Criticism of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay -- Picture

Criticism of Oscar Wildes The bear witness of Dorian Gray The novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, written by Oscar Wilde originally emergeed in Lippincotts monthly Magazine in 1890. It was accordingly published in 1891, in bind form, containing six additional chapters with revisions. The original revues of Dorian Gray were mostly unfavorable. It was condemned for its unsound treatment of immoral or at least uncomfortable subjects. A review in the St. mobs Gazette by Samuel henry Jeyes, journalist and biographer was titled A Study in Puppydom. Jeyes refers to Wildes idle, emasculate characters in the book and writes The puppies appear to fill up the intervals of talk by plucking daisies and playing with them, and virtuallytimes tipsiness something with strawberry in it (Beckson 69). An unsigned review in Athenaeum, called the book unmanly, sickening, ferine (although not exactly what is called improper), and tedious. (Beckson 82) Charles Whibley, journalist and writer f or the Scots Observer, wrote that Mr. Oscar Wilde has over again been writing stuff that were discontinue extemporary and went on with ...it is dishonorable to benevolent nature-for its hero is a devil it is false to morality-for it is not made sufficiently clear that the writer does not privilege a course of supernatural iniquity to a life of cleanliness, health, and sanity. He ends the article by construction ...he can write for none tho outlawed noblemen and perverted cable boys, the sooner he takes to tailoring (or some other decent trade) the better for his own reputation and the public morals (Beckson 75). Wilde replied to these damaging attacks and told an acquaintance later on these first reviews that the story would be ...... ...ver reached, which supersedes that foregoing didactic purpose, and makes the quite sufficing spare-time activity of an excellent story. He concludes by state We need only emphasize, one time more, the skill, the real subtlety of a rt, the ease and runniness withal of one presentment a story by account book of mouth, with which the consciousness of the supernatural is introduced into, and maintain amid, the elaborately conventional, sophisticated, disabused world Mr. Wilde depicts so cleverly, so mercilessly(Beckson 83-6). In conclusion, it became apparent with reading the reviews of The Picture of Dorian Gray that the critics seemed to be reviewing the creator instead of the book. BIBLIOGRAPHY Beckson, Karl. Oscar Wilde. New York, Barnes & Noble, 1970. Gagnier, Regenia. Idylls of the Marketplace. Stanford, Stanford University Press, 1986. Criticism of Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay -- PictureCriticism of Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray The novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, written by Oscar Wilde originally appeared in Lippincotts Monthly Magazine in 1890. It was then published in 1891, in book form, containing six additional chapters with revisions. The first rev iews of Dorian Gray were mostly unfavorable. It was condemned for its speculative treatment of immoral or at least uncomfortable subjects. A review in the St. Jamess Gazette by Samuel Henry Jeyes, journalist and biographer was titled A Study in Puppydom. Jeyes refers to Wildes idle, effeminate characters in the book and writes The puppies appear to fill up the intervals of talk by plucking daisies and playing with them, and sometimes drinking something with strawberry in it (Beckson 69). An unsigned review in Athenaeum, called the book unmanly, sickening, vicious (although not exactly what is called improper), and tedious. (Beckson 82) Charles Whibley, journalist and writer for the Scots Observer, wrote that Mr. Oscar Wilde has again been writing stuff that were better unwritten and went on with ...it is false to human nature-for its hero is a devil it is false to morality-for it is not made sufficiently clear that the writer does not prefer a course of unnatural iniquity to a life of cleanliness, health, and sanity. He ends the article by saying ...he can write for none but outlawed noblemen and perverted telegraph boys, the sooner he takes to tailoring (or some other decent trade) the better for his own reputation and the public morals (Beckson 75). Wilde replied to these damaging attacks and told an acquaintance after these first reviews that the story would be ...... ...ver reached, which supersedes that earlier didactic purpose, and makes the quite sufficing interest of an excellent story. He concludes by saying We need only emphasize, once more, the skill, the real subtlety of art, the ease and fluidity withal of one telling a story by word of mouth, with which the consciousness of the supernatural is introduced into, and maintained amid, the elaborately conventional, sophisticated, disabused world Mr. Wilde depicts so cleverly, so mercilessly(Beckson 83-6). In conclusion, it became apparent with reading the reviews of The Picture of Dorian Gray that the critics seemed to be reviewing the author instead of the book. BIBLIOGRAPHY Beckson, Karl. Oscar Wilde. New York, Barnes & Noble, 1970. Gagnier, Regenia. Idylls of the Marketplace. Stanford, Stanford University Press, 1986.