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An Analysis of Aestheticism in Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray浅析道林格雷的画像中王尔德的唯美主义By苗琳洁A thesis presented to the Foreign Languages Department ofShangluo Universityin partial fulfillment of the requirementsfor the degree ofBachelor of ArtsMay 28, 2013 Class: 09级英本3班 Advisor: 金晓红 浅析道林格雷的画像中王尔德的唯美主义摘要：奥斯卡王尔德作为西方唯美主义的代表人物，他的的很多作品都体现了其唯美主义的主张。王尔德于1890年创作的道林格雷的画像是他短暂一生中唯一一部发表的小说，也是其唯美主义主张最好的诠释。该小说不仅呈现了十九世纪九十年代唯美主义运动的精神,而且体现了唯美主义的追求及其唯美主义这一思潮的内在特征。虽然这本书自出版以来就成为当时社会的众矢之的，但不可否认，王尔德的唯美主义始终贯穿于这部小说的始终。通过唯美主义视角分析道林格雷的画像，其唯美主义主要体现在“艺术与美超越一切”，“生活模仿艺术却远不及艺术之美”，“艺术是非功利的”，以及“艺术超越道德”等四个方面。来具体阐述唯美主义在小说中的体现。通过对小说的研究与分析，读者可以更好地了解小说中的唯美主义艺术，欣赏小说的文学特征。关键词：唯美主义；艺术；道德；功利An Analysis of Aestheticism in Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian GrayAbstract： As a representative of aestheticism in the west, Oscar Wilde many of his works. The Picture of Dorian Gray completed by Oscar Wilde in 1890 is the only published novel in his short life, which is the best interpretation to his aestheticism. The novel not only presents the spirit of the aestheticism movement in the 1890 s, but also embodies the pursuit of aestheticism and the ideological trend of the inherent characteristics of the aestheticism. Although this book became a lightning rod for criticism of society at the time there is no denying the fact that Oscar Wildes aestheticism runs through the novel.The Picture of Dorian Gray can be analyse from the following four parts to illustrate the reflection of aestheticism in the novel: “Art and beauty above all else”; “Life imitates art, but not as good as art”; “Art is no utilitarian”; and “Art beyond morals”. Through analysis of the novel, the reader can better understand the aestheticism of art of the novel, and appreciate its literary characteristics.Key words：aestheticism; art; morality; utilitarianTable of Contents1 Introduction12. Aestheticism and Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray22.1 The Definition of Aestheticism22.2 The connection between aestheticism and The Picture of Dorian Gray33 The aestheticism presented in The Picture of Dorian Gray43.1 Art and beauty above all else43.2 Life imitates art, but not as good as the beauty of art53.3 Art is no utilitarian73.4 Art beyond moral94. Conclusion10Works Cited121. IntroductionOscar Wilde, a greatly disputed person, is one of the most popular writers in the England modern literary history. He is not only a good playwright, but also a great poet and critic. He has been famous for his advocating the slogan of “art for arts sake”. Even though in his whole life he has got more scolding than praise, he is still remembered for his literary works, signed with sadness at his imprisonment, and his early death. In the 19th century, the European aestheticism and the dispirited principle idea have had the widespread influence in the literature domain. As the main spokesmen for the western aestheticism, Oscar Wilde tried his hand at various literary activities. He developed and practiced his idea of aestheticism in his whole life. As the readers can say, most of his literary works are the best annotation of his aestheticism. Among his countless works, The Picture of Dorian Gray, the only published novel in his short lifetime, is a classic of his aestheticism. Even though this book has got a lot of criticism in that society, Oscar Wilde aestheticism still runs through the story. Through this book, Oscar Wilde had presented his excellent personality and aestheticism perfectly and indirectly. Oscar Wilde made great contribution to the world literature by inheriting and developing aesthetic views in his literary creation. Among his works, his aesthetic views spark like the diamonds scattering on the grass. His aesthetic views involve not only the literary theory but also the literary creation. For example, in practice, Oscar Wilde never ceases to work for the beauty of his literary art. He advocates the massive use of symbols and the correspondence between words, colors and music. In theory, Oscar Wilde reconsiders the relation between art and life. Inheriting Gautiers view “art for arts sake”, he advocates that life is the imitation of art, which can be seen in the preface of his book The Picture of Dorian Gray as “All art is quite useless”. Based on his masterpiece The Picture of Dorian Gray, the following part seeks to give an in-depth research into Oscar Wildes aestheticism. That was why when people want to have a study on Wilde aestheticism, they should firstly research this novel. 2. Aestheticism and Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray This part is to give a brief introduction to aestheticism, and the connection between aestheticism and The Picture of Dorian Gray2.1 The Definition of AestheticismAestheticism (or the Aesthetic Movement) is an art movement supporting the emphasis of aesthetic values more than socio-political themes for literature, fine art, music and other arts. It appeared in England in the late 19th century and it roughly from 1868 to 1901. Aestheticism claims that art should be independent of all philosophy, and art can only standard to judge to the art itself (Wikipedia 8). It was put forward in the eighteenth century by Immanuel Kant, who spoke for the independence of art: “Art exists for its own sake, for its own essence or beauty.”(Song 2). Some writers and artists who are keen on aestheticism movement put up the idea“ The mission of art is to provide humans with sensory pleasure, rather than passing some kind of moral or emotional information”. Esthetic thought that art should not have any preaching factors, but the pursuit of pure beauty. They pursuit of the art of beauty infatuated, and they think beauty is the essence of art. They also argue that life should imitate art. Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy that studies the principles of beauty especially in art. Aestheticism is the collection of all the fruits of aesthetics. “The word aesthetic was first found in Aesthetica, appearing as a Latin word, which is the name of two books written by Alexander Baumgartner, 1714-1762.”(Williams 31). Baumgartner believes beauty can be defined as aesthetic, but when it is related to art, the most important part of Baumgartners translation of beauty is that beauty is not abstract but can be felt by people through their senses. This translation is the same as the Greek word “aesthesis”, the original meaning of which is the power of uniting mentally the impressions conveyed by the five physical senses.Aestheticism emphasizes the independence of art: Art exists for its own sake, for its own essence or beauty. Oscar Wilde was a dramatic leader in promoting the movement of aestheticism. He advocated freedom from moral restraint and the limitations of society. He developed and practiced the aestheticism in his whole life.2.2 The connection between aestheticism and The Picture of Dorian Gray Dorian Gray is a literary image created by Wilde in The Picture of Dorian Gray, he is a young man in Londons aristocratic. He looks very beautiful and virtuous. “Yes, he was certainly wonderfully handsome, with his finely curved scarlet lips, his frank blue eyes, and his crisp gold hair. There was something in his face that made one trust him at once. All the candour of youth was there, as well as all youths passionate purity. One felt that he had kept himself unspotted from the world” Wilde, 11. Basil Hallward paints a fantastic portrait for Dorian. With the painters friend Lord HenryWotton there, and under the influence of Lord Henrys words, Dorian Gray makes a frivolous wish that he will be forever young but the portrait will grow aged and bear all the suffering and evil.When it comes ture,Dorian Grays picture grows aged and corrupt while he continues to appear fresh and innocent. After Dorian drives a young actress named Sibyl Vane to suicide, the one who he loved, he is surprised to find no difference in his vision or surroundings but the picture become ugly. Being seduced by Lord Henry, the incarnation of evil, Dorian Gray gives in to temptation and his life decays. He does a series of evil things. He kills Bail for keeping his secret. Alan Campbell commits suicides because of his commitment of disposing Basils body. To decrease his sense of guilt, Dorian Gray begins to collect things to anaesthetize him in the pleasure of sense. His eternal beauty is realized at the sacrifice of the beauty of the picture. The decades of sinful life leaves remarks on the picture and ruins the beauty of it. He feels guilty when Sybils brother finds him and swears to kill him. His forever young looking keeps him from being killed by Sybils brother James Vane, but at the end of the story, he can no longer endure his sinful memory. He slays the decaying portrait, the record of his guilt, to erase his sins, but at his slaying, he kills himself and the picture returns to its original beauty. He is dead as a withered old man lying on the floor in front of the shiny picture.At the beginning of the book, we can see Dorian Gray is a pure and charming young man. He is the beauty in reality. The portrait Basil paints for Dorian is fantastic. It represents the eternal art. After Dorian changes soul with the portrait. When he dose evil things, he keeps handsome, but the portrait decays. The beauty still exists. At the end of the story, Dorian throws the knife to the portrait, and then he becomes old and ugly at one moment. The portrait reappears beautiful. The aestheticism runs through the story. It is the striking literary characteristic of The Picture of Dorian Gray.3 The aestheticism presented in The Picture of Dorian GrayThere are some protagonists in the book. Lord Henry, worldly and utilitarian, with a high social status, is a representative of the ugly forces in the capitalist society; Hallward, a just and tendery painter, looking art as his life, represents the intellectuals art for arts sake; Dorian Gray, is pure kind at first,but later he cant withstand the temptation of Lord Henrys hedonism philosophy and towards the path of sin. Sibyl, a beautiful girl, who is a symbol of art in the book. Portrait represents peoples spirit and soul, and Dorian Gray is a symbol reprents that beauty and evil exist side by side, is also the symbol of aestheticism. The aestheticism which Oscar Wilde devotes a large space in the book can be summarized from four aspects.3.1 Art and beauty above all elseIn The Picture of Dorian Gray , Sibyl is the figure who can reflect Wildes aestheticism views. She is a pretty actress with beautiful voice. She has played many roles. And in each role play, she fully displays her artistic charming. Sible is the embodiment of art. What Dorian worships and loves is the beauty of art, rather than Sible herself. When she fall in love with Dorian in real life, her artistic charm become pale and turn out to be illusory. Finally, Dorian disappointed, and he lambasted Sibyl destroyed the beauty in his heart. When life conflict with art, it is only to fail. Sibyls death represents the failure and the end of life. Sibyl meet Dorian is a turning point. She is a stage actress. When Dorian saw her performance, he falls in love with her. But it is only for he loves the figure in Shakespeares masterpiece who Sibyl has played. He falls in love with her and he with passion to describe her beauty to Henry. He tries his best to praise for her performances, which are consistent with his aesthetic dimensions of the ideal pursuit of perfect art. Sibyl also happens to be his pursuit of beauty reflects in the reality. Dorian appreates Sibyls beauty on the stage. When Sibyl return to reality, her beauty immediately began to fade. Dorian also immediately perceive its fall to changing attitudes and preferences. Her acting becomes artificialandclumsy, Dorian even ruthlessly abandoned her. Sybyls death is the result of her returning from art to reality. As Oscar Wilde believes that: all bad art is regression of life and nature, and they are the result of the will for ideal life and the natural rise. Sibyl, as the embodiment of art.Although she aware of the reality of life. She dose not realize the selfish and ruthless under Dorians attractive appearance. So she deviated from the art, and she will live up to the ideal, so led to her love burst the bubble of the real life. When she doesnt have the feature of art, she will disappear naturally from Dorians life. This is Oscar Wildes view: “art is above all else”. Dorian loves Sibyl just for she is a symbol of art and drama, and because her charming on the stage is the beauty of art. Dorian worships and falls in love with Sibyl for artistic beauty, rather than herself. As she says, before she meets Dorian, acting in her life is the only real thing. After know Dorian, she realiz stage gantry boring and artificial tacky. She rebells against art, and regards the art as worthless things. She abandons her artistic embodiment of beauty, and then come to the real life. She never think that she has killed Dorians love for her by herself. Sibyls death is the resaut of boosting life above art and the returning from art to reality. In Wildes aestheticiem, art and beauty is above all else. When life in art, life can only be made room for art.3.2 Life imitates art, but not as good as the beauty of artDorian gray is a pure and beautiful noble youth. After seeing the portrait which Basil Hallward painted for him, Dorian is attracted by his own youth and beauty. And under the influence of Lord Henry, he wishes to the portrait: . . . If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that-for that-I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!(Wilde 17 ). Dorian obtained the eternal beauty like an art. The portrait will take all of his age and evil, and it will record ugly and ferocious of the real life. The portrait is to Dorian what art is to reslity. In the end of the novel, Dorian daggers to the portrait. The picture of Dorian hang on the wall looks so young and haandsome as it was finished at the first time. It means that all the ugly and evil things will disappear while the beautiful and elegant things will be left in the life. He illustrates that art is over life, and the real beauty of life is the moment when art is eternal.Dorian, the role of Wilde wanted to be, is the most important one to annotate Wildes aestheticism. It includs the relationship between art and life, art and morality, art and time. It aspires to beauty. It is mainly showed in the relationship between Dorian and the portrait. The portrait is a reappearing of Dorians youth and beauty by Hallward. And it is filled with his noble feeling about art and beauty. However,after Dorian is aware of his beauty and under the guidance of Lord Herry,he becomes evil. With the growing of his evil and desires,the portrait becomes more and more old and ugly. The portrait is a reflection of Dorian which implied that art is a reflection of life. When the portrait changes with Dorians change,it illustrates the damage and distortion which life made to art. Just as the portrait is more and more ugly because of Dorians misdeeds. The change of the portrait is a symbol of Wildes ideal burst. It reflects art is irreconcilable with morality. Because Dorian sell his soul for the eternal beauty. The picture is just the symbol of conscience. At last Dorian want kill the conscious, on the country, he killed himself. This is another contradiction or the authors thought about moral and beauty. Dorian Gray, as a typical character of the aesthetic works, is attractive but dangerous. He is half devil and half angel. In fact, he is a symbol of the combination of art and life. At the beginning of the story, he is an innocent and beautiful young man, knowing nothing about the evil life. He loves beauty and pursues beauty. He wants to stay young and loves a girl who is the symbol of art. During this stage, he symbolizes art, whose nature is beauty. I turned half-way round and saw Dorian Gray for the first time. When our eyes met, I felt that I was growing pale. A curious sensation of terror came over me. I knew that I had come face to face with some one whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself. I did not want any external influence in my life. (Oscar Wilde 4). It is Basils impression when he comes across with Dorian firstly. Dorian is born as an art, his beauty and purity attracts the painter to get close to him. When the beautiful creation of art is reduced to ugliness, he represents the evil life dominated by irresponsible morality. He imitates the evil life, which ruins his original beauty of art. He is no longer a symbol of art, which is beautiful and unstained, but a symbol of life, which is ugly and evil.When they entered, they found hanging upon the wall a splendid portrait of their master as they had last seen him, in all the wonder of his exquisite youth and beauty. Lying on the floor was a dead man, in evening dress, with a knife in his heart. He was withered, wrinkled, and loathsome of visage. It was not till they had examined the rings that they recognized who it was. (Oscar Wilde 134). Dorian kills himself when he slays the ugly picture of him. After his death, the picture resumes its beauty. When art imitates life, it is doomed to death for the decaying life ruins the beauty of art. The image of Dorian Gray shows that if art imitates life, it will ruin its beauty and end up in death, which pr