Oscar Wilde Art and Morality

by Stuart Mason

"Oscar Wilde Art and Morality-A Defence of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is a classic Oscar Wilde literary study by Stuart Mason. On the whole, an artist in England gains something by being attacked. His individuality is intensified. He becomes more completely himself. Of course, the attacks are very gross, very impertinent, and very contemptible. But then no artist expects grace from the vulgar mind, or style from the suburban intellect.

Genres: Nonfiction

88 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2010

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is an untruth to say that Wilde never meet an insult he didn’t like. He like being insulting and he preferred insults with wit. And like many authors today, Wilde would take pen up to defend his work. Yet, it isn’t so much his own style that he is defending as the morality or point of the work. It should also be noted that Wilde debated, and despite his famous tongue, did keep his insults, by and large, out of the discussion.
Which is what this collection of essays and reviews is. This is debate that played out in the press of Wilde’s day about the morality of Dorian Grey. It includes not only the reviews but Wilde’s response to them. Reading this today, with knowledge of authors responding to reviews is rather interesting. Wilde never said, per se, that the people were wrong in how they viewed the book. For instance, the charge that Hawthorne would’ve done a better job goes unchallenged, what he objected to his the question of morality in terms of his novel. Something that perhaps is more relevant to the question of censorship today.
The reviews themselves are rather funny, including one that refers to the characters in the novella as puppies. Wilde’s responses while having his wit, don’t have the biting side of it. It is more of a literary debate and something that self published writers should study.

[Melanie THEE Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The pleasure that one has in creating a work of art is a purely personal pleasure, and it is for the sake of this pleasure that one creates. The artist works with his eye on the object. Nothing else interests him. What people are likely to say does not even occur to him."


RIP Oscar Wilde. You would've hated Twitter discourse.

[Zaheen Ahmed Deep · Rating 5 out of 5]

"To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim."

"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written.That is all."

"The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium."

"Thought and language are to the artist instruments of an art. Vice and virtue are to the artist materials for an art."

It is these pithy witticisms in the preface of Dorian Gray which attracted me to Wilde. Surrounded by moralizing New Age puritans, Wilde's unapologetic worship of aesthetics deeply resonated with me. I have been searching for an elaboration of these ideas ever since. This book, where Wilde defends his book Dorian Gray against moral critiques, explains many of his witty sayings. Quite illuminating.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This rather hilarious collection of critics' reviews of A Portrait of Dorian Gray and Oscar Wilde's letters in return give me hope for the trolling troglodytes inhabiting the comments sections found on the internet today. Read it if you are ready to admit that we really aren't that different from people who lived 100 years ago. Well, at least we all know in this situation who had the last laugh. Too bad it just wasn't in his lifetime.

[Christopher (Donut) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some contemporary discussion of "Dorian Gray," including its use in Wilde's first trial.
Interesting supplement to the novel.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

If only critics and artists could be this witty when criticizing and responding to criticism.
Read the majority of this a decade ago in my Norton Critical Edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wanted to read the full version, but never got around to finishing it until 10-years later. Having finally finished it, I would say if you have version contained in the Norton Critical Edition, there's really no need to read this as it contains the best of what is included in this book. "A Study in Puppydom" particularly stands out as an excellent, hilarious, and on-point criticism that has stood the test of time.

[Julia Trykowska · Rating 5 out of 5]

This compact collection of critic reviews and Wilde's responses was perfect to reference when I was writing my EPQ regarding The Picture of Dorian Gray and prejudice to the 'eccentric' (aka the artists and the dandies of the Victorian Era). I would recommend even reading this for fun, as Oscar Wilde has some fun responses to the critics. I found this wonder through Project Gutenberg.

[Meigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gives some interesting information on the "fall out" and the reaction to Wilde's book. It's not a "book", per se, but a series of letters written to various newspaper editors where Wilde defends his book (and also himself). The editors retaliate by writing even MORE stories as Wilde's letters keep coming in. Short book, but made for an interesting read especially if you are familiar with the story of Dorian Gray.

[Rees Fleming · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have posted on my Instagram a short video on Dorian grey. @ReesDavidFleming1992

I have nothing else to say.
this book is easily accessible.

I think you can download it for free online I know I read it for free on the kindle.