Preface - Oscar Wilde

Analysis page 400

This is the preface to the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. In this text Oscar Wilde explains the reason why the traditional standard of generating and composing art is no longer valid, and the principle which is put into discussion is utility of art itself. The style of the preface is an epic gramatic one, made of short sentences and it is very easy to read. These sentences display a contradictionary nature (an apparent contradiction). The manifesto comes to a climax in the last statement "All art is quite useless". It seems to put the main idea.

Oscar Wilde begins his preface stating that the artist has to create beautiful things.

He says that the concept of beauty is central in the idea of art. Beauty is one of the key words in the romantic poetry of the second generation. The artist is the creator of Beauty.

At line 7 and line 8 there is a reference to Victorian Age, during which there were very strict laws and behaviors.

At line 11 there is a praise to Beauty itself.

At line 13 according to Wilde there are two ways to write a book: a well one or a bad one. There are no immoral books.

At line 14 and line 15 through a reference to Shakespeare he affirms that Victorians don't like Realism because it reflects themselves in a mirror.

At line 16 and line 17 through a reference to Shakespeare he states that Victorians don't recognize romantic aspects in their objects.

At line 18 and line 19 Oscar Wilde declares that the morality of art consists in the perfect use of language.

At line 25 he underlines that there is no limit to expression for the artist.

At line 26 is evidenced the architext of the objective correlative: thought and language are the artist's instruments.

At line 29 the writer substains that music is the favorite art of Romanticism from the formal point of view. While the actor's craft is the favorite from the point of view of feelings.

At line 41 there is a climax. Art should be Beautiful and not useful, it should be always new.