Lesson 2 V4 The picture of Dorian Gray/Oscar Wilde

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

The picture of 

Dorian Gray

After today's lesson, you will...

... know more about Oscar Wilde.

... know about the aesthetic movement.

 

The Aesthetic Movement

The Aesthetic movement is an art movement that emerged in Industrial Britain around 1860 and was considered a revolt against the materialistic culture brought about by the Industrial era. Simply put, the Aesthetic movement was driven by the desire for producing art for art’s sake – a phrase you may hear often in the debate surrounding what constitutes “good art”. Art for art’s sake implies that artists produce works merely for the aesthetic quality or value that the artwork evokes.

This means that in Victorian Britain, there was a growing desire for art that was simply appreciated for its surface value or beauty rather than deep concept, technical execution, subliminal qualities, symbols, or complex interpretations.

What is the
aesthetic movement?

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Summary

character overview

Write summary chapter 1

How it all starts......

The story begins in the art studio of Basil Hallward who has painted a portrait of a beautiful young man (Dorian Gray).

 Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basil,  believes that the portrait should be displayed, but Basil disagrees because he is affraid that this could show an obsession with Dorian Gray. 

Who wrote The picture of Dorian Gray?

What do you know about the Victorian age?

The Victorian Age (1)

• Started around 1830 ended in early 20th century
• Named after Queen Victoria (1837 - 1901)
• Britain: great economic and political power
• "The workshop of the world"
• "The empire on which the sun never set"

Young Victoria

Elderly Victoria

The Victorian Age (2)

• Empire building: Britain's national destiny
• Sense of moral superiority (white man's burden)
• From  1830s: Laws aimed at reform (Reform Bills, Poor Laws, educational laws)
• Yet: period of great social inequality
• rich vs poor ("the two nations")
• men vs women ("Victorian double standard")

The Victorian Age (3)

• Scientific discovery and progress

• Growing uncertainty and intellectual doubt"
• Religious beliefs vs scientific evidence
• Discovery of fossils
• Theory of evolution 

 Grosvenor Gallery

One of the major institutions associated with the Aesthetic movement is the Grosvenor Gallery, which opened its doors to Aesthetic artists in 1877 and provided an official platform for these artists to share their creative expressions of Aestheticism and voice their preferences as a rejection of academic art styles. The Grosvenor Gallery promoted the work and careers of many influential Aesthetic artists

Grosvenor Gallery is also mentioned in the book. By who and in what context?

1. Basil, because he wants to exhibit the picture there
2. Dorian because he wants to be famous
3. Henry, because he wants to exhibit the picture there

Which characters are introduced in chapter one?

1. Basil and Henry
2. Henry and Dorian
3. Basil and Dorian
4. Dorian and Sybil

character overview

What do you know about Basil?

What do you know about Henry?

What is the
aesthetic movement?

The Aesthetic Movement

The Aesthetic movement is an art movement that emerged in Industrial Britain around 1860 and was considered a revolt against the materialistic culture brought about by the Industrial era. Simply put, the Aesthetic movement was driven by the desire for producing art for art’s sake – a phrase you may hear often in the debate surrounding what constitutes “good art”. Art for art’s sake implies that artists produce works merely for the aesthetic quality or value that the artwork evokes.

Summarize chapter 2 in your own words

The picture of 

Dorian Gray

Part 3

Before we start....

What can you remember from last class

What is the
aesthetic movement? Use your own words.

Victorian Era: Characteristics

• daily life
  
• moral purpose
• idealism/ideal life
• pessimism
• visually descriptive
• dramatic monologue
• takes inspiration from renaissance

Why was the novel successful? 

1. intended for middle class

2. flexible

3. escapism (industrial revolution Vs. refuge in nature)

4. realistic

5. solutions to complex issues

Characteristics of Victorian Novel: 

1. Standard middle-class (bourgeoisie) habits and standards of behaviour.

2. The most popular topic is the adaptation of the individual to society. (Was this similar to the Romantic era?)

3. Emphasis on the way that characters develop. 

(lower class described in a boring manner, aristocracy portrayed in a jealous/arrogant manner). 

1. Relate at least 2 Victorian elements to the novel. Make sure to explain your answer by using an example from the novel.

2. Which conflict would you say is present in the book? (man Vs. man, man Vs. society, man Vs. nature, man Vs. self) Explain your answer.

Themes explained

• Aesthetic Movement:  Victorians believed art had to have a clear objective: educate masses, distinguish good from bad, be beautiful. The aim of art was to have no aims = Art for Art's sake.
• Hedonism: the theory that pleasure (the satisfaction of desires) is the highest good and aim of human life. 

Aestheticism

How is the picture of Dorian Gray an example of Aestheticism: 

Real art takes no part in molding the social or moral identities of society, nor should it. Art should be beautiful and pleasure its observer, but to imply further-reaching influence would be a mistake. The only purpose of life Dorian has in mind is pleasure seeking and nothing else. 

Practice questions 

Which one is not an element of the Victorian age?

1. nature as godlike
2. focus on the common man
3. escapism
4. takes inspiration from the renaissance

What is the cyclical nature of life?

cyclical nature of life

with God

Child with subconscious remembrance of life with God

corruption by society