picture of dorian gray context

Question 1

Decadence movement

Answer 1

Aesthetic way to describe controversial topic

Question 2

Aestheticism

Answer 2

‘Art for arts sake’ - Walter Pater, art shouldn’t have any meaning

Question 3

Yellow book

Answer 3

Controversial book associated with aestheticism and decadence

Question 4

Gothic tropes - fin de siecle

Answer 4

The book takes place at the end of the century and it implies the end of the old order and creation of new radical ideas

Question 5

Victorians

Answer 5

Cared a lot about the social system therefore the social structure, disliked sin (e.g. homosexuality that Wilde was imprisoned for)

Question 6

The ‘other’

Answer 6

The East and the West are clear schisms as the east was the poor end of london where rich went to opium dens to sin, the west was home to the bourgeoisie instead

Question 7

Gothic tropes - the uncanny

Answer 7

Splitting of the ego - doubles/masks/hybrids, the uncanny creates feelings of discomfort because its a disturbing presentation of reality as familiar and unfamiliar

Question 8

Dr Faustus

Answer 8

Origin of the ‘faustian bargain’ both Dorian and Faustus sell their soul to the devil and then die for their actions.

Question 9

Freudian idea of duality

Answer 9

id - primitive part of our personality (very unconscious but is the aggressive side)
ego - mediator of the 2 other personalities (the middle ground)
superego - morality principle (represents the ideal self) so basically doing good

Question 10

Acceptance of the novel

Answer 10

Audience was disgusted as it was a reflection of the of the social values, only accepted in more liberated 1960s

Question 11

Seven deadly sins

Answer 11

1. jealousy - D of the painting, H of D’s beauty
2. gluttony - rich having parties and opium
3. sloth - upper classes don’t do anything, everything is done for them
4. lust - homosexual lust, lust for eternal youth
5. wrath - D takes anger out on B and kills him
6. greed - D wants to stay young forever
7. pride - D and H both prideful

Question 12

Oscar Wilde

Answer 12

Homosexual

Question 13

New woman movement

Answer 13

Feminist ideal that emerged in the late 19th century, refers to independent women seeking radical change

Question 14

Women - Femme fatale and ingenue

Answer 14

FF - an attractive and seductive woman that is linked to disaster so needs to be saved
I - innocent and unsophisticated woman

Question 15

Aphorisms

Answer 15

Short clever saying that is indended to express a general truth

Question 16

Epigrams

Answer 16

A witty statement created to evoke a certain response in the audience

Question 17

Hedonism

Answer 17

Completely ignoring morality

Question 18

Didactic

Answer 18

Deeper meaning behind art

Question 19

Orphan story

Answer 19

Protagonist abused throughout their background to discover their true identity

Question 20

Orientalism

Answer 20

Edward Said - the idea of the east being the odd one out and different in society

Question 21

Gothic tropes - the attic

Answer 21

Sight of repression (of D’s sins)

Question 22

Doppleganger

Answer 22

No such thing as true identity, look alike of someone usually associated with bad luck

Question 23

Dandy

Answer 23

A man that is seen as feminine

Question 24

Dichotomy

Answer 24

In society there is a dichotomy between science and religion