The Picture of Dorian Gray Corruption Through Aes Essay Example For Students

The Picture of Dorian Gray: Corruption Through Aes Essay theticismThe Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is the story of moral corruption by the means of aestheticism. In the novel, the well meaning artist Basil Hallward presets young Dorian Gray with a portrait of himself. After conversing with cynical Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian makes a wish which dreadfully affects his life forever. If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that (Wilde 109). As it turns out, the devil that Dorian sells his soul to is Lord Henry Wotton, who exists not only as something external to Dorian, but also as a voice within him (Bloom 107). Dorian continues to lead a life of sensuality which he learns about in a book given to him by Lord Henry. Dorians unethical devotion to pleasure becomes his way of life. We will write a custom essay on The Picture of Dorian Gray: Corruption Through Aes specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The novel underscores its disapproval of aestheticism which negatively impacts the main characters. Each of the three primary characters is an aesthete and meets some form of terrible personal doom. Basil Hallwards aestheticism is manifested in his dedication to his artistic creations. He searches in the outside world for the perfect manifestation of his own soul, when he finds this object, he can create masterpieces by painting it (Bloom 109). He refuses to display the portrait of Dorian Gray with the explanation that, I have put too much of myself into it (Wilde 106). He further demonstrates the extent to which he holds this philosophy by later stating that, only the artist is truly reveled (109). Lord Henry Wotton criticizes Basil Hallward that, An artist should create beautiful things but should put nothing of his own life into them (Wilde 25). Ironically, the purpose of Basil Hallwards existence is that he is an aesthete striving to become one with his art (Eriksen 105). It is this very work of art which Basil refuses to display that provides Dorian Gray with the idea that there are no consequences to his actions. Dorian has this belief in mind when he murders Basil. Here we see that the artist is killed for his excessive love of physical beauty; the same art that he wished to merge with is the cause of his mortal downfall (Juan 64). Lord Henry Wotton, the most influential man in Dorians life, is an aesthete of the mind. Basil is an artist who uses a brush while Wotton is an artist who uses words: There is no good, no evil, no morality and immorality; there are modes of being. To live is to experiment aesthetically in living to experiment all sensations, to know all emotions, and to think all thoughts, in order that the selfs every capacity may be imaginatively realized (West 5811). Lord Henry believes that, it is better to be beautiful than to be good (Wilde 215). Although he attests that aestheticism is a mode of thought, he does not act on his beliefs. Basil Hallward accuses him saying, You never say a moral thing and you never do a wrong thing (5). However, Lord Henry does take the immoral action of influencing Dorian. Although Lord Henry states that, all influence is immoral (Wilde 18), he nonetheless drastically changes Dorian Gray. As Dorian acts on the beliefs of Lord Henry, the portraits beauty becomes corrupted. Lord Henry presents Dorian with the tenants of his New Hedonism, whose basis is self-development leading to the perfect realization of ones nature (Eriksen 97). If Lord Henrys aesthetic ideas have validity ,Dorian Grays portrait should not become ugly, but rather more beautiful. Since the picture becomes loathsome, it is evident that Lord Henrys beliefs are untrue (West 5811). Dorian becomes so disgusted with the horrible portrait that he slashes the canvas, and the knife pierces his own heart. Because Lord Henry is responsible for influencing Dorian Gray, he is partly the cause of the death of Dorian (5810). .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 , .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 .postImageUrl , .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 , .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7:hover , .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7:visited , .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7:active { border:0!important; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7:active , .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7 .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u829fe2578e398ede10f8405e792841e7:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The motet EssayWhile Lord Henry is indirectly the cause of Dorians death, he too causes his own downfall. Lord Henry changes Dorian with the belief that morals have no legitimate place in life. He gives Dorian a book about a man who seeks beauty in evil sensations. Both Lord Henrys actions and thoughts prove ruinous, as his wife leaves him and the remaining focus of his life, youthful Dorian Gray, kills himself in an attempt to further the lifestyle suggested to him by Lord Henry. Eventually, he is left destitute, without Dorian, the art he so cherishes, because he tried to mold it, as dictated by aestheticism. Of all the protagonists, Dorians downfall is the most clearly recognized. A young man who was pure at the beginning of the novel becomes depraved by the influence of Lord Henry. He grew more and more enamored of his own beauty, more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul (Bloom 121). He begins to lead a life of immorality, including the murder of his dear friend Basil Hallward. There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of beautiful (Wilde 196). However, there is still a spark of good left in Dorian. He lashes out at his twisted mentor, Lord Henry, declaring, I cant bear this Henry! You mock at everything, and then suggest the most serious tragedies (173). This trace of goodness is not enough to save Dorian, for he has crossed too far towards the perverted side of aestheticism and cannot escape it. Dorian experiments with himself and with men and women, and watches the experiment recorded year by year in the fouling and aging corruption of his portraits beauty (West 5811). Dorian becomes so disgusted with this portrait of his soul and his conscience, that he slashes the canvas, killing himself. For Dorian, this is the ultimate evil act, the desire to rid himself of all moral sense. Having failed the attempt to escape through good actions, he decides to escape by committing the most terrible of crimes. Aestheticism has claimed its final victim. Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks of me: Dorian Gray what I would like to be in other ages, perhaps (Hart-Davis 352). Because of the endings hecreates for these characters, Oscar Wilde proves that he does not envision himself in the immoral characters of this story nor is he attempting to promote their lifestyles. Of all the characters whom he creates, he sees himself as Basil, the good artist who sacrifices himself to fight immorality. It was his beauty that had ruined him, his beauty and the youth that he had prayed for (Wilde 242). Contrary to Wildes claim in the preface that, there is no such thing as a moral or immoral book (vii), this novel has a deep and meaningful purpose. The moral is that an absence of spirituality, of faith, of regard for human life, separates individuals like Wildes Dorian Gray from humanity and makes monsters of them (West 5831). W.H. Auden feels that the story is specifically structured to provide a moral. He compares the story to that of a fairy tale, complete with a princess, a wicked witch, and a fairy godmother. This leaves room for a moral with which good every fairy tale ends. Not only is the novel seen as existing on the pure level of fairy tales, but it is claimed to contain ethical beauty (Auden 146). The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel including a moral dialogue between conscience and temptation that is powerfully conveyed. Though it is made to seem an advocate for aestheticism on the surface, the story ultimately undermines that entire philosophy. Wilde brings the question of to what extent are we shaped by our actions (26). He also demonstrates that art cannot be a substitute for life (Eriksen 104). It is a fantastic tale of hedonism with a moral to be learned and remembered.

Professional Tips to Improve Your Literary Analysis Writing

Professional Tips to Improve Your Literary Analysis Writing Short and Easy Guide for Writing a Literary Analysis Many students dislike writing literary analysis and see no point in doing this. However, the task is a great practice for developing an analytical intuition and critical thinking. No matter what your teacher asks you to write: a short paragraph that explains some facts about a piece of literature or an analytical essay that consists of several pages, your preparation shall start from understanding the aim of the work. Reading a book, a novel or a poem, we accept the text as a whole. In other words, we see a completed imaginary picture. However, if we start to think about the written words more carefully and analyze each sentence, phrase or even a word, we may see a lot of information that is not very obvious, however, is interesting and valuable to a reader. Literary analysis is just like reading between lines. It allows us to see another side of written information and great shades of its meaning. In the beginning it may sound boring to you, however, later you may even find it interesting and intriguing. How to Read a Text for Literary Analysis Any analysis starts with reading the text that you are going to analyze. However, this time try to read the text more thoughtfully, finding answers to the following questions: What is the message the author wanted to share intentionally? Usually, it’s the easiest question to answer. You have just to read the text and to understand the information it gives. What is the true personality of the main characters? This question needs careful thinking. Try not only to notice direct descriptions of the characters but also to analyze their actions and the conditions that influenced them. Sometimes you may even discover real-life prototypes of the literary characters or those real-life figures that donated their features to the novel heroes. Why the author chose certain writing means and ways? Creating a poem or a novel, authors are trying to choose the size, tone, and language that would help to create the most appropriate atmosphere for the described event. Very often we do not notice these methods. However, if we look deeper, we will see the great work that stands behind each literary masterpiece. Moreover, sometimes an author may use special elements unintentionally. However, these elements may reveal some additional information about an author’s attitude to the described events or characters. What a Literary Analysis Is Developing a clear understanding of what literary analysis is, you will find the best way of analyzing the texts. In fact, literary analysis is an essay that helps to understand a piece of literature in a better and deeper way. It may be aimed at analyzing the whole text or understanding some characters or events described in the text. No matter which type of literary work you are supposed to analyze, the methods that are used for that will be the same or will slightly differ. In order to make your literary analysis detailed and informative, you shall start with separating a text on some parts and elements to work with each of them. Analyzing text, you shall pay attention to those elements that are less obvious, for example: the connection between the main information that an author wanted to express and the methods and words that were chosen for expressing it; the connection between the plot and the sub-plot of a literary work; the connection between the described events and the reality of the author. Sometimes it’s also wise to learn more about the author himself, trying to understand the personality and the possible mood of the writer. You may discover a lot of elements that could be influenced by some events from the childhood of the author, reflection of his political or moral views, etc. A Short Definition of Literary Analysis Literary Analysis is a detailed and complex analysis of elements and expressive methods that are used by an author for discovering and defining their effects on a reader and their role for expressing the main idea of the text. The literary analysis concentrates on a theme, topic, characters, plot, methods, and devices created or chosen by an author. Structure and Format of Literary Analysis Just like any other writing work, the literary analysis shall be properly formatted and structured. This helps to group and organize the information in a more logical and comfortable to read way. The structure of your literary analysis is similar to others essay that you used to deal with: Introduction; Thesis Statement; Body paragraph; Final Conclusion. Introduction The introductory part is aimed at telling your reader what the essay is about. It shall include elements like: Data about the analyzed piece of literature: title, a name of the author, year of creation and other information that may be helpful for identifying the subject. A statement or statements that may express the main aim of your essay. A thesis statement that shall be a final part of the introductory paragraph. It shall be short, laconic and very informative. Some writing experts advise to include a question that you are going to answer later in your essay. There is an easy way to check if the introductory paragraph is informative enough. Check if it answers the following questions: WHO: the information about an author and its creation. WHAT: the main question or issue that is going to be solved. HOW: the methods and ways that are going to be used in order to reach the aim. WHY: the idea about how the results can be used in real life, for which purposes and why the author of the essay choose the topic. Body Paragraph The common mistake of many students is writing the body of an essay as a single paragraph. This part of an essay is the biggest and most informative. It can be difficult to read or to understand it. That’s why it’s better to write two or more paragraphs with several sub-paragraphs if necessary. There are also several great tips that can help you to write a great body paragraph: Use a separate paragraph for each statement or an idea. It’s better to express the main idea at the beginning of the paragraph. Check if it coincides with the general idea of an essay that is mentioned in the thesis. Supporting your ideas with some facts can be useful. However, it’s also necessary to support your ideas with extracts from the piece of literature and quotes. For this purpose, you can use extracts of dialogues or monologues of the characters. Try to understand and to describe an author’s choice of literature techniques instead of giving simple definitions to them. End each paragraph with some important information. Psychologists say that readers will accept information better if it’s given at the beginning and at the end of a paragraph. Sometimes it’s very difficult not to step away from the main aim. To avoid that, check if each of your paragraphs corresponds to the main topic mentioned in the introductory part. Conclusion The final part of the essay is shorter but not less important than the body part. Some students think that the conclusion is a short and very laconic rewrite of the body paragraph. However, it’s wrong to think this way. The conclusion part is aimed at answering the main question that was described or mentioned in a thesis. It also shows how the statements that were mentioned and described in the body paragraph support the main conclusion. 5 Common Types of Literary Analysis There are several types of literary analysis. They differ due to pieces of literature they describe, their main aim and methods that are used for analysis. Here, we describe some of the existing types that are commonly used for academic programs: Close Reading This type of analysis is used for noticing and analyzing small details and parts of the text. For example, in this case, great attention is paid to some minor actions, gestures of the characters, choice of words, etc. This type of analysis allows noticing the smallest elements of the general picture created by an author and understanding it in a better way. Theoretical Unlike the type that is described above, the theoretical type of analysis is more concentrated on the general idea or some key elements. This analysis allows evaluating the main theory described in the literary work. It may also include a comparison between the described theory and other possible theories connected to a subject. Comparative This type of analysis means that a writer of an essay compares two or more elements that may have a connection to the piece of literature. In fact, there are different subtypes of the comparative analysis. It may be a comparison between two elements or characters that are used in the same text, a comparison between two literary works of the same or different authors, etc. Contextual This type of analysis requires a careful investigation of the historical, geographical and cultural background of the events that are described in a novel or a poem. This analysis is helpful for a better understanding of the information that is given in the author’s text. Applied The applied type of literary analysis is aimed at revealing your own attitude to the written text. Many students think that this means that writing an applied analysis can be less difficult than dealing with other types of analysis. In fact, it’s not really true. This type of analysis allows you to be more creative, however, it never means that the analysis shall look less critical and deep. Usage of Examples for Literary Analysis Using correct and illustrative examples may be a great method to support and explain your statements. Which examples can be used? Description of similar situations from your personal experience or experience of some people you know. Description of situations that are related to more understandable reality. For example, an explanation of how an event mentioned in an analyzed historical novel could be interpreted nowadays. Describing situations that are mentioned in other pieces of literature. Alternative Solution It’s always a nice way to read some additional guidelines or explanations and to practice for a while before writing an excellent literature analysis. However, students’ life is more complicated than it may appear. Sometimes students have too much work, feel unmotivated to write an essay or simply think that working on an essay or another type of writing assignment can ruin some of their great plans. There’s always an alternative solution for situations like that. For example, applying to our writing service in order to receive some help! If something goes wrong with the preparation of your writing paper, there’s no need to worry. We are always ready to save you!