Pulp magazine

Oscar Wilde once said, “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person, give him a mask and he will speak the truth”. Masks reveal one’s self through a different form with the use of different features. Masks have been used widely used through various cultures to hide one’s identity, disguise, or used in (religious) rituals. They can symbolize certain dominant traits, features, ancestry, or imagination. The Majlion (ماجليون), a elegantly made mask, is of fundamental importance to its…

Youth is associated with freedom, joy, and overall beauty. The young are beautiful and ignorant and as time goes on one’s experiences shed light on the true appalling nature of life. This nature takes over and abducts the beauty that comes with being young. Oscar Wilde explores the idea of the fading allure of beauty’s relationship to corruption. In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde the author explores the close ties between beauty and corruption through his use of the character Lord…

Jerusha McCormack discusses in her critical essay ‘Wilde’s fiction(s)’ the different ways in which Oscar Wilde’s life was influenced by his literal works, as well as how his works have had an impact in his life, especially the trials about his sexuality which led to his imprisonment. The essay is separated into seven parts. Each of these parts show themes of Dandyism and Wilde’s homosexuality. There is also an ongoing theme of duality throughout the essay, in Wilde’s mixed origin of being…

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…

Axel Graham Knight 3 British Lit. 23 March 2016 Very rough draft What is the definition of a monster? Is it a slimey creature that hides in the closets of children, or perhaps creature with teeth sharper than steak knives? Nearly infinite definitions exist, but The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley help to paint a clear picture of what a monster actually is. Frankenstein and Lord Henry are used to show that a true monster is someone that ruins the lives…

A split identity creates an internal struggle for an individual. One has to battle within themselves to determine which identity is their true self. In literature, the use of a doppelganger or a double allows the reader to see the internal struggle of the character expressed externally – essentially uncovering a hidden nature. In the deathbed confession style tale of “William Wilson” by Edgar Allen Poe, a young man by the name of William Wilson travels the world attempting to escape his double.…

Oscar Wilde is a well-known novelist. When Oscar Wilde published his novel it became the most famous playwright in London. It has been documented by others that Wilde uses his characters to portray the dangers of negative influences. Patrick Duggan once wrote, "Dorian lives according to what Lord Henry professes without hesitation, and how Lord Henry inspires Dorian." Duggan explains how Dorian Gray values Lord Henry's philosophy over anything else. In the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar…

In “The Painter of Modern Life,” Charles Baudelaire gives his definition and explanation about the true beauty of art. In the first section “Beauty, Fashion, and Happiness,” Baudelaire shows his concern about the “present” in the painting because he thought that the beauty of the art is “its essential quality of being present” (p.1). In the following passage, Baudelaire uses a lot of words to praise a man named as “Monsieur G” in the essay. He describes Monsieur G, just like the title of this…

"All art is quite useless"(Wilde, XVI) is the phrase Wilde concludes his preface with. The preface, which was added after The Picture of Dorian Gray received severe backlash, condemns the over-analyzation of art. Society was not ready for the aestheticism lifestyle and scandalous behaviours that were glorified in the novel, and they criticized Wilde for his radical ideas and degenerate characters. Wilde felt that it was preposterous that people were offended by art, as its sole purpose is to…

Edmond Dantès, the protagonist, is the epiphany of innocence during a time of immense turmoil. His journey from a freeman and soon-to-be husband into a prison of the state then into one of the most powerful men in Paris. This shows the jealousy and cruelty of humans while also establishing the gay youth of Edmond. He is betrayed by those whom he was meant to trust the most and painted into a Bonapartist. Still though, he dreams of the days he wishes to spend with his love. He still has hopes…