Oscar Wilde

hypocrisy.” (Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest) Jamie Lessells Life in the 21st century has moved on from past events and stereotypes, and celebrities have never been more in the spotlight. Despite all this change, some ideas, attitudes and values constructed in The Importance of Being Earnest are still relevant in society today. Themes such as marriage and living double lives are strongly represented in Wilde’s play and will be talked about more in depth through this article. Oscar…

In "The Picture of Dorian Gray," Oscar Wilde conveys a compelling theme centered on the detrimental use of influence personal in our relationships. Although the philosophical novel has multiple themes, the theme involving the detrimental use of influence in personal relationships manifests itself through the destruction of various characters including: Dorian Gray and Basil Hallward. One of the broader notions presented in the novel reveals itself as the stark disapproval of sacrificing one's…

The novel The Picture of Dorian Gray written by Oscar Wilde is about the life of the character Dorian Gray. Dorian is a young and beautiful man who makes a Faustian pact that his self-portrait, drawn by painter Basil Hallward, would grow older as time past instead of Dorian. Throughout the story, Dorian commits many sins, for example, using his influence to ruin others’ lives and the murdering of Basil Hallward. However, Dorian’s appearance is still young and beautiful because the portrait…

Oscar Wilde’s classic novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray has been adapted into many film, T.V. shows, and specials since its publication. Detail changes in the movie adaptation Dorian Gray (2009) portrays a more innocent Dorian than The Picture of Dorian Gray. From the beginning, Dorian Gray creates sympathy for the title character by emphasizing his traumatic childhood. The film shows awful scars across Dorian’s back while Basil is painting him, encouraging the audience to pity the young…

their makeup, the style of their hair, the designer clothes and the importance of flawless skin. They have been brainwashed into believing that it was their decision to become the person they are today and in all reality it was the lifestyle that they had to adjust to, to ensure their success in the fast paced, demanding industry. Most celebrates and musicians are an example of this. Getting plastic surgery on parts of their body that they believe will conform them to the societal expectations…

Oscar Wilde employs satirical humor in order to set the tone of arrogance to discuss the disregards society is capable of in order to fit into social standards. These social standards are ridiculed through the use of sarcasm and exaggeration. By creating characters who are willingly refusing the obvious immoralities Oscar wilde expresses his opinion on the false illusion of marriage and the perfect family. The extends people will go through to fit into the accepted fixed image. By…

One dominant theme in Wilde’s works was sexuality and sexual identity. Wilde was torn about his own. He was sexually interested in both genders and wanted to dwell in his unique identity without being defined by it, persecuted for it, or judged. He didn’t want his self to define his works or have people view his works through the lenses of his choices and inclinations. He also did not like the clean-cut identifications the people of his time had toward orientation. He felt like he did not fit in…

Oscar Wilde wrote, “Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made through disobedience and through rebellion.” What Wilde wrote is true in my perspective, it promotes social progress. Without disobedience and rebellion how could we open our minds to other things? Disobedience and rebellion sometimes help us see the unordinary in society’s ways. When Rosa Parks was told to give up her bus seat to a…

Written by Moises Kaufman, the play “Gross Indecency” is a biography of the life of Oscar Wilde, that focuses on court trials where Wilde is accused of being homosexual. Kaufman spent two years writing the play and completed it in 1997. The production contains several roles, but a single actor can play multiple characters, as the case in Kaufman’s production. The play consists of twenty four characters, including eight narrators; however, this is not including parts entitled “others”. Most…

Discovery can be initiated through a re-examination of the world which can lead to greater understandings of others and improved moral judgement. Oscar Wilde depicts this through the Prince statue’s and the swallow’s conversion from self-indulgence to altruism upon confronting the town’s poverty. Due to circumstances unique to different social classes, individuals may become oblivious to the suffering of others, and therefore have a limited understanding of the world. This is symbolised through…