The Picture of Dorian Gray

Some of the world’s scariest monsters are not what the typical person perceives them to be. Moreover, in the books Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde the definition of a monster is explored through different characters. Therefore, Shelley and Wilde define a monster like Frankenstein's Creation and Dorian Gray by their actions not their appearances. Shelley’s definition of a monster is what the typical person would think. Big, ugly, scary, and mean those…

fate is inevitable. Hopefully, in life you make the right decisions. Everyone has a moral compass, you either decide to listen to the good side or the bad. Dorian Gray decided to listen to the bad side. Eventually, a road of bad decisions can take a toll on a person mentally and physically. For Dorian, it only impacted one of those, mentally. Dorian could never enjoy the beauty of life because he was too busy trying to maintain physical beauty and evaluate his own mental health. He learned that…

The picture of Dorian Gray is the only novel ever to be published by Oscar Wilde. This is a story of depravity, debauchery and acts as somewhat a revolutionary tale. I dived deep into this book rather clueless of what it had in stored for me. Immediately, I was exceedingly entranced by Wilde’s effortless and elegant writing style ,that was always pleasing to the mind and vocally. Every sentence was so utterly perfect that I wished to track every single fragment of Wilde’s creation because it was…

information about the author (for my knowledge only, but very helpful): Oscar Wilde was born on October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. The Irish poet and playwright authored works of literary merit such as The Importance of Being Earnest and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde was one of the greatest wits of the 20th century because of his intelligence, flamboyancy, and humor. Unfortunately, the Victorian social prejudices surmounted him, when the father of a young man Wilde was romantically…

monstrous” (Wilde 195). Thus, Dorian erases from his mind the values instilled in him by said society - imperfect humans as they are- and begins to live his life according to Lord Henry’s paradoxes unaware of the inconsistency between what he says and does. Lord Henry gives Dorian a book that “for years [Dorian] never sought to free himself from” (Wilde 138). This book represents “Dorian’s own life, written before he had lived it” without a conscience (Wilde 138). Dorian is living by a sort…

alive and will come forth later in uglier ways.” Self expression has been shown to be an important part of one 's identity and personality. One may express themselves in nearly every aspect of their life. This is especially prominent The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Secret Life of Bees in the way that they express their mental state. When an environment is void of self expression, it has negative effects on mental health, People can express themselves in a variety of ways. A well known and…

At this scene in the novel, Henry has led Dorian out to the gardens surrounding Basil’s studio. While Basil perfects Dorian’s portrait inside, Henry describes the horrors of aging and the importance of savoring one’s youth. Throughout the conversation, Henry’s use of imagery and ethical appeals transform Dorian immediately from the humble and pure gentleman Basil adored to a fop whose balance of genius and reason is outweighed by his obsession for aesthetics. Henry contrasts symbols of beauty,…

As Lord Henry and Dorian Gray's relationship develops, the reader becomes aware of Henry's powerful influence over Gray. His impact is mainly facilitated by his use of controverted epigrams when instructing Dorian on the principles of a hedonistic lifestyle. While the highly impressionable Dorian is increasingly drawn in by the teachings of Henry, the reader becomes aware of the falsehood of what Henry is saying when he tells Dorian, "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it"…

It could be said that guilt is one of the most powerful emotions a person can feel. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the character Arthur Dimmesdale experiences the extremes of this emotion. Dimmesdale has an obsession with keeping a clean public image, but falls victim to sin which leads to a consequence of suppressing all feelings of guilt, affecting his mental and physical health. This psychoanalysis of Dimmesdale will evaluate why he should confess to his sin and the benefits…

Michelle Watts 10-22-2017 English Literature since 1800 Second Essay Assignment The Layers of “Goblin Market” Does great art make you feel or make you think? John Ruskin and Walter Pater have different approaches when it comes to art appreciation. The argument by Ruskin is that great art is “received by a higher faculty of the mind” and Pater is convinced that art “is the aim of the true student of aesthetics”. Not only are both schools of thought are correct but must…