities like manipulation, and murder. Just as Henry David Thoreau’s book â€Å"Walden,† along with many other great literary works, enlightened and influenced Chris Mccandless to go back-packing across the country in pursuit of a life full of adventure, simplicity, and contingency. Dorian Grey andRead MoreCompare And Contrast The Picture Of Dorian Grey And The Count Of Monte Cristo1191 Words   |  5 PagesIn both Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey and Alexandre Dumas’s The Count of Monte Cristo the main characters are lend to believe in a greater notion of life. Specifically, Oscar Wilde and Alexandre Dumas appear to illustrate the idea that one cannot better themselves through others. Both protagonists, Dorian Grey and Edmond Dantà ¨s fail to recognize and act on their own fortune and, consequently, seek out to better themselves which eventually leads to their downfall. In both The PictureRead MoreIs Masculinity Defined Within The Comedy?2332 Words   |  10 Pagesforms but specifically in the portrait â€Å"Dr. Pozzi At Home† by John Singer Sargent and the book â€Å"The picture of Dorian Grey† by Oscar Wilde. The question I want to address is how was masculinity defined in the victorian era by these artist and how did this have an affect on society and their perception of the victorian man. There were many controversies, a mighty significant one surrounding Oscar Wilde, about how these artist defined masculinity and how they presented the victorian man with not onlyRead More Essay on the Human Spirit in Frankenstein and Picture of Dorian Grey757 Words   |  4 Pages Similarities of the Human Spirit innbsp;Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Greynbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp; The human spirit is one of the most beautiful forces in the world, but it is also one of the most vulnerable. In the novels Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde, this idea of the human spirit is portrayed clearly. Both novels have similar aspects about the human spirit, but they also have their differences. Both novels have main characters who