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Wilde draft Continued
Apr. 10th, 2006 09:33 am( I called my boss to ask if I could have the day off for this paper. I think she's cheesed. )
Pasting from Word does ugly things to my text.
Pasting from Word does ugly things to my text.
Wilde: Outline
Apr. 10th, 2006 12:17 am( Outline )
( Current draft )
This thing is due in 16 hours.
Halfway through the second point right now.
And... why am I handwriting this?!
( Current draft )
This thing is due in 16 hours.
Halfway through the second point right now.
And... why am I handwriting this?!
Wilde: Notes, outline
Apr. 9th, 2006 01:00 amTopic: The formation of morality through aesthetics in Oscar Wilde's writings
in particular, the Happy Prince, the Devoted Friend, Picture of Dorian Gray.
Critic as Artist (parts I and II) and De Profoundis
( Critic as Artist notes )
( De Profoundis notes )
Thesis statement (tentative): The practice of morality is developed by the [responsible] individual through both contemplation and aesthetics.
Individual:
agency of self to realize moral behaviour, become conscious / sensitive to others, reflect on own contemplation and aesthetic senses, realization that both qualities are universal (cosmopolitan).
De Profoundis
Critic as Artist
Happy Prince
Contemplation: morality sense is developed through meditating actions and behaviour.
Dorian Gray: Dorian and Harry are unable to contemplate on the effects of their words and experiences on others. As a result, Dorian's sense of morality deteriorates, and Harry loses his wife.
Devoted Friend: Water-rat would be considered immoral because his refuses to consider how actions of the Miller adversely affect Little Hans.
De Profoundis: Onus on Douglas for shallowness, not considering actions.
Aesthetics:
Through a love for the beautiful, the individual should strive to be a kind of person that causes goodness, so as to keep being surrounded by beauty. Ugliness in the world can rarely be avoided so the individual should try to make beauty a reality rather than leave the world as it is.
Happy Prince
The points need work, but it's a start. I have more notes, from Cosmopolitan Criticism, and I might try the Poetics of Ambiguity before actually embarking on the writing, but it should be at least halfway done by tomorrow night. Cross yer fingers for me, it's due 4pm Monday and it's 1am Sunday right now.
in particular, the Happy Prince, the Devoted Friend, Picture of Dorian Gray.
Critic as Artist (parts I and II) and De Profoundis
( Critic as Artist notes )
( De Profoundis notes )
Thesis statement (tentative): The practice of morality is developed by the [responsible] individual through both contemplation and aesthetics.
Individual:
agency of self to realize moral behaviour, become conscious / sensitive to others, reflect on own contemplation and aesthetic senses, realization that both qualities are universal (cosmopolitan).
De Profoundis
Critic as Artist
Happy Prince
Contemplation: morality sense is developed through meditating actions and behaviour.
Dorian Gray: Dorian and Harry are unable to contemplate on the effects of their words and experiences on others. As a result, Dorian's sense of morality deteriorates, and Harry loses his wife.
Devoted Friend: Water-rat would be considered immoral because his refuses to consider how actions of the Miller adversely affect Little Hans.
De Profoundis: Onus on Douglas for shallowness, not considering actions.
Aesthetics:
Through a love for the beautiful, the individual should strive to be a kind of person that causes goodness, so as to keep being surrounded by beauty. Ugliness in the world can rarely be avoided so the individual should try to make beauty a reality rather than leave the world as it is.
Happy Prince
The points need work, but it's a start. I have more notes, from Cosmopolitan Criticism, and I might try the Poetics of Ambiguity before actually embarking on the writing, but it should be at least halfway done by tomorrow night. Cross yer fingers for me, it's due 4pm Monday and it's 1am Sunday right now.
Wilde: Quotes
Apr. 7th, 2006 03:44 pmStuff I want to use, posted here because I don't want to go hunting for them no more:
( Read more... )
Currently:
Oscar Wilde's morality has to be seen first through his life, which is defined by his art and aesthetics.
Utility (usefulness) is not separate from art, therefore morality (ethics) is not seperate from life. (Why the hell didn't I read Imitations.)
Morality does not necessarily conform to social mores - it can critique them.
Morality is defined through a desire to see the world as it could be (not as it is) and striving to reflect that world in art.
Morality cultivated through desiring to create the world as it should be. (I'm still fuzzy on how to back this up, but this is the spirit I get when reading Cosmopolitan Criticism and De Profoundis.)
( Read more... )
Currently:
Oscar Wilde's morality has to be seen first through his life, which is defined by his art and aesthetics.
Utility (usefulness) is not separate from art, therefore morality (ethics) is not seperate from life. (Why the hell didn't I read Imitations.)
Morality does not necessarily conform to social mores - it can critique them.
Morality is defined through a desire to see the world as it could be (not as it is) and striving to reflect that world in art.
Morality cultivated through desiring to create the world as it should be. (I'm still fuzzy on how to back this up, but this is the spirit I get when reading Cosmopolitan Criticism and De Profoundis.)
Thoughts: Oscar Wilde's Morality
Apr. 6th, 2006 09:17 pmIn this essay, I think I will argue the morality of Oscar Wilde's writings which is subversively hidden beneath the aesthetics.
A lot of hooha is made about his gayness, his aeshtetic principles and how it's reflected in his work, how his homosexuality is reflected in his work, whether or not his work is moral or corruptive, how closely related to Pater is Wilde's writing, or to Arnold, or to Disraeli. It seems as if Wilde can't stand on his own as an invention of his own self, and if he tries, he's some sort of immoral hedonist.
I'm going to look at:
Ideal Husband
Dorian Gray (subversively moral, just looks like a horror story)
De Profoundis (lots of good philosophical aspects, will look at this last)
Fairy tales: Happy Prince, Devoted Friend, and I'm going to see if I can read some more to have more basis, but I think his fairy tales are key.
I had some good ideas going but I can't remember them now. I think I'll remember them once I type out what I found important in the articles I read.
I'm going to read his fairy tales now, and then think about whether I want to continue with Aesthetics of Self-Invention, or move on to the next Wilde book I got.
EDIT: Wilde's morality is self-conscious (used in terms of social consciousness) and designed for self-developement through conscious effort, didactic although subversively beneath all the pretty language, and the morality complements the aesthetics - the good is beautiful. I reflect on this through his writing about Christ and how the teachings and life of Christ were beautiful precisely because they are good.
A lot of hooha is made about his gayness, his aeshtetic principles and how it's reflected in his work, how his homosexuality is reflected in his work, whether or not his work is moral or corruptive, how closely related to Pater is Wilde's writing, or to Arnold, or to Disraeli. It seems as if Wilde can't stand on his own as an invention of his own self, and if he tries, he's some sort of immoral hedonist.
I'm going to look at:
Ideal Husband
Dorian Gray (subversively moral, just looks like a horror story)
De Profoundis (lots of good philosophical aspects, will look at this last)
Fairy tales: Happy Prince, Devoted Friend, and I'm going to see if I can read some more to have more basis, but I think his fairy tales are key.
I had some good ideas going but I can't remember them now. I think I'll remember them once I type out what I found important in the articles I read.
I'm going to read his fairy tales now, and then think about whether I want to continue with Aesthetics of Self-Invention, or move on to the next Wilde book I got.
EDIT: Wilde's morality is self-conscious (used in terms of social consciousness) and designed for self-developement through conscious effort, didactic although subversively beneath all the pretty language, and the morality complements the aesthetics - the good is beautiful. I reflect on this through his writing about Christ and how the teachings and life of Christ were beautiful precisely because they are good.
Hrm. Wow.
I knew I loved Oscar Wilde for his paradoxes and his comedic spirit, but I just read An Ideal Husband. Maybe I'm just being sentimental (considering my ex-boyfriend has just opened communication with me again) or maybe I'm just depressed, but that ending made me cry. I just love happy endings where people in love make grotesquely adorable declarations to each other. And where people in love are equals and honest with each other.
Salome was interesting, but a bit Theatre of the Absurd-ish for me. For a single act, there's plenty of belief suspension needed. I'd find it a bit of a challenge to do, really, because there're so many characters and thus a lot of people hanging around for no real reason except to wait for their lines. It's a bit bizarre. But one must remember, Oscar Wilde detested the real.
I suppose I shall have to get back to the Decay of Lying and the Artist as Critic. Then I can really get cracking on this research paper. I need to talk to Dr. Perkin about the research material too. And I really need to refine my research questions. The proposal paper was really just me throwing out all my ideas just so I could get 200-300 words on paper, so it turned out really quite horrid.
From questioning Wilde's principles and whether they apply themselves all the time to his works, I was wondering maybe I could think about his aesthetics and applying his aesthetics to himself. But I also want to question how important those aesthetics are with regards to morality. The Happy Prince, the Importance of Being Ernest, An Ideal Husband... all these have some really strong moral themes regarding honesty and although the superficial in these stories are charming, it's the morality tale which hits home the hardest. Even Dorian Gray had a moral. (It's just not terribly overt.) Really. Oscar Wilde could talk himself blue about cleverness and being pretty and carpe diem, but it's not terribly well reflected in his works so far.
I don't know yet. I'll have to read the articles I borrowed.
I also have some really awesome books! I managed to get The Aesthetics of Self-Invention: Oscar Wilde to David Bowie. It's like - Evolution! (The other day it was Men in Makeup: David Bowie to The Killers.) I also have Oscar Wilde: The Poetics of Ambiguity. It looks like it covers some things I want to say.
Let me read the critical essays first. Perhaps I really ought to be reading all of his works, just to make sure my bases, but I'm sure Dr. Perkin will go "*gasp* no!"
I knew I loved Oscar Wilde for his paradoxes and his comedic spirit, but I just read An Ideal Husband. Maybe I'm just being sentimental (considering my ex-boyfriend has just opened communication with me again) or maybe I'm just depressed, but that ending made me cry. I just love happy endings where people in love make grotesquely adorable declarations to each other. And where people in love are equals and honest with each other.
Salome was interesting, but a bit Theatre of the Absurd-ish for me. For a single act, there's plenty of belief suspension needed. I'd find it a bit of a challenge to do, really, because there're so many characters and thus a lot of people hanging around for no real reason except to wait for their lines. It's a bit bizarre. But one must remember, Oscar Wilde detested the real.
I suppose I shall have to get back to the Decay of Lying and the Artist as Critic. Then I can really get cracking on this research paper. I need to talk to Dr. Perkin about the research material too. And I really need to refine my research questions. The proposal paper was really just me throwing out all my ideas just so I could get 200-300 words on paper, so it turned out really quite horrid.
From questioning Wilde's principles and whether they apply themselves all the time to his works, I was wondering maybe I could think about his aesthetics and applying his aesthetics to himself. But I also want to question how important those aesthetics are with regards to morality. The Happy Prince, the Importance of Being Ernest, An Ideal Husband... all these have some really strong moral themes regarding honesty and although the superficial in these stories are charming, it's the morality tale which hits home the hardest. Even Dorian Gray had a moral. (It's just not terribly overt.) Really. Oscar Wilde could talk himself blue about cleverness and being pretty and carpe diem, but it's not terribly well reflected in his works so far.
I don't know yet. I'll have to read the articles I borrowed.
I also have some really awesome books! I managed to get The Aesthetics of Self-Invention: Oscar Wilde to David Bowie. It's like - Evolution! (The other day it was Men in Makeup: David Bowie to The Killers.) I also have Oscar Wilde: The Poetics of Ambiguity. It looks like it covers some things I want to say.
Let me read the critical essays first. Perhaps I really ought to be reading all of his works, just to make sure my bases, but I'm sure Dr. Perkin will go "*gasp* no!"
For this proposal, I didn't really have to do a lot of last minute reading, but I still needed a topic and a working bibliography. Dr. Perkin will go through the paper and its ideas and decide for us whether or not we need such and such a book or not.
I still don't really have a clear idea on what I want to write, and considering this is the third research paper due in two weeks... well... my mind is kinda tightening up.
( I HATE MYSELF. What a shitty proposal. )
On the bright side, I got an A for my 17th century proposal.
I still don't really have a clear idea on what I want to write, and considering this is the third research paper due in two weeks... well... my mind is kinda tightening up.
( I HATE MYSELF. What a shitty proposal. )
On the bright side, I got an A for my 17th century proposal.
