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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
:A 10 page research paper/essay that examines the mean of beauty and art in Wilde's classic novel. The writer argues that this is a modern day parable that ultimately argues against a pure interpretation of Wilde's aesthetic philosophy that art and beauty have worth simply for their own sake. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Page Count:
10 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khdorgry.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
to the fact that this narrative as a readily understandable story line that can be conveyed simplistically without actually having to read the book to get the point (Allen 23).
Examination of this classic nineteenth century work shows that it is a complex work that addresses the meaning of beauty in Victorian society. Dorian Gray is a beautiful young man
who wishes, pledging his soul, that a realistic portrait of himself would suffer the effects of time, wither and age, rather than himself (Allen 23). Gray gets his wish and
the portrait ages, while he retains his youthful appearance. Gray hides the portrait so that no one will witness its aging but himself. This much of the novel has become
a cultural clich?; however, this sparse popular synopsis does not convey the fact that the portraits increasingly dissipated condition is not due to age alone, but rather shows the physical
signs of decay that originate from Grays corrupting pursuit of beauty and pleasure. As this suggests, Wildes tale can ultimately be regarded as a cautionary tale that adds a necessary,
but ironic, addendum to the philosophy that Wilde consistently espoused throughout his career concerning the meaning of beauty and art. Wilde argued that beauty and art exist purely
for their own sake and not for moral edification, as was the stance popular in the Victorian era. There has been considerable debate as to how to interpret Dorian
Gray (Clausson 339). Some critics see it as a Gothic thriller, but many agree with the assessment of Joyce Carol Oates that its "governing genre" is that of fable or
parable (Clausson 339). Joseph Pearce concurs and writes that the plot of Dorian Gray "unfurls like a parable, illuminating the grave spiritual dangers involved in a life of immoral
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