On the rhetorical paradoxes in The Picture of Dorian Gray from the perspective of Aestheticism

Abstract

Oscar Wilde(1854-1900) is a famous Irish writer and the representative of Aestheticism who lived at the end of the nineteen century. He and his works contributed a memorable contribution to the development of the Aesthetic Movement and Aestheticism. When it comes to Wilde, different kinds of topics fascinate scholars. He is remembered for his aesthetic lifestyle he advocated and lived, his splendid explanation and development of Aestheticism theory in his essays, his witty repartee, and countless paradoxes in his works,etc. One thing that can not be ignored is that these aspects of Wilde’s legend interrelate with each other. All in all, what he said and did in his life and his works have connected deeply with one fundamental element—Aestheticism, which influenced his whole life and also he devoted his life to. Comparing with other means to practice and develop Aestheticism, his use of paradox made a much more remarkable contribution. Paradox, as his unique style, was also his effective tool to practice and develop Aestheticism, which merely is noticed by a few scholars. His novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, the Aesthetic masterpiece, is also marvelled by use of paradox. This book is of great significance whether to study Wilde or to explore the interrelationship between paradox and Aestheticism.

Based on the purpose to explore that interrelationship, I searched and organized a lot of related studies, and also studied the history of The Aesthetic Movement, the development of Aestheticism and Wilde’s life. After careful perusal of The novel The Picture of Dorian Gray , this essay comprehensively identified paradox’s significance for the practice and development of Aestheticism from three aspects: Aestheticism represented with paradoxical sentence, paradoxical personalities, and paradoxical theme. And this essay also briefly discussed Wilde’s experiment on Aestheticism in this novel. This essay contributes to support the study of The Picture of Dorian Gray, displays Wilde’s genius of linguist and the value of paradox and Aestheticism in literature.

Key words: Wilde, Aestheticism, Paradox, The Picture of Dorian Gray