ipl-logo

The Picture Of Dorian Gray Gothic Analysis

854 Words4 Pages

In the early 18th century a new genre of fiction prose, named "Gothic Novel" was introduced. The term ”Gothic” used to refer to the German tribe of the Goths, and later on signified ”Germanic”, then ”medieval”. The Gothic novel spread over the 19th century and had the popular theme of haunted places such as castles, crypts, gloomy mansions and convents; supernatural elements having the role to intensify the atmosphere. The characteristic motifs of the gothic genre were the strange places, the supernatural, magic objects, monsters, demons, science used for bad purposes. And many of them appears also in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" The protagonist is both good and bad, both handsome and ungly by his character and the picture, his own portrait, represents Dorian 's inner soul. The portrait, the main symbol of the novel, carry all the marks of Gray 's degeneration, who, is exploring …show more content…

It becomes a kind of conscience, and it reminds Dorian constantly of the evil at the heart of his nature. In “The Picture of Dorian Gray” are present plenty gothic elements. Some of them are: the evil, the bargain with the devil, the secret room, the scary atmosphere. The devil is impersonated by Lord Henry who uses his wisdom to tempt Dorian with his immoral opinions. He gives to Dorian a yellow book, a poisonous book which influences and brings him to become a murderer, lossing his innocence. Lord Henry has a poisonous influence on Dorian always tempting him: "Some day, when you are old and wrinkled and ugly, when thought has seared your forehead with its lines, and passion branded your lips with its hideous fires, you will feel it, you will feel it terribly." Dorian:"Am I really like that?" ; Basil: "Yes; you are just like that." Dorian:"How wonderful, Basil!" ; Henry: "At least you are like it in appearance. But it will never

Show More
Related

  • How Does Dorian Gray Good Against Evil

    1316 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Internal Struggle of Good Against Evil In the words of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, “The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being” (Solzhenitsyn 168); however righteousness always triumphs in the battle against villainy. The novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde portrays this struggle within Dorian Gray as he faces the toxic influence of Lord Henry, and goes against his morality and Basil Hallward. The clash between hedonism and altruism in the novel exemplifies the prevalence of good against evil. The first battle between the two forces occurs in the exposition of the novel, before the main character is introduced.

    Read More

  • The Influenced In The Picture Of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde

    360 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the book, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde the protagonist Dorian Gray is influenced by various people in his life. Dorian, a handsome middle class bachelor is heavily guided by an antagonist, Lord Henry. As a result of his interactions with Lord Henry Dorians’ morals are conflicted such as, his preference for beauty over knowledge. Furthermore, Dorian’s painting made by Basil is also affected because it expresses every sin he commits by aging. From Dorian Gray it can be concluded through symbolism that beauty and youthfulness is society 's main concern.

    Read More

  • The Picture Of Dorian Gray And The Beautiful And Damned

    1115 Words  | 5 Pages

    The researcher decides Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray and Fitzgerald’s The Beautiful and Damned to be the objects of the study on inferiority and superiority complex causing hedonistic lifestyle in main character. The first reason, both of literary works cover the changing of each life of the main character, society and ultimately the individual. Second, they both share the same social background of the main character in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian, displays a well-respected young man. He doesn’t recognize his own beauty until he sees it reflected in Basil’s portrait, and, once he does, it’s all too late. While Anthony in The Beautiful and Damned is illustrates reaching pleasure as the lifestyle and it becomes a habit.

    Read More

  • Dorian Gray Identity

    695 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dorian Gray has fought with his subconscious desires in hope of maintaining a false belief that he is in control of his Id. As the story continues on it becomes clear that he is in fact taken over by his Id, the identity that is joyous over the narcissistic and greedy London society that he inhabits. Later in the novel, he starts to journey out to opium dens in a pitiful attempt to clear his conscious for murdering Basil. Dorian is the complete opposite of a realist, believing to focus on the superficial elements of his status as a gentleman, such as the wealth and art, giving into his eagerness for pleasure that he know does not exist. Yet, he refuses to believe that what he felt when he murdered Basil, or saw the lifeless body of James Vane,

    Read More

  • Theme Of Corruption In The Picture Of Dorian Gray

    725 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dorian is a young man who is not yet fully formed in his thinking and has a very handsome appearance. Basil is instantly taken with him and finds that he wants Dorian all to himself. The way Basil influences Dorian isn 't through words but rather through his actions. He idolizes him.

    Read More

  • Dorian Gray Good Vs Evil Essay

    997 Words  | 4 Pages

    As soon as Dorian enters in Chapter 2 of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wildes’ one and only novel, its is evident that there will be a battle between who will have the most influence on his pure, untouched soul. Basil Hallward, a painter and worshipper of art is an optimist and sees only the good in even the wickedest of people, such as Lord Henry. Lord Henry is a charming, self-indulgent aristocrat that shapes and molds Dorian to lead a life devoted to pleasure. Both Basil and Lord Henry represent two important opposing forces in the novel, good and evil. The greatest struggle in The Picture of Dorian Gray is inside Dorian; he himself embodies both pure good and pure evil.

    Read More

  • The Picture Of Dorian Gray Moral Analysis

    873 Words  | 4 Pages

    Morality and The Picture of Dorian Gray “The pendulum of the mind oscillates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong.” C.G. Jung The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, was first published in 1890, right in the middle of the Victorian Era, an era that was characterized by its conservatism. Ever since, and due to the content of the book, it has been condemned as immoral. Furthermore, on 1891, Wilde published a preface protecting his book from public punishment in which he said “There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written.

    Read More

  • Death In Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray

    749 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, the protagonist, Dorian, end ups being death after living a life of pleasure and sin. The character followed the advice of Lord Henry, which explained that “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.” (28). Dorian took this aesthetic philosophy and aplicated it to his life. As the story continues, Dorian gray commits multiple crimes that will be reflected in his portrait.

    Read More

  • The Picture Of Dorian Gray Literary Criticism

    750 Words  | 3 Pages

    The genre of the novel is a terror, drama, psychology, humanitarianisms, romance and paranormal components. The Picture of Dorian Gray begins on a beautiful season day in Victorian-era England where Lord Henry Wotton, a determined man, is observing the sensitive artist Basil Hallward painting the painting of Dorian Gray, a handsome young man who is Basil 's ultimate inspiration. Though sitting for the painting, Dorian listens to Lord Henry adopting his hedonistic worldview and begins to think that beauty is the only aspect of life worth trying. This encourages Dorian to wish that the painted image of himself would age in his stead.

    Read More

  • Supernatural Elements In The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow

    1029 Words  | 5 Pages

    Gothic Literature is a genre that was popular between 18th to 19th centuries in North Germany. It is always being associated with Dark Romanticism which the emphasize was more on nature, terror and death, horror and many more. It involves dark and gloomy setting and also unexplainable things that are beyond human senses and reason such as ghosts and monsters. The main characters, on the other hand, are always ineffectual which they do not give much effect on the story plot. This can be seen through Washington Irving’s “Rip van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” which can be considered as American gothic work in terms of its description of setting, the involvement of supernatural element in the story and also the characteristics of the main character.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Appearance In Dorian Gray

    937 Words  | 4 Pages

    The theme of appearance extends further in Dorian’s life. Dorian’s outer beauty allows him to get away with almost anything, due to the fact that people equals his outer beauty to him being a good person. In reality, Wilde makes it very clear that Dorian Gray is not a good person. The theme of appearance is illustrated through underlying criticism within Wilde’s use of motifs and symbols. A main motif used by Wilde is the painting done by Basil Hallward.

    Read More

  • Gothic Elements In The Picture Of Dorian Gray

    1087 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the early 18th century a new genre of fiction prose, named "Gothic Novel" was introduced. The term ”Gothic” used to refer to the German tribe of the Goths. The Gothic novel spread over the 19th century and had the popular theme of haunted places such as castles, crypts, gloomy monasteries; supernatural elements having the role to intensify the atmosphere. The characteristic motifs of the gothic genre were the strange places, the supernatural, magic objects, monsters, demons, science used for bad purposes. And many of them appear also in "The Picture of Dorian Gray".

    Read More

  • Gothic Literature Analysis

    974 Words  | 4 Pages

    CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Mention the gothic, and many readers will probably picture gloomy castles ... However, the truth is that the gothic genre has continued to flourish and evolve … producing some of its most interesting and accomplished examples in the 20th century-in literature, film and beyond – Carlos Ruiz Zafon.1 1.1. Gothic Meaning and Definition Notoriously, Gothic is hard to confine. This term signifies variety of meanings.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Gothic In Dorian Gray

    211 Words  | 1 Pages

    Dorian is showing dramatic attention-seeking behavior as he claims he is trying to ameliorate himself. Another way the term Gothic is demonstrated throughout the novel is with violence and other extreme emotions.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Double Life In The Picture Of Dorian Gray

    828 Words  | 4 Pages

    All actions have an inverse action that can be acquired. The novel, The Picture of Dorian Grey, significantly portrays the inverse options in life. Superficial happiness is the leading cause for double standards. The main character preservers through an abundance of difficult situations, while retaining his beauty. This is all due to his double life that he has come accustomed to living.

    Read More

More about The Picture Of Dorian Gray Gothic Analysis

Open Document