摘 要

《道林·格雷的画像》是奥斯卡·王尔德创作的一部充满哥特元素的小说，充满了恐怖、黑暗、阴冷的哥特氛围。该小说讲述了纯洁善良的主人公道林·格雷逐渐走向毁灭与自我毁灭的故事。本文从空间、人物并置和爱恨交织的主题入手，探讨作者如何在小说中构建哥特氛围。作品中使用的哥特元素在营造哥特氛围的同时，也凸显了该小说的美学价值与意义。

关键词：奥斯卡·王尔德；《道林·格雷的画像》；哥特氛围；空间；人物；主题

Contents

1. Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

2. Demonstration---------------------------------------------------------------------------------3

2.1 Gothic atmosphere created by the physical space---------------------------------------3

2.1.1 The fixed space witnessing gradual changes and turning points in the plot-------3

2.1.2 The moving space constructing the plotline-------------------------------------------4

2.2 Gothic atmosphere presented by the juxtaposition of characters----------------------5

2.2.1 The juxtaposition of the two unconventional characters: Dorian and Sibyl-------6

2.2.2 The juxtaposition of good and evil in the character of Dorian----------------------7

2.3 Gothic atmosphere unfolded by the motifs of love and death-------------------------8

2.3.1 Gothic motif of tangled love ------------------------------------------------------------9

2.3.1.1 Homosexual love between concealed lovers----------------------------------------9

2.3.1.2 Heterosexual love: lifetime companion versus momentary affection-----------11

2.3.2 Gothic motif of death--------------------------------------------------------------------12

2.3.2.1 Horrible murder of the painter Basil------------------------------------------------12

2.3.2.2 Desperate suicide of the actress Sibyl----------------------------------------------13

2.3.2.3 Dramatic self-destruction of Dorian------------------------------------------------14

3. Conclusion------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14

Works Cited-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16

Bibliography-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------17

On the Creation of Gothic Atmosphere in The Picture of Dorian Gray

1. Introduction

Born in Dublin in 1854, Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) enjoys a prestigious reputation as a playwright, novelist, poet and critic in the Victorian Period. Among his family members, his father William Wilde was a local surgeon with some achievements in his area and mother Jane Francesca Wilde was known as a poet and writer. He greatly inherited his father’s gentleness, patience and cultivation as well as prudence, sensitivity from his mother. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, as a flawless works of art produced by his parents. He was productive in the late1880s to early 1890s in which his works became more mature and reach the peak of artistic creation. Lord Alfred Douglas, the symbol of Wilde’s artistic inspiration, became an underlying murderer to make Wilde entirely be discredited and undertake the accusation of decadence. During the period for two years in jail, Wilde was tortured both physically and mentally. Released from the prison, Wilde changed his name and took on the sorehead life. Under the pseudonym of Sebastian Melmoth, Wilde set about bringing the gothic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray in birth which was profoundly influenced by gothic romance Melmoth the Wanderer produced by Charles Robert Maturin. In 1990, Oscar Wilde, a star in the literary circle, passed away in a French hotel with no one’s care.

Oscar Wilde exerts great efforts for the treasure house of literature. The representative works Wilde contributes to the world literature include: a series of fairy tales, for instance, The Happy Prince, The Nightingale and the Rose, The Remarkable Rocket and other tales, a set of short stories like The Canterbille Ghost and Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, a range of dramas such as An Ideal Husband, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Salome, The Importance of Being Earnest and ect, some of which contain gothic elements or employ techniques of gothic writing.