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The Picture Of Dorian Gray Research Paper

940 Words4 Pages

“All art is quite useless.” In the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde uses the principles of art to convey the essential themes within the preface and the story itself. The concern of the true value of art and the essential motives it has on its audiences, is crucial to the character development within the story. Wilde exercises principles of the aesthetic movement and hedonistic ideals to reveal their dark influences, contingencies, and repercussions on society. In the aesthetic movement, a division between art and life was imposed to prohibit the interference of moral value. Wilde effectively, in contradistinction of polarity, juxtaposes aesthetic beauty ideals and realist’s views concerning morality Embracing aestheticism and imitating its respective principals, Dorian Gray exists as the archetype of youthful vigor and virginal beauty, but ultimately finds that employing such unscrupulous ideals has its consequences. In the beginning of the novel, Dorian Gray is shown as a notably handsome and innocent individual. The other main characters, Basil and Lord Henry, are captivated by his beauty. This exemplifies one of the books central themes, superficialness. Basil is remarkably moved by Dorian’s appearance and decides to paint a portrait of him. Lord Henry see’s Dorian as a pure and untouched individual for which he …show more content…

Throughout the novel, there are various instances where the readers see his virtue shine through the evil. At times, he becomes not only concerned about preserving his outside physicality but also his inner good. He questions whether or not he could be forgiven for his corrupt actions and concluded that atonement was impossible. The only way he could move on was by forgetting what he had done. The ongoing pursuit of pleasures led him to a unyielding and uncivilized state.The ambiguity and perplexity Wilde creates acts to enhance the fatality of Dorian’s

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