Essays and Lectures: Exploring Aestheticism and Individualism: Reflections on Art, Society, and Morality in Late 19th-Century Literature

· Good Press
Электронная кніга
201
Старонкі
Падыходзячыя
Ацэнкі і водгукі не спраўджаны  Даведацца больш

Пра гэту электронную кнігу

In "Essays and Lectures," Oscar Wilde showcases his wit and unparalleled brilliance through a collection of thought-provoking pieces that navigate the realms of art, identity, and society. With a distinctive style characterized by aphoristic insights and a rich use of metaphor, Wilde's essays reflect the concerns of the late Victorian period, which was marked by rapid industrialization and stringent moral codes. His keen observations and eloquent prose challenge prevailing notions of aesthetics and ethics, making vital arguments for the intrinsic value of art and individuality. This work not only offers intimate glimpses into Wilde's philosophical musings but also serves as a critique of contemporary societal norms. Oscar Wilde, a central figure of the Aesthetic Movement, was renowned for his flamboyant persona and brilliant intellect. Born into a well-educated Dublin family, Wilde'Äôs early exposure to art and literature greatly shaped his creative voice. His experiences as a gay man navigating the repressive Victorian society profoundly influenced his writings, prompting Wilde to advocate for a more liberated understanding of love and creativity, themes prominently featured in this collection. "Essays and Lectures" is a must-read for anyone intrigued by the intersections of literature, art, and society. Readers will appreciate Wilde's ability to engage with complex issues while remaining accessible and engaging. This collection not only illuminates the socio-political climate of its time but also resonates with contemporary debates concerning individuality and artistic expression.

Звесткі пра аўтара

Flamboyant man-about-town, Oscar Wilde had a reputation that preceded him, especially in his early career. He was born to a middle-class Irish family (his father was a surgeon) and was trained as a scholarship boy at Trinity College, Dublin. He subsequently won a scholarship to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was heavily influenced by John Ruskin and Walter Pater, whose aestheticism was taken to its radical extreme in Wilde's work. By 1879 he was already known as a wit and a dandy; soon after, in fact, he was satirized in Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience. Largely on the strength of his public persona, Wilde undertook a lecture tour to the United States in 1882, where he saw his play Vera open---unsuccessfully---in New York. His first published volume, Poems, which met with some degree of approbation, appeared at this time. In 1884 he married Constance Lloyd, the daughter of an Irish lawyer, and within two years they had two sons. During this period he wrote, among others, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), his only novel, which scandalized many readers and was widely denounced as immoral. Wilde simultaneously dismissed and encouraged such criticism with his statement in the preface, "There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written or badly written. That is all." In 1891 Wilde published A House of Pomegranates, a collection of fantasy tales, and in 1892 gained commercial and critical success with his play, Lady Windermere's Fan He followed this comedy with A Woman of No Importance (1893), An Ideal Husband (1895), and his most famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). During this period he also wrote Salome, in French, but was unable to obtain a license for it in England. Performed in Paris in 1896, the play was translated and published in England in 1894 by Lord Alfred Douglas and was illustrated by Aubrey Beardsley. Lord Alfred was the son of the Marquess of Queensbury, who objected to his son's spending so much time with Wilde because of Wilde's flamboyant behavior and homosexual relationships. In 1895, after being publicly insulted by the marquess, Wilde brought an unsuccessful slander suit against the peer. The result of his inability to prove slander was his own trial on charges of sodomy, of which he was found guilty and sentenced to two years of hard labor. During his time in prison, he wrote a scathing rebuke to Lord Alfred, published in 1905 as De Profundis. In it he argues that his conduct was a result of his standing "in symbolic relations to the art and culture" of his time. After his release, Wilde left England for Paris, where he wrote what may be his most famous poem, The Ballad of Reading Gaol (1898), drawn from his prison experiences. Among his other notable writing is The Soul of Man under Socialism (1891), which argues for individualism and freedom of artistic expression. There has been a revived interest in Wilde's work; among the best recent volumes are Richard Ellmann's, Oscar Wilde and Regenia Gagnier's Idylls of the Marketplace, two works that vary widely in their critical assumptions and approach to Wilde but that offer rich insights into his complex character.

Ацаніце гэту электронную кнігу

Падзяліцеся сваімі меркаваннямі.

Чытанне інфармацыb

Смартфоны і планшэты
Усталюйце праграму "Кнігі Google Play" для Android і iPad/iPhone. Яна аўтаматычна сінхранізуецца з вашым уліковым запісам і дазваляе чытаць у інтэрнэце або па-за сеткай, дзе б вы ні былі.
Ноўтбукі і камп’ютары
У вэб-браўзеры камп’ютара можна слухаць аўдыякнігі, купленыя ў Google Play.
Электронныя кнiгi i iншыя прылады
Каб чытаць на такіх прыладах для электронных кніг, як, напрыклад, Kobo, трэба спампаваць файл і перанесці яго на сваю прыладу. Выканайце падрабязныя інструкцыі, прыведзеныя ў Даведачным цэнтры, каб перанесці файлы на прылады, якія падтрымліваюцца.