Research Paper On Oscar Wilde

Identity Crisis

Identity Crisis 1
Identity Crisis
Have you ever noticed that there is a common and constant theme to each author’s style of writing? For instance, Shakespeare’s fascination with heroines, and Sylvia Plath’s belief that death was beautiful. Oscar Wilde’s main interest involves double lives. The concept of double lives is shown in real life based on the fact that we never show people who we really are. Wilde himself lived a double life which leads to a series of unfortunate events. His work that exposed his life of duplicity at the greatest factor was his play. The reason his literature was indulged in this theme was simply because he could not escape it, he faced it in his day-to-day life. In Oscar Wilde’s literature,
there are character types and topics that apply to real life; also shown in his personal life, and mainly exposed in his play, The Importance of Being Earnest. What is the purpose of life if one must put up a front? Who determines what reality is when no one person can be themselves?
For centuries, individuals have unconsciously treated their hearts as a home. For out of the heart spring the issues of life. Anyone can see what is exposed, the physical, however, few get a tour of the whole inside. Certain people are allowed strictly in the living room while others are taken on a walkthrough of the whole house, exposing little hidden parts. Although they are trusted with so much, the garage is the part of the house rarely shown. Us as individuals don’t always tell the truth to everyone. “If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.” (2010 QuotationPage.com) We contain the components we believe will hurt others. Technically all personals are secretly living a double life. According to the Holy Bible, “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (2011 Bible.com). Emphasizing that

Identity Crisis 2 double lives lead to destruction. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.” (2011 Bible.com)
One cannot live a life of duplicity without paying the consequences. Many people seek to be who they are not; they try to fit in with society. For example, when I was only fourteen years old, I tried my hardest to be who all my friends were. I would dress in the fashion they did, I would talk and act the way they did. Many times I would sacrifice all that I had just to be sheik. However, around my family, I was a totally transformed person. My only reward was depression. I had lost the meaning of life, I didn’t know who I was any more. My identity crisis left me contemplating suicide every night; running away from my home; heart broken, shattered, and empty. My selfishness did not only affect me but it also hurt all those who love me.
“Life is not easy; there are people who make life harder for themselves when they take the role of having a double life.” (Philosophy 2010) Many times people merely want to impress others and inspire jealousy.
More often than not one believes they could do better than what they already have. For example, “a married person can maintain a parallel relationship with someone outside of marriage by gambling and infidelity. (Philosophy 2010) Dual lives also are used to hide an issue that might cause others to think differently about that particular person. “In the workplace it can happen that someone is going through very difficult economic times and still want to pretend wealth and comfort to others, even before the closest.” (Philosophy 2010) The ultimate consequence of living a double life is suffering. Learn to live and show you as you are because to the amount that you will respect yourself and others, you also want the same way. In other words, one must treat others the way they want to be
treated.

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A young lad from the late Victorian society once said, “Most people are other people.
Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” (2010 QuotationPage.com) This man was known to be Oscar Wilde. His parents were known for having extravagant lifestyles. His father was knighted for his service to medicine. However, he was accused of rape by one of his patients. This shows that double lives have been a generational curse. Oscar Wilde was an intelligent young scholar. He got many scholarships to different colleges and universities. In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd. However, in 1891 he began an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas. “He was the object of celebrated civil and criminal suits involving homosexuality and ending in his imprisonment (1895–97).” (Oscar Wilde Biography) This man’s life was that of celebrities. At the news of his arrest, many people were shocked; they did not expect it from him. His works of literature were big hits along with his quotes. He was mostly known his paradoxes. “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” (2010 QuotationPage.com) Stating that men cannot be themselves and reveal the truth, they have to put on a front. Wilde once said, “Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.” (2010 QuotationPare.com) He did not believe that people could be themselves and live a good life. One must always seek
pleasure.
Wilde was a man that did not look at life as it was; he saw things the way he wanted them to seem and wanted others to have his same mindset. Many critics say that Lord Henry exposes Wilde’s form of thought. I believe Lord Henry, from the Picture of Dorian Gray, was in reality Oscar Wilde putting himself in his own literature. Henry was full of philosophy and manipulated Dorian to change his whole persona and mind set. Wilde did not see wrong as wrong he just wanted to find a way to justify all wrong doings. He was a sinner and defied morality and
Identity Crisis 4 righteousness. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (2011 Bible.com)
“The novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and the comic play The Importance of being Earnest reflect Wilde's political ideas” (Socialist Review) Most of his literary works were defying the common life of middle class values. It seemed that Oscar was obsessed with the concept of double lives because the majority of his poems and theatrical performances had it embedded, along with his novels. Wilde's attitude towards morality was, of course, connected with his homosexuality. Dorian Gray is about a young man's beauty, and there are constant misunderstandings about the main character's sexuality. In both Dorian Gray and The Importance of being Earnest, secret lives are central to the plot. Dorian's portrait reflects his hidden world of cruelty, shame and murder. Algernon and Jack invent a friend and a brother to avoid their social obligations and have a good time. This duplicity reflects Wilde's own life. On one hand, Oscar Wilde was a respectable man, married with two children on the other; he was paying off gangsters and having intimate relations with young men. Wilde's double life is reflected in his portrayal of homosexuality as passionate and attractive, but also sinful, something to hide.
The Importance of Being Earnest is one of Wilde's most famous plays and still grasps the attention of the public through its legitimate modifications. In Earnest, Wilde uses a mixture of social drama such as melodrama. The use of gentle mockery is probably what protected Wilde from the more biting attacks aimed at his contemporaries such as people who commented to similar effect on the values and attitudes of Victorian society. Within the drama Wilde manages to humiliate the values that many still believed were the very reason for the great triumphs of
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Victorian Britain on the world stage. These were the ideas of respectability, self-sacrifice, moral sarcasm that were closely associated with the Victorian nobles. Little by little however Wilde reveals all these to be simply elements of a mask worn by the ruling society, behind which each are the opposite modes of behavior. The principle characters will go to any lengths to avoid their responsibilities and place self-interest at the top of their own agendas. Through the literary techniques of dramatic Wilde reveals the moral hypocrisy at the heart of the Victorian establishment.
In this play Algernon’s made up friend was a constantly sick person whom he used to get away from boring parties and obligations he did not want to face. John did as well; he used his “brother” to escape the obligations he had because of his family. Their imaginary friends and family were becoming too suspicious. In Jack’s case, his adopted niece wants to meet his “brother” Earnest and has become too interested in him. Algernon’s aunt is becoming too suspicious of his friend as well. Both of the main characters got caught up in their lies and lost their loved ones. They both wanted to change their name to Earnest because the name was unique and their women fell in love with the name. They claimed that they had always dreamed to be married to someone with the name Earnest.
Wilde made many people see him as a piece of art. Most people would not see him for what he stood for; they only saw what they wanted to see. Every person interprets things differently; we all have a different understanding of what is being shown. As Wilde once said, “The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things.” (2011 About.com) Oscar Wilde’s brilliance manipulated many people to believe he was a self-regulating, self-righteous man. Throughout his life he put on a front as a
Identity Crisis 6 good family man to his wife and both of his children. One could say that Wilde was an expert at being socially accepted although he was completely against it. People become blind through the criticism. Also as he said, if you’re going to tell the truth make them laugh or they’ll kill you. This explains why most of his literature had humor.
Consequences are apparent in dual lives. In a marriage the greatest consequence would be a divorce. One can try to hide something from their spouse but a healthy relationship consists of communication, trust, and confidence. As in Oscar Wilde’s life, he was imprisoned for his sexuality. Also his debt was a consequence because he tried to live a life style he could not afford. Which many people in today’s society are being deceived by, they buy everything on credit cards and could not pay it off later. Living a wealthy lifestyle is what most people try to get at when they get in debt. The majority of the people in debt are not the poor; they are the wealthy who try to look wealthier. One of the easiest ways people build up credit is by putting their purchases on their credit cards. However, most of them forget to pay their payments and the debt only escalates.
That being said, there are many different themes and styles in literature that stay constant according to the author. For example, Oscar Wilde’s main theme was double lives; most say he was obsessed with lives being lived in duplicity. This however applies to real life as we know it; one never reveals their true identity to another. Wilde himself lived a double life and most of what he lived spilled out onto his writing. The Importance of Being Earnest was a play, written by Wilde that mocked the social duties of the Victorian society. We as individuals must find our true identity and put a screeching halt to our identity crisis. Criticism only comes when you’re doing something right.
Reference Page 1. 2011 Bible.com, Retrieved November 9, 2011. (2011). from http://www.bible.com/ 2. Pettinger, Tejvan. "Biography of Oscar Wilde". (2011). Oxford, Retrieved, November 9, 2011, from http://www.biographyonline.net/poets/oscar_wilde.html 3. Published May 1995, Socialist Review. (2011). Retrieved November 9, 2011, from http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/sr186/wilson.htm 4. 2010 QuotationsPage.com. (2011). Retrieved November 9, 2011, from http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Oscar_Wilde 5. Philosophy 2010. (2011) Retrieved November 9, 2011, from http://socyberty.com/philosophy/the-consequences-of-having-a-double-life/ 6. Oscar Wilde Biography. (2011). The Biography Chanel website. Retrieved November 9, 2011, from http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-wilde-9531078?page=1 7. 2011 About.com. (2011). The New York Times Company. Retrieved November 9, 2011, from http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/owilde/bl-owilde-pic-pre.htm