Abstract
In this article, the writer looks at the characters Dorian Gray in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and Dr. Faustus in the play of the same name. The writer notes that in both Marlowe's and Wilde's tales of men overreaching the natural order, evil is primarily construed as transcending the natural, specifically of desiring eternal life, rather than bowing to the natural processes of change that are inherent in nature. Further, the writer points out that God's law is synonymous with nature, and both Faustus and Dorian Gray go against nature and embrace artifice and art. The writer concludes that for all of their unnaturalness and evil, the protagonists remain the most 'naturally' compelling characters of their respective dramas, given the unrealistic and 'unnatural' one-dimensionality and weakness of those individuals who are unfortunate enough to encounter Dorian and Faustus.

From the Paper
"The seductiveness of both protagonists' ambitions for the reader, however, has provoked contradictory interpretations in the responses of critics and its more general audience. On one hand, both works seem to argue that obeying God's natural order and law regarding knowledge and morality is best. In short, do not seek to become a magician or seek to be young forever. But although Dorian Gray may read like an argument against art and artifice on one hand, it itself is a work of art. Furthermore, although "Dr. Faustus" argues against magic, the actors on the stage need to make use of 'magic' to portray the morality tale of the fall of the scholar from Wittenberg. This confuses the question of what is good or bad in both plays, especially since the 'good' characters like the old man who counsels Faustus to repent, or Basil and Sybil in Wilde's work, are the weakest characters."

Tags:evil, souls, nature, fate

Abstract
Pride, anger, avarice, gluttony, sloth, lust, and envy all manifest themselves in Dr. Faustus throughout the play. Not only do they manifest themselves within the psychological understanding of the play, but the seven deadly sins also appear as characters in the plot. Through his use of the seven deadly sins, then, Marlowe is demonstrating the path to damnation in relation to the developing Christian theology of his day.

Tags:faustus, deadly, sins

Abstract
An in-depth look at Christopher Marlowe's "The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus" in terms of contrasting traditional Christian and secular representations of evil and how those opposing representations reflect both 16th century England and Christopher Marlowe himself.

From the Paper
"Christopher Marlowe's "The Tragical History of Dr Faustus" is a classic theatric examination of the notion of evil that essentially poses the question, is the drama a cautionary moral play purporting the inherent evil nature of man, the legitimacy of original sin, the infallibility of the Christian God, and the literal existence of Satan and his fallen angels, or is it rather more of a tragedy portraying man as a non-wicked creature capable of flawed actions plagued..."

Tags:evil, sin, original, Marlowe, Faustus

Abstract
In Oscar Wilde's novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray", concepts of mortality and death are tied to concepts of aesthetics. This paper shows how Dorian Gray fears death but also considers art as a way of overcoming death. He then makes himself into a work of art, while the true artwork, the painting of him produced by Basil Hallward, is subject to all the mortal disintegration which rightfully should be suffered by Dorian himself.

From the Paper
"Gray also embodies the New Hedonism expressed by Lord Henry, another challenge to aging and death. However, aging and death are part of the natural order and cannot be escaped in any way except through art. Dorian does see himself as a work of art, but he lives not for an aesthetic but for the love of self. In the end, age and death come to him because he has not lived a balanced life. Critics point out ways in which ideas of aesthetics are embodied in the novel along with moral issues concerning immortality and the ability to evade responsibility for one's actions."

Tags:art, basil, hallward, mortal, mortality, aesthetics

Abstract
This paper analyzes the book "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. The characters are described and their influences on each other are discussed. The paper portrays Lord Henry Wotten as Dorian's devil, his evil inner self, and Basil Hallward as Dorian's conscious, his guardian.

From the Paper
"Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" continues to mystify its audience. First published in 1890, it was originally criticized for being immoral. Wilde rewrote the novel and published it again the following year, this time with a pre-face announcing its theme of immorality. Set in late 19th century London, the novel centers around Dorian Gray and two of his "friends" Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotten."

Tags:basil, hallward, lord, henry, wotten, fate, beauty, age, artist, portrait

Abstract
This paper discusses Annamarie Jagose's book, "Queer Theory" in relation to Dorian Gray's character in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. The paper contends that Jagose and Wilde's discussion and portrayal of queerness reflects how this concept is associated to an almost utopian mind state, where the individual has no biases, prejudices and malicious intents in life. The paper assesses that according to these books, queerness is a state where equality and ambiguity is accepted and considered the norm.

From the Paper
"What makes the queer concept vital to the study of gays and lesbians, as well as issues of homosexuality and heterosexuality is that it provides a 'gray area' in which no distinctions between male and female and gay and lesbian are found. Queer appeals to the 20th century philosophers and social scientists simply because it offers an avenue through which gender and sex can be discussed without the political inequality often found between male and female genders and the similarly dichotomous relationship between gays and lesbians. As Jagose had asserted, the queer concept was able to transcend the "natural sexuality" framework-that is, "queer's transcendent disregard for dominant systems of gender"-that society had often used as reference in order to fully understand the identity of an individual."

Tags:gays, lesbians, homosexuality, heterosexuality

Abstract
The paper reveals that although "The Picture of Dorian Gray" may seem to depict little more than a battle between morality and aesthetics, Oscar Wilde's novel is, rather, a profound examination of the psychology of the human mind. The paper highlights the story's theme of tracking the psychological transformation of an innocent youth to that of a corrupt, self-absorbed young man, and finally, to that of a repentant, albeit misguided, middle-aged man.

From the Paper
"Although The Picture of Dorian Gray may seem on first reading to depict little more than a battle between morality and aesthetics, Oscar Wilde's novel is, rather, a profound examination of the psychology of the human mind. An extended metaphor is born the moment the painting begins to register the effects of Dorian's transgressions, whereby the portrait becomes the physical representation of his conscience, and the attic in which he stores the increasingly horrific portrait represents his subconscious. The act of hiding the painting, so that neither he nor others may witness the continual corruption of his soul, reflects Dorian's endeavor to suppress his conscience, and ignore this intrinsic alarm's function to keep his actions in check."

Tags:psychology, mind, portrait, painting, guilt, repentance

Abstract
This paper discusses Oscar Wilde's play, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and how the origins of sin are presented in the play. The paper uses examples from the play to show how, for Wilde, sin has its origin in awareness and knowledge of desire, just like the fall from grace in Eden. The paper explains how the main character, Dorian, becomes sinful in his knowledge and his awareness of his own beauty and this leads to his downfall.

From the Paper
"Again, there is scarlet, but this is the scarlet of blood letting, not an innocent blush of the young Dorian's lips. Once again, at the words of Lord Henry, even the older and more jaded Dorian is moved to tremble. He blanches at the sight of the picture, but for a different reason, because he can see the monster he has become, rather than fears the passage of age as he did as a young man. His own portrait is described as loathsome, like a serpent, and the diction of the passage is Biblical and elevated, "the scarlet of blood," "desire," and "scarlet dew" as a euphemism for blood."

Tags:desire eden, literary parallel, homoerotic hedonism, blood

Abstract
This paper discusses several aspects of the central theme of "The Picture of Dorian Gray". The portrait and the soul are identified as being synonymous, so that Dorian is affected not by an object, but by his own true image.

Abstract
This paper begins by exploring the three distinct themes or influences from Darwin that shaped the course of the works, "Dorian Gray," by Oscar Wilde, and "Dracula", by Bram Stoker. First, the theme of ambivalence toward religion is discussed. Next, the paper discusses the theme concerning the overwhelming fear of monsters hidden within our own genetic code. The paper then examines the last theme of degeneration and entropy. In addition, the issue of racism and how it arose from this fear of degeneration is looked at, as well as how the sexual abuse of African women was justified because of these racist views. Furthermore, cannibalism as a form of sexual lust is discussed and related to the notion of devolution. Finally, the paper compares and contrasts how all of these themes are expressed in both novels.

From the Paper
"At the fin de siecle, a great confusion settled over the intellectual communities. Darwin's theories of natural selection had radically altered the scope of society and the popular imagination since the Origin of Species was released in 1858. By the end of the century, however, scientific criticism of the theory had combined with an increased popular paranoia regarding its logical (and less than logical) consequences. Specifically, the idea that we had evolved from the animals began to develop into a fear that we might retrace our steps and descend once more into bestiality. Fear of intrinsic degeneration and the beast within was heightened by its symbolic merger with a sort of imperial self-doubt, as the poets and prophets of the era increasingly foresaw coming changes to the British Empire and a waning of national power. The basic foundations of the British world were crumbling, though they still appeared outwardly bulwarked."

Tags:sexual, dysfunction, degradation, paranoia, gender, tension, sexual, terror, devil, soul