In my essay I am going to examine how appears in The Picture of Dorian Gray the question of “Beauty” and, what is strongly related to it especially at Wilde, the question of art. I refer to some of his former writings especially to The Decay of Lying (In Intentions, 1891) which has a conceptual similarity to the novella. I look into the connection between Beauty and another complex aesthetic concept, the concept of Good. I will examine Lord Henry’s character as the “Seducer”.

One of the main motives of the novel is Beauty and the search for it. What does Beauty mean? According to the Dictionary of Philosophy: „Property of an object giving rise to pleasure or approval. …Various theories of its meaning exist: It may stand for a felt or intuited quality, or for a causal property evoking a special reaction in the speaker, or in people generally; or it may have meaning by expressing non-possesive love.” In The Picture of Dorian Gray Beauty is connected with Innocence. Beautiful = innocent = good. This theory recalls the Greek idea of „calocagathia” which considered that „beauty” and „good” are related to each

Before the “enlightenment” Dorian was a keen churchgoer even if he did things under the influence of some elderly ladies. Although he has kept his affection for the church and the service, he is interested in them just because of their mysticism. He is impressed by the ecclesiastical vestments and the ritual because they have a great influence on his senses, as jewels, perfumes or music have. This adoration of the senses came also from Lord Henry and his idea about a “new Hedonism” according to which one should live for the moment because life is extremely short. Therefore Dorian starts to collect things with which he is able to go to all the senses (e.g. perfumes for smelling, musical instruments for hearing etc.) and he hopes to find “the spiritualising of the senses its highest realisation.” In Faust Mephisto also seduces Faust by preaching about the sensuous pleasures. (“Barátom, már ez óra hidd meg,/ többet kínál érzékeidnek,/egy év minden napjainál.” )

In Pen, Pencil and Poison Wilde talks about interdependence of arts, when the different kinds of art borrow from themselves and not from life. Poetry or painting have the same roots, and if one studies poetry he will know more about painting too. However, we can notice a sort of hierarchy between the different kinds of arts. Sculpture, acting and painting are able to capture only one moment. But in this story painting contradicts itself as endows with life. Merely literature can seize movement and motion. This is why will die Sybil and the theatre, Basil and the painting and even the music for Dorian and will survive Lord Henry and his literature. So, according to Wilde the artist is beyond any ethics if he is able to create beautiful things. “There is no such thing as moral or immoral book. Books are well written or badly written. …The artist is the creator of beautiful things”- says in the Preface. He segregates the reality from the life of Art. The artist’s aim not to copy the reality but to create a new world, the world of Beauty. His own opinion about the novella is close to the fin de siècle Art Nouveau.

Usually our conscience controls our deeds and prevents us from falling into sin but if we commit one, it will also produce the feeling of guilt. After Dorian disposed of his conscience he will be immersed in his sins. He trespasses against larger and larger sins, till he commits the highest, the suicide. In the very last moments before the tragedy the tempter, Lord Henry, asks the following from Dorian: “What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul” which is stylistically a quotation from his enemy. (“Does a person gain anything if he wins the whole world but loses his life? Of course not!” Mark 8: 36) He achieves his goal because Dorian is lost. The tempter has always recognised every vibrations of his victim’s soul and appears in the right moment to seduce him by his moving speeches. Once Lord Henry himself talks about the nature of influence: “All influence is immoral – immoral from the scientific point of view…Because to influence a person is to give him one’s soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. These virtues are not real to him. His sins, if there are such things as sins, are borrowed.” (my italics)

other. In the novel this appears in the idea that sins mak

Some topics in this essay:
Lord Henry, Decay Lying, Faust Mephisto, Lord Henry’s, Wild Ass’s, Hallward’s Actually, Satan Bible, Poison Wilde, Henry Dorian, Dorian Gray, lord henry, life art, dorian gray, own life, decay lying, art life, lord henry’s, picture dorian, ass’s skin balzac, wild ass’s, ass’s skin, wild ass’s skin, picture dorian gray, contrast art life,