Oscar Wilde Dorian Gray and Earnest *

Early Life Born in Dublin in 1854. He won a scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford. He was attracted by the Aesthetic Movement (Pater and Ruskin). He won the reputation of the most refined and provoking of the ‘aesthetic young men’ in London He became the leader of the Aesthetic Movement. * *

First Works and Literary Success In 1883 he married Constance Lloyd, who bore him two children. The Happy Prince and Other Tales (1888) A House of Pomegranates (1891) The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891) Comedies: Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892) A Woman of No Importance (1893) An Ideal Husband (1895) The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) * *

The Final Years 1895  he was arrested and sent to prison (Reading) because of his homosexual relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas. The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898) De Profundis (1905) 1897  he left prison and went to Paris. He died in 1900. * *

The Picture of Dorian Gray It best sums up Wilde’s aesthetic theories: Life of sensation and pleasure = the supreme form of art man of taste artist above common morality * *

A Mystery with a Moral Purpose An American publisher commissioned it with one of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Mystery is visible throughout the story. The end of the story is in line with horror and crime stories. Although there seems to be no moral basis, the ending of the story is intensely moral. there is a price to be paid for a life of pleasure. * *

The Story Dorian Gray is a young man of outstanding beauty. Lord Henry Wotton introduces him to a life of pleasure based on Youth and Beauty. Basil Hallward paints a portrait of Dorian, who is enchanted by his perfect beauty. Dorian wishes never to grow old. His dissolute life leaves no sign on his own face, but disfigures the painting. Dorian finally tries to destroy it but, as soon as he does, he dies. The portrait resumes its perfect beauty. * *

Life as the Greatest of the Arts The cult of beauty He had always the look of one who had kept himself unspotted from the world. The purity of his face His mere presence seemed to recall to them the memory of the innocence that they had tarnished. * *

Dorian and His Portrait Dorian Portrait fair young face the evil and ageing face his own beauty the corruption of his own soul hideous lines…wrinkling forehead heavy sensual mouth white hands coarse bloated hand misshapen body failing limbs * *

The Importance of Being Earnest Staged in February 1895 Brilliant dialogues Irony, sarcasm, nonsense, puns, paradoxes Humour derives from what the characters say and how they say it Wilde treats ‘all the serious things of life with sincere and studied triviality’ The superficiality of the upper class * *

The Story First Act - London Jack Worthing is a rich man, who discovers Ernest when he is in London. He is in love with Gwendolen: he proposes to her and she accepts, because she wants to marry someone by the name of Ernest. The girl’s mother is happy about the marriage, but she changes her mind when she discovers that Jack does not know who his parents are. * *

The Story Second Act - Jack’s country house Algernon Moncrieff, Jack’s friend, arrives and introduces himself as Ernest, Jack’s wicked elder brother. Algernon meets Cecily and they fall in love. Both girls believe they are engaged to a man called Ernest. This causes a series of misunderstandings. * *

The Story Third Act - Jack’s country house Lady Bracknell, Gwendolen’s mother, recognizes Miss Prism: she had been her dead sister’s governess and had disappeared with her sister’s baby. Miss Prism confesses she had accidentally put the baby in a handbag, which she had then left at Victoria Station. Jack is the baby she had lost and his original name was Ernest. * *

Two Girls, One Ernest The two girls meet for the first time at Jack’s country house. Gwendolen Cecily Lord Bracknell Mr Worthing’s ward They are in love with a man called Ernest. The very soul of truth and honour. * *