A Comparative Analysis of The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Person in Question

Mgr. Kamila Štítkovcová

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Román Oscara Wilda Obraz Doriana Graye, stejně tak jako krátká povídka Johna Graye „The Person in Question“, pojednává o otázce „dvojího života“ hlavní postavy. V obou je vyobrazen básník John Gray, který byl milencem Oscara Wilda. John Gray byl hlavní inspirací vyobrazení postavy Doriana Graye v románu, který má biografické rysy a krátká povídka je napsána Johnem Grayem samotným, proto obsahuje autobiografické prvky. Práce analyzuje obě díla, porovnává je a snaží se dokázat, že je v nich John Gray vyobrazen jako muž, který vede dvojí život, musí skrývat svou pravou přirozenost a je neschopen usilovat o změnu.

Abstract:

Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray as well as John Gray’s short story “The person in Question” deals with ‘double life’ of the main character. In both of them, the poet John Gray, who was the lover of Oscar Wilde, is depicted. He was the main inspiration for the depiction of Dorian Gray in the novel which has biographical features and the short story is written by John Gray himself therefore it contains autobiographical features. The thesis analyses both works, compares them and tries to prove that in both of them, John Gray is depicted as a man who leads double life, has to hide his true nature and is incapable to endeavor to change.

Keywords

Oscar Wilde, John Gray, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Person in Question, Obraz Doriana Graye

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 4. 1. 2016

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 27. 1. 2016
• Supervisor: doc. Michael Matthew Kaylor, PhD.
• Reader: Mgr. Eva Valentová

Masaryk University

Faculty of Arts

Bachelor programme / field:
Philology / Anglický jazyk a literatura