Mortality in The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray:
Mortality Not Art Art for art’s sake. The saying originated from the French phrase l’art pour l’art from the nineteenth century French philosopher Victor Cousin. Art in this sense was not meant to be concerned with social, political, and moral subjects. Instead it was to concentrate on beauty, which would re-word the phrase to "art for the sake of beauty and its elevating effects." No matter the wording, art for art’s sake became central to the British Aestheticism Movement1 in the last part of the nineteenth century. Oscar Wilde, along with other writers of the century, published several works relating to the art for art’s sake theme and aestheticism one of which is the volume Intentions.2 Within the work contains four essays: "The Decay of Lying," "Pen, Pencil and Poison," "The Critic as Artist," and "The Truth of Masks.”3 Each of these essays affirms Wilde’s involvement in Aestheticism. Oscar’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray shows hints of aestheticism within but though some argue that art is the theme4 of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, the immoral tendencies of human nature of the characters relate to the more common theme of committing sinful and pleasurable actions. The four main points that illustrate this: the analysis of the characters, Lord Henry’s philosophy, human nature tendencies and consequences of sin, and the contrast of immoral actions and art.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. The common quote gives meaning to The Picture of Dorian Gray, especially in regards to the characters. There are several minor characters in the book, but only a few important enough to analyze and of course there is the main character. The difference among the characters is noticeable and you shall see that in regards to: James Vane, Sibyl Vane, Basil Hallward, Lord Henry Wotton, and Dorian Gray.
James Vane is the younger brother of Sibyl Vane. James from the beginning of his entrance into the novel loves his
Mortality Not Art Art for art’s sake. The saying originated from the French phrase l’art pour l’art from the nineteenth century French philosopher Victor Cousin. Art in this sense was not meant to be concerned with social, political, and moral subjects. Instead it was to concentrate on beauty, which would re-word the phrase to "art for the sake of beauty and its elevating effects." No matter the wording, art for art’s sake became central to the British Aestheticism Movement1 in the last part of the nineteenth century. Oscar Wilde, along with other writers of the century, published several works relating to the art for art’s sake theme and aestheticism one of which is the volume Intentions.2 Within the work contains four essays: "The Decay of Lying," "Pen, Pencil and Poison," "The Critic as Artist," and "The Truth of Masks.”3 Each of these essays affirms Wilde’s involvement in Aestheticism. Oscar’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray shows hints of aestheticism within but though some argue that art is the theme4 of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, the immoral tendencies of human nature of the characters relate to the more common theme of committing sinful and pleasurable actions. The four main points that illustrate this: the analysis of the characters, Lord Henry’s philosophy, human nature tendencies and consequences of sin, and the contrast of immoral actions and art.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. The common quote gives meaning to The Picture of Dorian Gray, especially in regards to the characters. There are several minor characters in the book, but only a few important enough to analyze and of course there is the main character. The difference among the characters is noticeable and you shall see that in regards to: James Vane, Sibyl Vane, Basil Hallward, Lord Henry Wotton, and Dorian Gray.
James Vane is the younger brother of Sibyl Vane. James from the beginning of his entrance into the novel loves his