While I am reading the first few chapters of A Picture of Dorian Gray, I am constantly reminded of a book I read a few years ago called Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse. I will explain the connection shortly, but first, a few words on Mr. Wilde.
To me, Oscar Wilde is both a genius and a jerk at the same time. I am constantly overwhelmed by his words. Very few writers in the English language have the talent to express ideas so simply. He is fond of the literary maxim. No, not this maxim, but this one:
maxim |ˈmaksim|
(noun)
a short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct : the maxim that actions speak louder than words.
And the preface is made up of a long list of maxims that help set the scene of the book. Even the characters talk in maxims, such as this example:
"Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is far the best ending for one."
(p. 15)
While most of them are truly excellent summaries of what is important in life, many times Wilde comes off as elitist, egotistical and generally, well, a jerk! For example,
"Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty."
(p. 5)
The cultivated? The elect? Nothing could be more elitist and undemocratic! Does that mean the rest of the world is worthless? This is a view that perfectly reflects the wealth and class divisions of Victorian England. Wilde seems to be saying that anyone who cannot find beauty in something beautiful, is somehow less of a person (i.e., not elect or cultivated). Basically, he dismisses anyone who is not like him! What about the people who work for a living? Does Basil Hallwood give a damn about them? Nope.
And this brings me back to Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse. Published in 1929, the book is basically about this character who is so sad and depressed because he feels like he doesn't fit in with "regular people" in the world. Because he is a person who thinks about important things, he believes he is better than all the "poor souls" who do not see the truth of life and instead go on with their daily activities happily.
Like most German literature, it discusses some very serious and important philosophical questions (What if there really IS nothing more to life than just living?), but I became so disgusted and depressed when I was reading this book, that I was convinced these ideas brought me nothing but sadness.
The thought of being disconnected from other people is not a feeling I want. I find happiness in connection with people (teaching is great for that.) Maybe there is no God. And maybe there is no afterlife and when we die we just return to dust. But while I am alive, I'm going to do my best to make sure that I live my life as completely as I can. I want to meet and connect with people and make sure that I am benefitting those people in some way and that those people can benefit me.
I disagree with Oscar Wilde. There is no such thing as a "cultivated" person or an "elect" person who is different from others. I can probably learn something from Basil and Lord Henry (maybe) and Dorian, but I bet I can learn something from the non-cultivated and non-elect.
Anyone can find beauty in anything - especially the simpler things in life (love, anyone?) As Plato said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
I enjoy this musical response:
If I'm one of the non-cultivated or non-electts, how can I learn something from them. I should know everything about them. Cuz' I would live with them, I would live like them.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not one of them, as Wilde said, I would be much more important and different from them as a "cultivated" or an "elect" person. Because if cultivated person is cultivated, there is something about this person. something should make this person to be a cultivated person.
And because of this, you ,Mr. Laub, i don't agree with you. we live in a community and we think so or not, every person in this community, in our world exposes herd behavior. Everyone agree with the thing that is chosen by the others. They act together without planned direction.
And as a conclusion, as i mentioned before, I agree with Mr. Wilde. If there is something that is agreed by crowd, I also would agree with that like the millions would do. This can show me as a person who cannot live without a power or a authority in management chair but that makes the life easier and without conflicts in the community.
I thought i must be friend everyone but now i don't think like that. I need just a few good friends and some fun. "Maybe there is no God. And maybe there is no afterlife and when we die we just return to dust." you said Mr.Laub and i agreed with that. For that reason i can live like homeless with my friends and we just need some vine and whiskey.
ReplyDelete"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." ~Confucius
ReplyDeleteLife is the composition of beautiful things. Everybody must endeavor for seeing them. Nevertheless, beauty is not like Lord Henry says "Beauty is the wonder of wonders... The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible." We can think that something invisible is beautiful. At this point, I agree with Mr. Laub. Sometimes Oscar Wilde says such stupid things as in that quotation. Maybe this can be because of his era and his weird life.
Beauty and Genius are two important things in opposite polar of world and nobody thinks of bringing to midpoint(equator). All of them choose to go opposite polar one by one. It is stupidity not to agree with CONFUCIUS. Because of this, thanks burcu so much...
ReplyDeleteFirstly I would like to thank you about that provacative post.
ReplyDeleteBeing a cultivated or elect is not the problem of people. Every person has humane emotions and they act like what they say in the deep side of their souls. That classification should be obstructed by the authority if they are dangerous.
Definitely, there should be the more cultured people, it gets the society level higer but the problem can be caused by the disrespectfulness to the rights of the people. That line must be protected certainly.
However I agree with Mr. Laub that he is a "jerk". :D
I think Emre's comment is the best. and I dont think that the truth is the thing which is agreed by the majority.
ReplyDeleteIf somebody discriminates people by looking at their appearances,you should questionate that person's mind. So, I wonder if Oscar Wilde has a brain. Because if we look his sentences, he looks compellingly vain. That means, I'm totally agree with you Mr.Laub. You idiot, Mr.Wilde. Shame on you! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Mr. Laub with the idea of living the life fully. Because there is no guarantee that there is afterlife or God. But if there is there are some problems with living the life fully but I think we, all people must live the life fully.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you too about some sentences he is a jerk but his some ideas much better than the other writer. if he worte shorter introduction his book can be greater. he talk too much and he tried to explain real relationships between men in his time. also he is worst writer ı ever seen. on the other hand that is a good idea "Maybe there is no God. And maybe there is no afterlife and when we die we just return to dust. But while I am alive, I'm going to do my best to make sure that I live my life as completely as I can." .
ReplyDeleteWell... My decision about the living life fully is same with you Mr. Laub and sıtkı. We must live our lives as fully and happy as we can. And also I agree Tiara's idea about the appearances. Discriminating people with their appearances is kinda foolish idea.
ReplyDelete