The Picture of Dorian Gray Notes

When was PDG written?

written sometimes between 1889, when it was commissioned & 1890

Where was PDG written?

written in London

When was PDG published?

originally published in a magazine called Lippincott's Monthly in July 1890

What was the literary period during the time PDG was published?

Victorian Period (1832-1901)/ Aestheticism Movement/ Gothic horror

What genre is PDG under?

philosophical fiction, gothic fiction

What is the setting of PDG?

London, England-- the Victorian Era

Describe the antagonist.

Dorian and the other characters are surrounded by antagonistic influences, which seem to be a part of day-to-day life in high society of London. These influences, fashion, classism, obsessions with aesthetics and reputation are embodied by Lord Henry Wotton, making the man and his ideas seem like the main antagonist of the book.

Dorian Gray as the Antagonist.

Dorian Gray himself is also considered an antagonist, as his actions destroy any chances he could have had at a happy life.

This character is the brother of Sibyl Vane (whose suicide was caused by Dorian) is considered to be another antagonist.

James Vane

What is the point of view in PDG?

an omniscient (all-knowing) narrator; this narrator guides us in the past tense between one place and another, able to show us the interior workings of the main character

What two works of the 19th century are similar to PDG because they deal with a Gothic setting and spooky, supernatural events?

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe

What novel is similar to PDG due to its dark portrayal of opium and temptation-filled London?

Charles Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Prood

What two works do we know Wilde was inspired by? (There are allusions to these texts in PDG's plot)

Faust by Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

What was the Victorian age marked by?

drastic social and economic changes, conflicts and contradictions

Who was the Victorian Era's namesake and how long did it last?

Named in honor of Queen Victoria
lasted from approximately 1830 to the end of the 19th century

What city became a multicultural metroplis?

London

The rapid progress of the _________________ _______________________ changed England from a rural society into a fully industrialized, modernized urban state.

Industrial Revolution

Describe the state of England of that time.

England became the wealthiest and most influential country in the world and became a mighty and influential world power

What did England believe was their duty?

to spread western culture and order

What did Karl Marx predict?

an uprising of the working class, THUS the middle and upper class turn towards charity work

Why did this time shake people's beliefs in the Bible?

era of Charles Darwin

Describe the middle and upper-class of England.

had strict moral codes, which indicated rigid, formal manners, and unwavering adherence to duty, family, and property

(TRUE OR FALSE) Gender roles were not as strict during this time.

false

What brought commodities to England at this time?

British colonialism

What expanded greatly during this time?

railroads

Who developed a taste for luxury?

the victorian middle and upper class

The development of ________ helped with distributing goods, services, and ideas.

infrastructure

What did urbanization lead to?

overcrowded cities, deplorable living conditions for the poor, already strict class distinctions

When did Oscar Wilde publish his works?

during the last decade of his life

Provide facts about Oscar Wilde's background

birthday: Oct. 16 1854 in Dublin
died at 46
had a superior education
married in 1884 & had 2 children

Due to the fact that the philosophy of aestheticism was gaining attraction, Oscar Wilde gained a literary reputation because

of the wit of his language and the tightly wrought themes and plots of his stories
his personal life also attracted the attention

Wht did Wilde receive criticism for his writing?

people felt that he lacked moral principles

Who did Wilde have an affair with and how did it end?

Lord Alfred Douglas in 1891 and was exposed by Douglas's father when he found out
Wilde did sue for criminal libel, but the evidence presented ended up a disaster, and he was arrested for indecency and setenced to two years of hard labor
after prison, he flees to France, bankrupt, died there from menigitus

What is the closing decade of the Victorian Era frequently referred to as?

Fin de Siecle
a french term meaning "the end of an age"

What era did England transition into after the Victorian Age?

Age of Modernism

What did Victorians realize there was a sharp disconnect between?

the conservative rules of Victorian culture and the new world marked by post-Darwinism, science and social injustice

What did the closing decades of the nineteenth century see the creation of?

new artistic styles, modern attitides, and shifting gender notions

Father of psychoanalysis--- he concluded that neuroses were caused by latent fears and desires repressed in patient's conscious, and only through uncovering and revealing repressed anxieties to a patient could a doctor provide a cure or treatment. His ideas are central to the discipline of psychoanalysis in the 21st century

Sigmund Freud

What did the Aesthetic and Decadence movement champion?

Artistic excess and rejected morality as a way to measure the value of art

What did the Aesthetes consider art a form of?

escapism

What did Aesthetes believe that art should not be judged on?

moral grounds, but instead should be valued for its beauty, sophistication, refinement, as well as the pleasure derived from its design and composition

a man who places great importance on physical appearance, etiquette, and speech, and who values entertainment and recreation over occupation and industry.
during the last nineteenth century, fashion was judged, like art, on the grounds of aestheticism and usual appeal instead of morality

dandy

Why do critics deem PDG immoral?
What did Wilde do as a result of those critiques?

primarily due to its portrayal of a decadent lifestyle
Wilde drafted an introduction to place the novel into the context of the Aesthetic movement and to defend his perception of beauty, attraction, and extravagance

both short, concise statements, but they have distinct differences

epigrams and aphorisms

defined by their use of wit, satirical humor, or sarcasm. can be found in both poetry and prose.
a short, witty saying or poem, often is humorous or "tongue & cheek"

epigrams

are not necessarily humorous. These are meant to be wise and thoughtful typically found in prose writing

aphorisms

a literary device that involves a breach between what a writer, speaker or narrator says in a text and what is understood by the reader or by other characters

irony

occurs when an event that takes place produces a completely unexpected outcome

situational irony

when a writer, speaker, or narrator uses words to say one thing when he or she really means the opposite
e.g. sarcasm; used to deride and criticize

verbal irony

reader understands more of a situation than the character

dramatic irony

What is the central irony in Wilde's novel?

focused on Dorian Gray's delusion; he believes that his life will be better if he can retain his youthful appearance (dramatic irony)

A play, novel, or short story characterized by excessive emotions, plot and action rather than character development

melodrama