Translate this page:
Nota Bene. Books, journals, publishing technologies.
Please select your language to translate the article


You can just close the window to don't translate ☒
Library
 Your profile
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Back to contents

Philology: scientific researches
Reference:

Konson, G. R. Lord Henry Wotton as a Hidden Devil in Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’

Abstract: The article is devoted to the expression of the idea of ‘hidden devil’ in the image of Lord Henry Wotton in Oscar Wilde’s novel ‘The Picture of the Dorian Gray’ and particular cultural environment for expressing that idea which was the cult of dandyism represented by Oscar Wilde himself. Analyzing critical writings on the origins of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the author of the article describes the development of Wilde’s esthetic views as part of various philosophical and artistic traditions where the matrix of fairy-tale played the personalizing role. In his research the author at first defines the indirect feature of Lord Henry which had some kind of duality: a surface gloss of good manner and wit are combined with abundant amoral qualities. As a result, his surroundings often compared him to the devil. But the most important thing is that the socialite tried to dispel the established moral values. As a result, he was the source of catastrophism for the society. In fact, Wotton also overturned universal human values. He did not accept moral standards and taught Dorian the idea of life free of morals. According to Lord Henry, human suffers from the moral laws he has himself created. The research methods used by the author of the present article include historical, ethical, philosophical, esthetical, literary and comparative analysis. All these methods combined provide an insight into demonology as a phenomenon. The scientific novelty of the article is in the author’s interpretation of Lord Wotton’s estheticism. According to the author, Wotton’s estheticism was catastrophically dangerous for the society because it had the ahrimanic nature. Therefore, the author concludes that even though Lord Wotton had good qualities, too, he was the man with a devilish soul of a cruel cynic and nihilist, a type of criminal who tempted and in the long run debauched the younger generation including Dorian. By doing so, Lord Wotton did not only enjoy his leisure life but also gained a faithful person whose soul he zombified and ruined.

Keywords:

Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Henry Wotton, human, artist, soul, devil, morals, estheticism and dandyism, type of criminal.

This article can be downloaded freely in PDF format for reading. Download article


References
1. Shekli R. Palomnichestvo na Zemlyu ; per. s ang. – M.: Eksmo, 2013. – 992 c. – ISBN 978-5-699-61483-7
2. Shopengauer A. Metafizika polovoi lyubvi / Per. s nem. Yu. Aikhenval'da. – SPb.: Azbuka, Azbuka-Attikus, 2013. – 224 c. – ISBN 978-5-389-01945-4
3. Yung K. G. Ocherki po psikhologii bessoznatel'nogo / Per. s ang. – Izdanie 2-e. – M.: Kogito-Tsentr, 2013. – 352 c. – ISBN 978-5-89353-240-1
4. Tsveig S. Sobranie sochinenii: v 10 t. T. 10: Stikhotvoreniya; Istoricheskie miniatyury; Publitsistika; Kristina Khoflener: Roman iz literaturnogo naslediya. – M.: TERRA, 1993. – 732 c. – ISBN 5-85255-366-2
5. Spirova E. M. Filosofsko-antropologicheskoe soderzhanie simvola. – M.: «Kanon+» ROOI «Reabilitatsiya», 2012. – 336 s. – ISBN 978-5-88373-307-8
6. Gurevich P.S. Eros: Antologiya: Filosofskie marginalii prof. P. S. Gurevicha. – M.: «Kanon+» ROOI «Reabilitatsiya», 2014. – 415s. – ISBN 978-5-88373-407-5
7. Emel'yanov V. V. Ritual v Drevnei Mesopotamii. – SPbL.: «Azbuka-Klassika»; «Peterburgskoe Vostokovedenie», 2003. – 320 s. – ISBN 5-352-00499-6
8. Kamyu A. Postoronnii. Mif o Sizife. Kaligula. Padenie: [sbornik; per. s fr.]. – M.: AST, 2014. – 413 s. – ISBN 978-5-17-083381-8
9. Russkaya planeta: proekt Filolog. Elektronnyi istochnik: http://www.russianplanet.ru/filolog/ (data obrashcheniya 01.08.14)
10. Gurevich P. S. Filosofskaya interpretatsiya cheloveka (K 80-letiyu prof. P. S. Gurevicha). – SPb.: Petroglif, 2013. – 428 s. – ISBN 978-5-98712-132-0
11. Boyarin D. Izrail' po ploti. – M.: Knizhniki ; Tekst, – 2012. – 560 s. – ISBN 978-5-9953-0198-1
12. Berdyaev N. Eros i lichnost' : Filosofiya pola i lyubvi. – SPb.: Azbuka, Azbuka-Attikus, 2014. – 224 s. – ISBN 978-5-389-03360-3
13. Berdyaev N. A. Smysl tvorchestva: Opyt opravdaniya cheloveka. – M.: AST: Astrel', 2011. – 668 s. – ISBN 978-5-17-043421-3
Nota Bene
 
For authors
 
Other
 
Our sites
© 1998 – 2024 Nota Bene. Publishing Technologies. NB-Media Ltd.