Introduction
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde initially emerged as a serialized work in Lippincott’s Magazine during the transitional epoch of 1890. Wilde’s bold exploration of homosexuality during a period of stringent censorship faced significant backlash from the publishers. Unbeknownst to Wilde, certain pages were excised, curtailing details that were likely to incite controversy (Kohl 138–142). This act of censorship served to repress mankind’s inclination towards malevolence, attempting to guide the trajectory of the era. People grappled with inner turmoil regarding malevolence, examining it through the lens of moral and immoral ideals. The narrative’s spotlight on homosexuality within The Picture of Dorian Gray was deemed criminal in nature, given Wilde’s personal trial and subsequent two-year incarceration for homosexual acts. Evolving societal norms demanded openness and freedom, yet the majority of society and its institutions hesitated to grant such liberties. It was within this transformative milieu that individuals found themselves in a perplexing dilemma, torn between challenging societal boundaries while simultaneously endeavoring to comprehend the yearnings of their own souls.
Wilde’s novel comprehended and integrated the struggle of man to fathom his inner being and its needs within a shifting era. This period was characterized by a leaning towards standardized norms that were juxtaposed against moral values. Individuals who breached these prescribed boundaries were stigmatized as immoral, a fate befalling Oscar Wilde himself due to his involvement in homosexuality, leading to his imprisonment. Despite yearning for liberation, the populace failed to realize that true freedom did not manifest by flouting boundaries and indulging in forbidden acts. They sought to discover their ‘self’ and its liberation through actions that brought them joy. This paper contends that the pursuit of ‘self’ and its liberation by embracing forbidden ideologies or adhering to morality merely induced a state of existential anxiety in individuals. The research scrutinizes The Picture of Dorian Gray through the lens of this quest for ‘self’ and its liberation, examining how characters adopt specific convictions in their quest for self-discovery. It delineates how existential anxiety is contracted and transmitted to others when ‘inwardness’ or a deeper understanding of the soul is neglected in the pursuit of life’s meaning.
Existential anxiety, a philosophical exploration of human existence, provides a framework wherein issues are not merely rationalized but empower individuals to grapple with their existence autonomously. Given the expansive scope of existential anxiety as a subject, it is crucial to delineate and narrow down the focus of this inquiry. Consequently, this study adopts and homes in on Søren Kierkegaard’s explication of existential anxiety. Kierkegaard’s conceptualization of comprehending one’s ‘self’ and, ultimately, attaining freedom orbits around the notion of sin and the ensuing anxiety within the spirit in response to human transgressions. Taking into account that The Picture of Dorian Gray was penned during a transformative period, corresponding to an era where defying established sociological norms was viewed as sinful, this research contextualizes Kierkegaard’s ideas within their age. The characters in the novel defy societal and legal boundaries to indulge in sin, perceiving this transgression as the emancipation of their souls. Søren Kierkegaard, often hailed as the pioneer of existential anxiety, posited that this quest to comprehend the soul was contingent upon external sources to derive meaning, acting as a catalyst for anxiety. For him, these external sources encompassed anything outside the realm of the soul itself. Hence, he advocated for a profound understanding of the soul, urging an exploration of its infinity, and eventually transcending to a point of genuine comprehension. This research applies Kierkegaard’s perspective to scrutinize the transgressions of Henry Watton and Dorian Gray, shedding light on the quandaries that arise when existential anxiety remains unresolved.
According to Kierkegaard, when individuals fail to introspect into their souls and instead seek meaning in diverse worldviews and ideologies, they inadvertently confine themselves further within the realm of anxiety. The struggle between their finite and infinite selves propels them to pursue the concept of infinity, often suppressing this desire under the belief that their adopted ideals hold the key to unlocking this infinite quest. Paradoxically, this approach spawns existential anxiety as it derives meaning by disengaging from the core of their being, their soul. This research contends that The Picture of Dorian Gray illuminates existential anxiety within its characters, stemming from their detachment from their souls. Specifically, a closer examination of the characters Henry Watton and Dorian Gray reveals how they distance themselves from their inner essence, attempting to rationalize their existence. Consequently, they rely on external sources such as rationality to navigate their lives, inadvertently steering towards malevolence. Thus, this phenomenon is an aftermath of existential anxiety prevalent in society. The characters lean on external influences to define their existence and quest for infinity, ultimately culminating in their downfall and leading to lives steeped in misery. Moreover, this paper explores how this pursuit of soulful freedom in such a manner instigates identity crises and perpetuates existential anxiety within society at large.
The First Sin and Anxiety
Kierkegaard’s profound concept of anxiety emanated from his belief that a person must confront the tumultuous awakening of their spirit subsequent to their initial transgression. Elucidating this concept in his seminal work, The Concept of Anxiety, Kierkegaard analogized the commencement of anxiety in a person to a sensation of dizziness. He posited that when an individual commits their first sin, they become cognizant of the multitude of choices available to them. Adam’s anxiety at the onset of humanity, he elaborated, manifested at the moment he transgressed by consuming the forbidden fruit. In this act, Adam comprehended that, notwithstanding being forbidden, his soul possessed the capacity to choose from an array of possibilities. The soul propels itself upon him, necessitating a decision. This initiation into choice stirs the spirit within man, leading to the recognition of an infinite array of possibilities. It kindles within him an intense desire to comprehend the boundlessness of this projecting essence. Kierkegaard eloquently likened this anxiety to dizziness, elucidating this sensation as follows:
Anxiety may be compared with a dizziness. He whose eye happens to look down into the yawning abyss becomes dizzy. But what is the reason for this? It is just as much in his own eye as in the abyss, for suppose he had not looked down. Hence anxiety is the dizziness of freedom, which emerges when the spirit wants to posit the synthesis and freedom looks down into its own possibility, laying hold of finiteness to support itself (Fear 61).
As elucidated, individuals can opt to plunge into the abyss, an act that illuminates the vast spectrum of possibilities available to them. Kierkegaard recognized sin as an essential facet of life, an intrinsic element vital to the pursuit of the soul. He contended that it was this pursuit of the soul that ultimately led to human freedom. Without the commission of their first sin, individuals would remain devoid of the impetus to embark on a journey towards discovering their soul. Preceding the transgression, “the spirit in man is dreaming,” signifying that the soul remains oblivious to the infinity it could attain (Fear 41). It lacks awareness of its inherent infinitude. To derive meaning in life, one must acquaint themselves with this soul and strive to grasp the essence of life through an understanding of the soul.
In Kierkegaard’s philosophy, if the soul of a person remains undisturbed, there exists a state of “peace and repose.” However, within this tranquility, there coexists an intangible element, devoid of conflict and struggle because there is nothing present against which to contend. What prevails instead? Nothingness. Yet, remarkably, this nothingness begets anxiety (Fear 41). Prior to the awakening of the spirit, there exists a profound state of innocence and obliviousness. The inaugural sin, as per Kierkegaard’s beliefs, is pivotal in awakening the spirit. However, it is in the aftermath of this awakening that an individual commences their quest for meaning in life. The Picture of Dorian Gray sheds light on the complexities that arise at this juncture. The human soul is propelled by the revelation of potential choices, yet the male characters in the novel fail to allow this awakening to guide them toward the search for their soul. The characters within The Picture of Dorian Gray navigate the evolving societal landscape, as mentioned earlier—a shift from the rigid grip of Victorian ideals towards more open and liberal aesthetic principles. Sin was predefined during this time as anything that involved transgressing social boundaries.
The Picture of Dorian Gray unfurls the narrative of Dorian Gray’s descent into a life of sin under the influence and encouragement of Henry Watton, who advocates and amplifies the culmination of evil within Dorian Gray. Dorian encounters Henry Watton at Basil Hallward’s residence, where Henry candidly expresses his desire for and belief in embracing sin. Discontent with the imposed societal decorum, Henry boldly asserts, “The costume of our day is detestable. It is so somber, so depressing. Sin is the only color element left in modern life” (75). According to Henry Watton, sin injects life with meaning by liberating the soul. He firmly believes that breaking free from the constraints of Victorian ideals is pivotal in setting the soul free, allowing it to act in a way that gratifies its inherent nature. However, he remains unaware that he is ensnaring his soul deeper into anxieties by seeking meaning in malevolence. He disconnects from his soul, deriving meaning by indulging in wicked acts to satisfy his desires. As Kierkegaard suggests, true freedom of the soul comes from comprehending it. Failing to pursue this understanding and finding meaning in evil only serves to entrap the soul rather than liberate it.
Henry Watton’s soul grapples with the conflict between the finite and the infinite. In Henry Watton’s case, he unknowingly represents individuals who comprehend the ideological suppression prevalent in society. He stands on the brink of finding meaning in life by refusing to let prevailing ideologies dictate it. However, the solution he stumbles upon is the act of sinning, which gives him a sense of liberation from the societal constraints and ideological boundaries. He critiques the upper-class ideology by stating, “it is only the sacred things that are worth touching,” indicating his awareness of the set standards imposed by the aristocracy for societal acceptance (97). Only those ideals sanctioned by the upper class are deemed worthy. Thus, he relinquishes the pursuit of meaning in life through dependency on ideologies. Instead, he embarks on a quest for his soul. Henry Watton is acutely aware that “people are afraid of themselves, nowadays. They have forgotten the highest of all duties, the duty that one owes to one’s self” (158). He resolves that his soul possesses the agency to follow his own will. He comprehends that by defying Victorian principles, he would be sinning. Yet, similar to Kierkegaard’s interpretation of Adam’s sin, Watton’s sin can be perceived in recognizing his choices and restrictions and embracing the forbidden path. This emphasizes Henry Watton’s acknowledgment of the choices and freedom available in his life, stirring his spirit.
Henry Watton’s acknowledgment of his depravity and his quest to fathom his choices do not guide him along a direct trajectory. Instead, Watton seeks an external source to derive meaning in his life and to comprehend his soul. Ironically, this aligns with the very critique that Kierkegaard presented. Theodor Adorno further elucidated Kierkegaard’s perspective by stating that:
As an opponent of Hegel’s doctrine of objective spirit, Kierkegaard developed no philosophy of history. He wanted to use the category of the ‘person’ and person’s inner history to exclude external history from the context of his thought. But the inner history of the person is bound anthropologically to external history through the unity of the race. (32–33)
This underscores the paramount importance of an individual’s inwardness, which should guide the pursuit of meaning in one’s life. However, Henry Watton inadvertently seeks this meaning by distancing himself from his soul and embracing the path of sin. Regrettably, Watton remains oblivious to the fact that he is treading this sinful path. When questioned about his influence on Dorian Gray, Watton dismisses the notion of influence altogether, asserting that he does not permit any form of social, ideological, or cultural influence to hold sway over him. He emphatically states that “there is no such thing as a good influence” (Wilde, Picture 158). In his view, to be influenced is to relinquish one’s soul to another. Consequently, he accords “sin” and “evil” dominion over himself, succumbing to their compulsions. According to Watton, if an individual is under someone else’s influence, even “his sins […] are borrowed” (Wilde, Picture 158). In this manner, Henry Watton dissociates himself from ideological doctrines and religious definitions, seeking meaning in life but veering towards evil. Despite successfully detaching from established principles, he fails to utilize his awakened spirit to seek the infinite. Instead, he strays from it, finding solace in malevolent acts and erroneously believing he has attained freedom. In Kierkegaard’s philosophy, true freedom is only achieved when an individual embraces their soul and discovers meaning therein.
Kierkegaard’s Inwardness and Gray’s Lunacy
Kierkegaard held a profound conviction in understanding the soul by delving deep into its essence, a process he termed “inwardness” (Concluding 196). He contended that those who bypassed this essential journey were in a state of insanity because, in his words, “insanity is the absence of inwardness” (Concluding 196). In his philosophical framework, this absence of inwardness is invariably accompanied by a form of mental derangement. One must possess the ability to surrender to the soul and strive to comprehend it, for the stirring of the spirit represents the “highest spiritual trial” (Fear 120). Kierkegaard views this stirring as the juncture where a person strives to connect with their God through an encounter with Christianity. In fact, Malantschuk describes it as “man’s attempt at coming into existential contact with Christianity” (271). With the commission of the first sin, a person’s soul is activated, propelling them to embark on the quest for the soul’s meaning and its eternal nature. However, this pursuit is futile if the spirit remains dormant and unresponsive.
In The Picture of Dorian Gray, as highlighted earlier, there is a deliberate attempt to evade inwardness. Inwardness is crucial as it signifies self-consciousness, which equates to “action, and this action is in turn inwardness, and whenever inwardness does not correspond to this consciousness, there is a form of demonic as soon as the absence of inwardness expresses itself as anxiety about its acquisition” (Fear 143). The narrative of The Picture of Dorian Gray revolves around this lack of self-consciousness. Henry Watton’s encounter with Dorian Gray ignites Gray’s aspiration for eternal beauty. For Dorian, he perceives meaning in life through the prism of youth and beauty. Watton introduces him to a yellow book filled with hedonistic ideals, and Dorian resolves to pursue a life of immorality in exchange for everlasting beauty. He willingly trades eternal beauty for a life of debauchery, allowing himself to be consumed by this decision. As part of this arrangement, Dorian Gray remains immune to the aging process. However, his moral degradation is mirrored in the grotesque transformation of a portrait, deteriorating with each crime he commits. Dorian Gray’s self-consciousness remains dormant, and tragically, he chooses to embrace an entirely malevolent life.
Anxiety of Evil
In The Concept of Anxiety, Kierkegaard posits that when a person’s spirit is stirred by their inaugural transgression and they stand at the crossroads of choice, they grapple with an anxiety related to the good. This anxiety can propel an individual in two divergent directions: one can embark on a quest to fathom the truth of their spirit by embracing the good, as the soul inherently yearns for the good; alternatively, one can seek solace in evil, succumbing to anxiety born of malevolence (Fear 137). According to Kierkegaard, those afflicted with anxiety regarding evil are deemed demonic. Dorian Gray takes on this demonic nature when he forsakes his inwardness, placing his belief in beauty and art to confer meaning upon his life. Dorian’s predicament lies in his pursuit of solace through art: “la consolation des art” (Ellman 239). Dorian discovers meaning and comfort in life through art, wherein the portrait becomes a manifestation of his sought-after soul. The corruption etched in the painting serves as a stark reminder, underscoring the societal predicament as individuals gradually disconnect from their souls, failing to comprehend the boundless potential inherent within.
Evil becomes intrinsic to Dorian Gray as he mirrors Goethe’s Faust, trading his soul not for power, but for everlasting youth and an unblemished physique. The complexity arises from his struggle with the dichotomy of finite and infinite. Much like a fashion designer fixated on extending his finite attributes rather than embracing the infinite, Dorian finds himself entangled in this conflict (Ellman 239). Wilde’s alteration of Faust’s narrative to center around beauty and art still engages with a discourse on the interplay between finitude and infinitude. Dorian’s soul withers while his finitude remains intact, propelling him towards evil and perpetuating a constant state of anxiety. Comparing Goethe’s Faust with The Picture of Dorian Gray, Norbert Kohl contends that, “Of the metaphysical breadth of Goethe’s Faust, little remains except the basic conflict between good and evil. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde wrote the Faust that suited him” (Kohl 168).
Henry Watton embodies a character akin to Mephistopheles, the Satanic figure in Goethe’s Faust, preying on Dorian Gray. This subtle parallel underscores the profound impact of existential anxiety and its societal ramifications. The reliance on external sources, such as Watton’s dependency on sin and Dorian Gray’s acceptance of the beliefs imparted by Watton, plunges Gray into a state of existential anxiety unbeknownst to him. Instead of resolving the initial anxiety stemming from the first sin, Dorian Gray amplifies this anxiety, ultimately descending into Kierkegaard’s conception of the demonic—a state characterized by an anxiety regarding evil. This signifies that Gray and Watton reside in a state of sin, grappling with anxiety even when attempting acts perceived as good.
Dorian Gray grapples with this anxiety of evil, a turmoil instigated by Henry Watton’s own internal struggle with malevolence. Whenever Dorian’s spirit inclines towards virtuous actions, Watton’s pervasive anxiety regarding evil abruptly halts him. Watton’s perpetual anxiety drives him further into the realm of malevolence. In a narrative parallel to Goethe’s Faust, Dorian Gray forsakes his girlfriend, Sybil, and inflicts emotional harm upon her, inadvertently leading to her tragic demise. The weight of guilt descends heavily upon Dorian, triggered by the emotional exploitation and subsequent loss. When Dorian confides in Henry Watton about this burden of guilt, he is chastised for allowing these emotions to overpower him. Watton admonishes Gray, urging him not to let these sentiments overpower him, as they offer no path to meaningful resolution. Dorian Gray grasps for seek meaning in these ideals, attempting to break free from societal norms, yet he never truly finds inwardness with his soul. In a defining moment, Watton imparts to Dorian Gray that “the only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it, because if you resist, your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden itself” (Wilde, Picture 159).
In a sudden turn, Henry Watton dismisses Gray’s sense of culpability, urging him to view Sybil’s death as an artistic element of life. He encourages Gray to perceive her demise as a vivid fragment from a Jacobean tragedy, akin to a scene from the works of Webster, Ford, or Cyril Tourneur. To Watton, Sybil’s life and death were never genuine experiences, but rather an ephemeral dream, a phantom enhancing the beauty of Shakespeare’s plays. He contends that she was a transient presence, enriching the tapestry of Shakespeare’s works. This unsettling interpretation of death is reluctantly accepted by Gray, further entangling him in the malicious life he is embracing (Wilde, Picture 255).
Henry Watton and Basil Hallward represent diametrically opposed moral forces, embodying the extremities of good and evil. This dichotomy accentuates the profound extent to which malevolence can manifest. Sheldon Liebman substantiates this dichotomy, asserting that their primary role is to elucidate morally contradictory stances and, in doing so, delineate the spectrum of moral choices accessible to Dorian (Liebman 296–316).
Within the spectrum of available moral choices, Dorian Gray embodies the archetype of an individual ensnared by societal pressures. He epitomizes the anxieties pervasive in society, navigating the moral landscape influenced by characters like Watton and Hallward. Dorian’s lack of introspection leads him to align with Watton’s perspective. The actions of Watton and Hallward serve as a demonstration, illuminating the consequences of their respective philosophies. This, in turn, reveals the limitations inherent in their worldviews to both the reader and Dorian himself (Liebman 216). In the manner that Hallward presents the path of goodness to Gray, Lord Henry Watton presents its antithesis. Much like Adam, Dorian Gray is granted the autonomy to choose. He discerns that he can follow the forbidden path, restraining his soul, or opt to comprehend it. Regrettably, he opts for the course that offers a sense of liberation, a choice driven by his refusal to succumb to societal pressures.
As Dorian Gray immerses himself in a life of sin and malevolence under the influence of Henry Watton, he becomes a living example of “dreadful exemption from doing the ethical,” an alienation from ethics that characterizes sin as a state of human existence (Kierkegaard, Concluding 267). When individuals habitually engage in sin without introspection into their souls, they become perpetually ensnared in this state of sin. Consequently, Henry Watton and Dorian Gray are not merely rejecting religious tenets but also distancing themselves from their inner selves. Kierkegaard contends that their anxiety could have been resolved through resignation towards their souls. Faith, as Kierkegaard emphasizes, is not a mere aesthetic emotion; it requires resignation, a relinquishment to a higher calling (Fear 76). However, Henry Watton outrightly discards faith, embracing a life of sin because it gratifies his mind, failing to seek resolution through introspection. In his discourse on women, Watton dismisses them as lacking genius and sees them as a decorative sex, embodying a triumph of matter over mind. He champions the pursuit of intellect over moralities, a stance that directly opposes Kierkegaard’s path to resolving existential anxiety (Wilde, Picture 251).
Kierkegaard’s Existential Anxiety in Henry Watton
As delineated in the preceding section, Henry Watton seeks meaning from external sources. Paradoxically, instead of resolving existential crisis, his pursuit amplifies existential anxiety within society by embracing a life of malevolence. Kierkegaard posits that an individual incapable of introspection leads others into the throes of existential anxiety. He contends, “whoever is educated by anxiety is educated by possibility, and only he who is educated by possibility is educated according to his finitude” (Fear 156). Those trapped in this cycle become ‘demonic’ as they persist in immoral acts while their conscience allows them to do so. The predicament arises from their desire for others to emulate their malevolent behavior, thus validating the authenticity of their actions. To maintain this facade that their existential anxiety has been resolved, such individuals grasp onto the meaning-making elements in their lives—evil, in the case of Henry Watton and Dorian Gray. Moreover, in order to affirm the validity of their actions, they actively influence others, just as Henry Watton exerts influence over Dorian Gray.
Kierkegaard’s Fashion Designer and Existential Anxiety
To shed light on existential anxiety and its ripple effect on others, this section illustrates the influence of Henry Watton on Dorian Gray’s life through the analogy of a fashion designer. This analogy is crucial as it underscores the predicaments that existential anxiety can introduce into human lives. Individuals resembling the fashion designer propagate existential anxiety in others by compelling them to adhere to their beliefs. Essentially, what imparts meaning to their lives—be it ideals, values, philosophies, or worldviews—bestows meaning upon the lives of others as well. Kierkegaard’s portrayal of the fashion designer serves as an illuminating lens through which Henry Watton’s perpetuation of existential anxiety by influencing others can be understood. The fashion designer, therefore, stands as a poignant representation of this influence.
Kierkegaard’s fashion designer epitomizes an individual who discovers meaning in life through their occupation—in this case, being a designer. He perceives that adhering to a particular trend not only keeps him fashionable but also molds his identity. Instead of delving into his soul for introspection, he considers his fashion choices to epitomize the purpose of his life. Consequently, he seeks to influence others to adopt his perspective by employing manipulation. Kierkegaard illuminates this through an anecdote involving a woman who is encouraged by the fashion designer to embrace an ostentatious trend. When she faces ridicule for not adhering to it, she succumbs to the pressure and follows the trend. The fashion designer articulates this notion by stating:
Now she stands at the place of sacrifice, that is, in my boutique. With the most contemptuous glance that snobbish nonchalance can exercise, I measure her. She is perishing with dread; a laugh from the next room where my trained minions are sitting demolishes her. Then when I have her dolled up in fashion, when she looks crazier than a mad hatter, as crazy as someone who would not even be admitted to a loony bin, she blissfully sallies forth from me. No one, not even a god, could dismay her, for she is indeed in fashion (Kierkegaard, Stages, Ch.1).
Instead of delving into her soul and seeking introspection, the woman seeks an external source for constructing her identity, thus creating meaning in her life. Meaning, for her, is constructed by allowing someone else to define her identity. She adheres to this external definition because she has been instructed to do so. Lord Henry Watton mirrors the behavior of the fashion designer—a person who does not rely on introspection but seeks his identity by following a particular fashion trend and imposes this fashion statement on everyone else. Consequently, since he derives his identity from fashion rather than exploring it within his soul, as advocated by Kierkegaard, he looks to others for validation of that identity. He requires reassurance of his identity to believe that he has found meaning, purpose, and identity in his life in the correct manner. This delineates the core issue with Henry Watton. When Henry Watton imparts meaning to Gray, he starts interpreting information based on what Henry Watton has imparted. As Raymond Williams also emphasizes, “we ‘see’ in certain ways—that is, we interpret sensory information according to certain rules—as a way of living. But these ways—these rules and interpretations—are, as a whole, neither fixed nor constant. We can learn new rules and new interpretations, as a result of which we shall literally see in new ways” (Raymond 34). Dorian begins to pursue this information instead of relying on his internal self. He entirely starts constructing meaning that is ephemeral, necessitating the need to transcend and utilize his internal self. However, he fails to do so, ultimately descending into a persona that is “bad, corrupt, and shameful” (Wilde, Picture 313).
Lord Henry Watton assumes the role of the fashion designer, ensuring Gray’s descent into a life of evil to help Gray discover meaning in his existence. As Kierkegaard advocated, an individual must liberate themselves from societal constraints. Henry Watton unshackled himself from social notions of good and bad. Instead, he exacerbated his anxiety by surrendering to evil. Unwittingly, Watton lived in a state of anxiety generated by evil. The predicament lies in his failure to discover his true “self,” which is the pathway to genuine freedom. He sought freedom by breaking away from social values, leading him to adopt a strategy of “self-denial” as he believed this to be the catalyst for change in life (Wilde, Picture 159). Henry Watton himself affirms, “mutilation of the savage has its tragic survival in the self-denial that mars out lives. We are castigated for our repudiations. Every compulsion that we strive to strangle broods in the mind, and strangles us” (Wilde, Picture 159). This illustrates that he does not advocate abstinence. However, the problem lies in his failure to embrace transcendence. As Kierkegaard suggests, instead of introspecting after the initial stirring of the spirit, Henry Watton succumbs entirely to sin, instilling anxiety within himself. He begins to find meaning in the painting and external sources, failing to explore his inner self.
Existential Crisis and the Feeling of Abandonment:
In discussing the concept of anxiety, Kierkegaard referred to a sensation of closing oneself off within one’s own self and world. Kierkegaard described this as “indesluttehed” (Fear 123), translated as “shutupness” (Fear 133). When the spirit is not examined or one detaches from understanding itself, the spirit becomes “shutup” and isolated, assuming that no one comprehends it. Consequently, it desperately seeks to lead others down a similar path. Kierkegaard supports this by stating that “among such demonics, there is a cohesion where they cling to each other so inseparably and anxiously that no friendship possesses an inwardness that can be compared with it” (Fear 137). Demonics are individuals afflicted by the anxiety of evil. This sensation is distinctly characterized by Kierkegaard in the context of the anxiety of evil. Just as the fashion designer believes that the more people adopt his philosophy or life ideals, the more authentic the meaning he has found in life; an individual with anxiety of evil undergoes a similar experience. It is a “morbid reserve” (Fear 44) in which a person lives because the meaning they derive from life is never thoroughly understood. Thus, the ‘demonics’, those grappling with the anxiety of evil, coalesce. This “morbid reserve” isolates Dorian Gray and Henry Watton in their pursuits. They detach from their souls and lead a life of sin, experiencing profound loneliness. Consequently, they not only descend into existential anxiety but also project existential anxiety onto the world.
Conclusion
Analyzing The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde offers profound insights into the intricate relationship between individuals and the problem of evil. The crux of the matter lies in grappling with existential anxiety within the context of evil. The analysis illuminates the lives of the characters and how they attempt to define their ‘self’ by distancing themselves from it. However, what they fail to realize is that true freedom of the human soul lies in understanding it. The question then arises, “what is this self of mine?” To Kierkegaard, it’s an abstract yet concrete concept, epitomizing freedom (Fear 516). Understanding the self requires delving into inwardness.
In Wilde’s “The Critic as an Artist,” Richard and Stanley propose that aesthetics hold a higher place than ethics in Wilde’s worldview (135). This sentiment is echoed by characters like Henry Watton, who champions a new Hedonism, prioritizing aesthetic pleasures (158). This indicates that Wilde’s characters, and by extension the society they represent, grapple with existential anxiety due to their reliance on external constructs for meaning, rather than seeking internal transcendence. This reliance allows the morally corrupt to influence the innocent, perpetuating existential anxiety in society, exemplified through Watton’s influence on Gray.
In summary, The Picture of Dorian Gray serves as a powerful exploration of existential anxiety in the face of societal influences and the allure of evil. It underscores the critical importance of introspection and understanding one’s soul as a means to attain true freedom and resolve the inherent anxieties of existence.
Competing Interests
The author has no competing interests to declare.