The Portrait as an Alive Character in The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Abstract
The paper studies Oscar Wilde 's only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, first published in 1890. The novel is about a young man named Dorian Gray who falls in love with his own painted portrait by the artist Basil Hallward . The plot revolves around his corruption and eventual assassination at the hands of his portrait which, in due course, metamorphoses into an alive being to revenge for the distortion of its aesthetic value and beauty. The paper aims to prove that Wilde has intended for the portrait of his hero to take a leading role in the narrative discourse . The title of the novel itself , reveals that its main focus is the portrait of Dorian Gray rather than the protagonist himself .
The study shows that the chain of events and relationships are unfolded mainly through a direct reference to Dorian 's portrait . It is also a central part of the ongoing arguments between the painter Basil Hallward and his hedonistic counterpart Lord Henry Wotton about art , life and beauty in the novel : It endorses our understanding of the true nature of their contrasting opinions on the marvel painted by Hallward . Wilde employs the craft of the painted portrait of the hero to express his ideologies concerning the Aesthetic Movement which appeared in the 19th century period and emphasized the cult of beauty in art and literature. The evaluation of this modern concept of art is always seen in a parallel connection with the painted portrait of the hero , Dorian Gray . Ultimately , Wild’s portrait of himself, which undoubtedly is that of Dorian’s , precipitates in providing a deep understanding of his personality and his artistic vision in his experimental masterpiece The portrait of Dorian Gray . Indeed, it is through Dorian’s image and not Dorian's character that the author resolves his conflicts with his prejudiced and sceptic Victorian readers.
Key Keywords: Artist – hero conflict, aestheticism, beauty ,art, painting , metamorphoses , self- distortion, hedonism , Gothic elements ,revenge .
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ISSN (Paper)2224-5766 ISSN (Online)2225-0484
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