A Brief Introduction to Oscar Wilde and The Picture of Dorian Gray “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.” – Oscar Wilde

Getting to Know Oscar Wilde Born into a socially prominent Anglo-Irish family in Dublin in His father was a surgeon and his mother was a writer. Wilde was a gifted student who won a scholarship to Oxford University where he fell under the influence of the aesthetic movement (an art movement supporting the emphasis of aesthetic values more than social-political themes for literature, fine arts and music).

Getting to Know Oscar Wilde He became known as a “dandy” and a man-about-town. Wilde married in He became the editor of a women’s magazine that published short stories, reviews, and poems. His novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was published in 1891, but it was his plays and the theatre that brought him his popular success and critical esteem.

Getting to Know Oscar Wilde At one time, three of his plays were running simultaneously on the London stage. However, Wilde’s fall from Victorian society was swift and final. In 1895, the Marquess of Queensberry sought to end the close relationship between his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, and Wilde. He referred to Wilde publicly as a homosexual; Wilde sued him for libel and lost the case.

Getting to Know Oscar Wilde Under England’s laws at the time, Wilde was arrested and served two years hard labour at Reading and Pentonville Prisons. His wife sought a legal separation and most of his friends deserted him. Released from prison in 1897, he immediately left England for good and took up residence under an assumed name in France. He then travelled to Italy with Lord Alfred Douglas (his lover).

Getting to Know Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde suddenly died, destitute, in Paris in 1900 at the age of forty-six. Today Wilde is best known for his epigrams (a brief, interesting, memorable, and sometimes surprising or satirical statement). He has been praised by literary critics since his death for his skilled ability to incorporate themes of decadence, duplicity, and beauty in his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Background on The Picture of Dorian Gray In this novel, Wilde thoughtfully critiques the hypocrisy that he witnessed in London society, as well as the hypocrisy within himself, because he was also leading a secret, homosexual lifestyle while pretending to be a proper, Victorian husband. Consequently, similar to the other two texts studied in this course, The Picture of Dorian Gray also poignantly explores the theme of appearance versus reality. Wilde’s scorn for those who pretended to be pious and moral in order to maintain their reputation and social acceptability is evident in the text through both Dorian Gray and Lord Henry Wotton’s characters.

Background on The Picture of Dorian Gray The novel tells of a young man named Dorian Gray, the subject of a painting by artist, Basil Hallward. Basil is impressed by Dorian's beauty and becomes infatuated with him, believing his beauty is responsible for a new mode in his art. Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basil's, and becomes enthralled by Lord Henry's world views. Lord Henry then suggests the only things worth pursuing in life are beauty and the fulfilment of the senses.

Background on The Picture of Dorian Gray Realizing that one day his beauty will fade, Dorian (whimsically) expresses a desire to sell his soul to ensure the portrait Basil has painted would age rather than he. Dorian's wish is fulfilled, and when he subsequently pursues a life of debauchery, the portrait serves as a reminder of the affect each act has upon his soul, with each sin displayed as a disfigurement of his form in the painting but not in person.

Hedonism in the Novel Hedonism is a school of thought that argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize their pleasure (pleasure without pain). Ethical hedonism is the idea that all people have the right to do everything in their power to achieve the greatest amount of pleasure possible to them. It is also the idea that every person's pleasure should far surpass their amount of pain.

Dandyism in the Novel A dandy (also known as a beau or gallant) is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of self. Historically, especially in late 18th- and early 19th-century Britain, a dandy, who was self-made, often strove to imitate an aristocratic lifestyle despite coming from a middle-class background. This dandyism became almost like a religion to these men, including Wilde himself, and this is seen in the novel.

Dandyism in Today’s Society

Enjoy the novel! “I hope you have not been leading a double life, pretending to be wicked and being really good all the time. That would be hypocrisy.”