ENGLISH HOMEWORK
DeeQeew
times_in_history.docxZamora 1
Yesenia Zamora
Professor Harrison
Queer Studies 115
11 November ,2014
Times in history
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel about a beautiful young man named Dorian gray who is given a portrait of himself by his friend Basil. But after meeting basils friend Lord Henry he begins to change and threw his various actions and sins his portrait begins to react and change and remove his youth and beauty the more sins he commits for being influenced by Lord Henry. But Oscar Wilde’s novel. Due to the stereotypical view of how a man should be the characters were seen to show the main focus to this book is not so much Darian’s actions but more the depiction readers get when reading homoerotic elements. But in other points in time homosexuality was seen as acceptable.
The male characters written in the novel are shown as dandies due to their neatness, fashion, and their appearance. Due to this characteristic audiences questioned the masculinity about the main characters in this novel. The way Darian, Basil, and Lord Henry acted as themselves or with one another their actions were seen as homoerotic. This angered many readers and depicted Wilde as unmoral and that his novel not being up to social standings. The book was banned and labeled as dangerous as the public feared that the readings would influence various men of different social class. Once Wilde was trialed and sent to prison for sodomy and having an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas the public thought of the novel as Wilde’s lifestyle and that it simply expressed what he himself was doing. This effecting how his novel was viewed and since homosexuality was seen as a crime his novel wasn’t appreciated. although the time era in which the Picture of Dorian gray takes place in finds homosexual characteristics and acts as unacceptable because of mindset and laws as compared to different times in history on the same topic.
The Victorian era was not the best point history to be a gay man. Homosexuality in the 19th century was illegal and was punishable to incarceration during the time. Besides sodomy any other action any other kind of homosexual act was labeled as illegal due to the bill passed in 1885. A relationship between two men was only tolerated if the relationship was kept discreet and unknown to the public. But how come in ancient Greece and Rome where men were warriors and expected to be the most manliest had a completely different view on homosexuality? Looking at a time period of time before the Victorian era on the views of homosexuality is ancient Greece and Rome. Most think that these men were the manliest due to the fact that a large majority of the wen were warriors and soldiers and that these soldiers would partake in homosexual acts with other men regardless of them being married to a woman. It was seen as completely acceptable. In ancient Greece it was seen as nothing but a normal practice. The romans and the Greeks did not have a concept of heterosexuality or homosexuality, all men were assumed to be attracted to both genders.
But if we fast-forward time past the Victorian era to the 20th century. More specifically the 60's, 70's, and 80's. In the period of these 30 or so years in the U.S homosexuality was seen like a crime not treated but seen. Especially during the start of the aids epidemic a lot of people assumed that aids was only passed by homosexual men who were coming in sexual contact with each other. Not many people were educating themselves during these time periods on the situation and how many lives were being lost by so many young men. Most only focused on what they saw as morally wrong and unmanly just like in the Victorian era. Many tried to protest the safety and allowance of the gay community something that wasn’t going to be simple to achieve if it were done during the Victorian era. If manliness was the main reason to why two men can’t be with one another, the Greeks and the romans would not have practiced it so openly. The concept of what is being manly can be approached in different forms whether it being tough and fearless or being a dandy and caring about ones appearance and neatness. It is true that Wilde’s novel can be a bad influence for some readers but not exactly for whatever homosexual like actions readers seem to find but more towards Darian’s actions. He becomes cockier and commits sin after sin. Not only does he break his engagement to Sybil but murders as well and just a constant downfall to Dorien’s reputation and life leading to his death.
although the time era in which the Picture of Dorian gray takes place in finds homosexual characteristics and acts as unacceptable because of mindset and laws as compared to different times in history on the same topic. As compared to present day homosexuality is now more common to see in different parts of the world and movements are being made for people in that category to have equal rights as others. In more advanced countries it is more accepting for two men to walk around the street or simply be more open about who they are and what they are doing. Sodomy or just being with someone of the same gender is not seen as a crime unless in more strict and enforcing countries that are not completely westernized. It is now becoming more of a norm little by little as time progresses. Many people worked hard to fight for this kind of freedom which was not around during the time Oscar Wilde was trialed. After many protest and various fights and struggles people now and in the future will be able to express themselves as they feel. This novel does not need to be over analyze on what messages it has behind it especially if the author himself did not inform the public on a set moral to the story besides that doing bad things to others or your surrounding makes you an ugly person on the inside.
Workcited :
Chipchase, Richard. “Attitudes towards homosexuality in Victorian England.” Humanities360. humanities360, 6 June 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2014
