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Chapter One Introduction

1.1 Research background
Oscar Wilde is one of the most complex and controversial figures in English literature.His works as well as his literary theory are full of modernity and postmodernity, so manyintellectuals at home and abroad have analyzed his works through the latest literary theoriesand combined his works with modern factors.The Picture of Dorian Gray (hereafter abbreviated as Picture) is considered as his bestwork to embody his artistic appreciation, which has aroused overwhelming responses amongthe critics in literary field since its publication in the year of 1890. The story is about ahandsome young man and his boundless pursuit of eternal youth and beauty at the cost of hissoul. Until the 1980s, Picture was generally considered to be a deeply flawed novel and longbeen labeled as “immoral” for the description of degeneration and homosexual love. Withinthe last two decades, however, many readers have called it a great book. By concentrating onthe texts, people tend to reach a more objective judgment on both Oscar Wilde and his works.Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray has, in general, received unfavorable criticalcomments, compared with the little praise which has passed from a few sympathizers of it(Sherard, 1970, p.266). In the past few centuries, scholars at home and abroad have studiedthe text through different perspectives, such as through the perspectives of comparativeliterature criticism, criminology, aestheticism, psychoanalysis, paradox and so on, but thearchetypal angle has always been ignored and still has great potential to be exploited in thefuture.
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1.2 Purpose and significance of this study
Based on a close reading of the text and from the perspective of myth-archetypal theory,the purpose of this thesis is to analyze the supernatural elements used in the text and interpretthe moral metaphor based on the myth prototypes, thus appreciating the hidden complicatedhuman nature behind those vivid, rich myth prototypes.Human life is composed of soul and body. The physical form is the carrier of life but notthe whole of human life. The essential attribute of human life is the active pursuit of life valueand life meaning. The truth, kindness and beauty of human nature is always the commongoals and ideals of human beings. Dorian is the symbol of life, the picture is the symbol of art,that is, a kind of pure art. In Picture, Dorian regards the artistic beauty as his first pursuit oflife and escapes moral responsibility in pursuit of sensual indulgences and happiness.However, beauty and morality cannot be reconciled, which leads to the imperfect unificationof body and soul. Although self-destruction is the ultimate ending, the work is a powerfulblow to the social reality. Oscar Wilde exposes the evil sides of the real life from the artisticlevel, criticizes the hypocritical social morality and reveals the true state of human nature.Being a beginner in the study of literature, the writer of the thesis who dares not boast ofany creative or original merits in her work, is hoping that this thesis, if possible, might besome value to the study of Oscar Wilde, the great British writer whom she adores so much.Hopefully, the analysis of the life outlook of Oscar Wilde from the perspective ofmyth-archetype criticism enables people to have a better understanding of his works.Meanwhile, it is expected to attract more researching attention at