1. The Victorian Era, Oscar Wilde and The Picture of Dorian Gray

2. The Victorian Era Queen Victoria reigned from 1837-1901
Victoria inherited the throne at age 18
Married her mother’s nephew, Albert
Bore him 9 children
Victoria’s obsessive mourning (10 years) influenced what would become the Victorian mentality
Her influence was so great that both a political era and a literary epoch was named after her.

3. Contrasts An age of great conflicts
Although Christianity also reigned, this was the first time that institutional Christianity was truly called into question
Darwin, Marx, and Freud emerged during this time
“Prudish”, “Prim and proper”, “repressed” and “old fashioned” are often used to describe this era
Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens
Regarded artists as society’s conscience
Jack the Ripper; some 8,000 prostitutes worked in London during the mid 1800s

4. Time of Progress and Prosperity
Great strides in science and technology
Rapid growth of the middle class
Middle class valued: hard work, strict morality, and pragmatism (practicality over idealism)
Victoria and Albert fostered moral earnestness and strait laced propriety
Distinct social classes. Middle and lower classes could never attain the wealth, luxury, and privilege of the upper class.

5. Victorian Gentlemen Elite status, aristocratic, social class
Lived on inherited income and did not work
Debonair, “dandy”/ well-groomed
Sophisticated- calling cards, tobacco pouches, high tea
Inflicted harm on no one, avoided slander and gossip
Philosophical, well educated

6. Oscar Wilde Birth name: Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde
Birth date: October 16, Ireland
Mother was a poet/journalist
Father was a doctor
Mother wanted a girl
Death date: November 30, 1900
Died penniless and alone of meningitis in Paris
Married with two children

7. Style Sharp wit Outrageous and eccentric clothing Irreverent attitude
Known For:
Sharp wit
Outrageous and eccentric clothing
Irreverent attitude
Aphorisms/epigrams: A concise expression often satirical with an ingenious turn of thought; sage; witty
Cynicism: faultfinding; contemptuous; distrustful view of society
Flamboyant lifestyle
Loved to “stir the pot”!

8. 9 9

9. Famous Quotations
"One should always be in love. That is why one should never marry."
“Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing.”
“I choose my friends for their good looks, my acquaintances for their good characters, and my enemies for their good intellects. A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies.”
“ Don't be misled into the paths of virtue.”
“Women never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly.”
“There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating- people who know absolutely everything and people that know absolutely nothing.”

10. Dorian Gray Wilde’s first and only novel.
Written over 100 years ago (1891)
Opened to much criticism
Ultimately, was very successful
So many current themes:
sin and redemption
hedonism
love and marriage
friendship
youth and beauty
Gossip
influence/manipulation
art(then- paintings, opera; now- films, music, etc.)
Based on revelations about evil in humanity, pleasures of evil and destructiveness of evil.

11. Brief Synopsis
The story of three friends: Basil, Lord Henry, and Dorian Gray
The soul is a blank canvas
Basil-angel
Lord Henry- Devil
Dorian Gray- a clean slate
Id, ego, superego
Semi-autobiographical

12. Major Theme:
Hedonism: The devotion to pleasure as a way of life; one’s sole priority is to seek pleasure/happiness without regard for others.

13. Id, Ego, Superego
Freud believed that the id is based on our pleasure principle.  In other words, the id wants whatever feels good at the time, with no consideration for the reality of the situation.
The ego is based on the reality principle.  The ego understands that other people have needs and desires and that sometimes being impulsive or selfish can hurt us in the long run
The Superego is the moral part of us and develops due to the moral and ethical restraints placed on us by our caregivers.  Many equate the superego with the conscience as it dictates our belief of right and wrong.

14. “Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.”
-Mark Twain