Cautionary Tale of the Picture of Dorian Gray: Parable and Autobiography

Yıl 2021, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 18, 221 - 234, 15.10.2021

Mikail Puşkin

https://doi.org/10.20304/humanitas.861739

Öz

Current research paper performs focused textual analysis of themes and characters of the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde intertwining the study with pertinent references to details of the author’s biography thus providing essential critical insights. Peculiarity of the paper lays with it considering the novel to encompass two distinct juxtaposed genres: an autobiography (decadent values) and a parable (moral values). By synthetically combining them, the author at the same time conveys superiority of idealized artistic aesthetic worldview of reality (at times superseding conventional morality) while reinforcing fundamental if naïve good nature of humanity with both of them engaged in (endless) struggle for the reader’s soul against the suffocating reality of hypocritical society.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Oscar Wilde, morality, autobiography, decadence, social criticism

Teşekkür

Pushkin Sergey Mikhailovich

Dorian Gray'in Portresinin Uyarıcı Hikayesi: Kıssa ve Otobiyografi

Öz

Mevcut araştırma makalesi, Oscar Wilde tarafından yazılan Dorian Gray’in Portresi romanının temalarının ve karakterlerinin odaklanmış metin analizini gerçekleştirerek, çalışmayı yazarın biyografisinin ayrıntılarına uygun referanslarla harmanlamakta ve temel eleştirel anlayışlar sağlamaktadır. Çalışmanın özelliği, romanı yan yana duran iki farklı türü kapsayacak şekilde düşünmekte yatmaktadır: otobiyografi (çökmekte olan değerler) ve benzetme (ahlaki değerler). Yazar bunları kurgusal olarak birleştirerek, aynı zamanda idealize edilmiş sanatsal estetik dünya görüşünün üstünlüğünü -zaman zaman geleneksel ahlakın yerini alır- aktarırken ve insanlığın saf da olsa iyi doğasını güçlendirirken, her ikisi de riyakâr toplumun boğucu gerçekliğine karşı okuyucunun ruhu için (sonsuz) mücadeleye girişmektedir. Makale, araştırma iddialarını desteklemek için Wilde'ın aforizmaları ve alıntılarıyla destekleniyor.

Anahtar Kelimeler

ahlak, otobiyografi, çöküş, sosyal eleştiri, gerçekçilik, Oscar Wilde

Kaynakça

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