Essay on Picture of Dorian Gray: Dorian as Tragic Hero -- The Picture

The Picture of Dorian Gray Dorian as Tragic milling machinery In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, we see a bonnie young man who makes tremendous efforts to transform the actual world into the rarified world of trick, dreams and sensations. Dorians quest, however, culminates in his ultimate tragic destruction. Given that Dorian lives a corrupt life, one is likely to focus on the negative aspects of his character. In injure of his significant character flaws, Dorian Gray may still be considered a hero. This essay will examine Dorians degradation from the innocent world to the vicious, sensation-oriented world. The elements change to Dorians status of tragic hero will whence be discussed. At the beginning, the general mood looks like pure and innocent explicit by the descriptions as follows the rich odours of roses...the light summer wind...the heavy smell of lilac(Wilde 5). This opening scene precisely symbolizes the world in which Dorian is situated at present. Just like the beautiful setting, Dorian is a beautiful creature(7) and the portrait Basil draws shows Dorians extraordinary personal beauty(5). In opposite words, Dorian is in front of the mysterious gate of life that has abundant possibilities. At this point, Dorian is ignorant about both the world of idealistic cunning and the world of mundane, earthly values. Dorian merely possesses all youths passionate rectitude(17). With the fateful encounter with Lord Henry, Dorian is ushered into a world of idealistic art and beauty. Lord Henry plays a key role in introducing a new world in which beauty, youth and sensations dominate. First, Lord Henry employs a efficacious strategy of developing Dorians self-consciousness of his ow... ...t in order to kill the noncurrent and monstrous soul-life(192). Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Oscar Wilde. newfound York Chelsea House Publishers, 1985. Cohen, Ed. Talk on the Wilde Side. Great Britain Routledge, 1993. Ellman, Richard. Oscar Wilde . New york Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 1987. Eriksen, Donald. Oscar Wilde. Boston Twayne Publishers, 1977. Freidman, Jonathan (edited). Oscar Wilde A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey Prentice-Hall, 1996. Hart-Davis, Rupert. The earn of Oscar Wilde. New York Harcourt, Brace and World, 1962. Juan, Efifanio. The Art of Oscar Wilde. New Jersey Princetown University Press, 1991. Weintraub, Stanley (edited). Literary Criticism of Oscar Wilde. neon University of Nebraska Press, 1968. Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York Random House, Inc., 1992. Essay on Picture of Dorian Gray Dorian as Tragic Hero -- The Picture The Picture of Dorian Gray Dorian as Tragic Hero In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, we see a beautiful young man who makes tremendous efforts to transform the actual world into the idealistic world of art, dreams and sensations. Dorians quest, however, culminates in his ultimate tragic destruction. Given that Dorian lives a cor rupt life, one is likely to focus on the negative aspects of his character. In spite of his significant character flaws, Dorian Gray may still be considered a hero. This essay will examine Dorians degradation from the innocent world to the vicious, sensation-oriented world. The elements contributing to Dorians status of tragic hero will then be discussed. At the beginning, the general mood looks like pure and innocent expressed by the descriptions as follows the rich odours of roses...the light summer wind...the heavy scent of lilac(Wilde 5). This opening scene precisely symbolizes the world in which Dorian is situated at present. Just like the beautiful setting, Dorian is a beautiful creature(7) and the portrait Basil draws shows Dorians extraordinary personal beauty(5). In other words, Dorian is in front of the mysterious gate of life that has immense possibilities. At this point, Dorian is ignorant about both the world of idealistic art and the world of mundane, earthly values. Dorian merely possesses all youths passionate purity(17). With the fateful encounter with Lord Henry, Dorian is ushered into a world of idealistic art and beauty. Lord Henry plays a key role in introducing a new world in which beauty, youth and sensations dominate. First, Lord Henry employs a powerful strategy of developing Dorians self-consciousness of his ow... ...t in order to kill the past and monstrous soul-life(192). Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Oscar Wilde. New York Chelsea House Publishers, 1985. Cohen, Ed. Talk on the Wilde Side. Great Britain Routledge, 1993. Ellman, Richard. Oscar Wilde. New york Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 1987. Eriksen, Donald. Oscar Wilde. Boston Twayne Publishers, 1977. Freidman, Jonathan (edited). Oscar Wilde A Collection of Critical Essays. New Jersey Prentice-Hall, 1996. Hart-Davis, Rupert. The Letters of Oscar Wilde. New York Harcourt, Brace and World, 1962. Juan, Efifanio. The Art of Oscar Wilde. New Jersey Princetown University Press, 1991. We intraub, Stanley (edited). Literary Criticism of Oscar Wilde. Nebraska University of Nebraska Press, 1968. Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York Random House, Inc., 1992.