Features Of Western Humanism Reflected In Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray

Humanism is a theory and current reflected through philosophy, literature and other art forms. It comes out with philosophy as its background and acts on the masses through literature and art forms.To represent humanism through literary works has already begun in ancient Greek times. At that time, people embody humanism through mythology, paintings, sculptures, Greek Mythology and Greek Tragedy.As the outstanding representative of British aestheticism in the 19th century, Oscar Wilde, with his humorous and ironic language and exceptional behaviors, becomes one of the most controversial figures in the history of western literature. His only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray aroused great argumentum once published. As it is a biographical book, it serves as the best embodiment of Wilde's opinions of living artistically and his tendency of irrationalism, which, by the square, are the major domain of modern western humanism.With western humanism in different stages as the background, this essay analyzes the western humanism reflected in this novel and furthermore, explores the influences exerted on western humanism by Oscar Wilde and his works.Chapter 1 includes the general introduction of the essay, its organization and the literature review of Oscar Wilde. Chapter 2 firstly introduces the characteristics of western humanism in different stages and then analyzes the reflection of western humanism in this novel. Chapter 3 carries out a discussion of the influences of Oscar Wilde and his works on western humanism and sums up anti-traditionalism, transformation from rationalism into irrationalism and anti-heroism as the social influence, while the appearance of self-reconstruction, instantaneity and diversification of personality as his literary influence on western humanism. Chapter 4 sums up the artistic value of The Picture of Dorian Gray, and concludes that Wilde's writings serve as a profound reflection of western humanism.