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Explain the ways Oscar Wilde and Henrik Ibsen present the idea of appearance and reality in ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ and ‘A Doll’s house’
A recurring theme throughout the novel ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ and the play ‘A Doll’s House’ is one that explores reality vs appearance. The writers explore this theme through their protagonists, and show an underlying message that everything is not how it seems. As both texts progress the reader begins to see the corruption that occurred in the Victorian era. The reader begins to realise the suffering characters feel for violating the creeds of aestheticism.
Oscar Wilde throughout his novel portrays the Victorian era as ‘an age that reads to much to be wise, and that thinks to much to be beautiful.’ This instantly shows the influence on Dorian Gray from the society he is living in, that is filled with judgments and uncontrolled fixations of their appearances. The society is also seen as unforgiving as any of Dorian’s former friends have become outcasts because of their ruined reputations. No characters in ‘A Doll’s House’ or ‘The Picture Of Dorian Gray’ are what they first appear to be. Dorian is judged by his appearance when his ‘soul’ is decaying in the painting. Both Ibsen and Wilde create an idea that wealth, social status and good looks indicated a person of solid moral values. This is repeatedly shown to be untrue of Dorian as Oscar Wilde highlights the deceptive nature of looks when even after he murdered Basil Hallward, Dorian lies seeping like an angelic baby the following morning. Sin is meant to be a ‘thing that writes itself across a man’s face’ and it is unseen upon Dorian’s face and this once again emphasises the deceiving nature of appearances. This is further explored with the encounter between Dorian and Sibyl Vane’s brother when he is deceived in believing that it can not be Dorian Gray as the man before him had no signs of aging. In the same way in ‘A Doll’s House’ Torvald is only concerned
A recurring theme throughout the novel ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ and the play ‘A Doll’s House’ is one that explores reality vs appearance. The writers explore this theme through their protagonists, and show an underlying message that everything is not how it seems. As both texts progress the reader begins to see the corruption that occurred in the Victorian era. The reader begins to realise the suffering characters feel for violating the creeds of aestheticism.
Oscar Wilde throughout his novel portrays the Victorian era as ‘an age that reads to much to be wise, and that thinks to much to be beautiful.’ This instantly shows the influence on Dorian Gray from the society he is living in, that is filled with judgments and uncontrolled fixations of their appearances. The society is also seen as unforgiving as any of Dorian’s former friends have become outcasts because of their ruined reputations. No characters in ‘A Doll’s House’ or ‘The Picture Of Dorian Gray’ are what they first appear to be. Dorian is judged by his appearance when his ‘soul’ is decaying in the painting. Both Ibsen and Wilde create an idea that wealth, social status and good looks indicated a person of solid moral values. This is repeatedly shown to be untrue of Dorian as Oscar Wilde highlights the deceptive nature of looks when even after he murdered Basil Hallward, Dorian lies seeping like an angelic baby the following morning. Sin is meant to be a ‘thing that writes itself across a man’s face’ and it is unseen upon Dorian’s face and this once again emphasises the deceiving nature of appearances. This is further explored with the encounter between Dorian and Sibyl Vane’s brother when he is deceived in believing that it can not be Dorian Gray as the man before him had no signs of aging. In the same way in ‘A Doll’s House’ Torvald is only concerned