Question

Read this excerpt from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray.

The Picture of Dorian Gray
by Oscar Wilde (excerpt)

You have only a few years in which to live really, perfectly, and fully. When your youth goes, your beauty will go with it, and then you will suddenly discover that there are no triumphs left for you, or have to content yourself with those mean triumphs that the memory of your past will make more bitter than defeats. Every month as it wanes brings you nearer to something dreadful. Time is jealous of you, and wars against your lilies and your roses. You will become sallow, and hollow-cheeked, and dull-eyed. You will suffer horribly.... Ah! realize your youth while you have it. Don't squander the gold of your days, listening to the tedious, trying to improve the hopeless failure, or giving away your life to the ignorant, the common, and the vulgar. These are the sickly aims, the false ideals, of our age. Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you! Let nothing be lost upon you. Be always searching for new sensations. Be afraid of nothing.... A new Hedonism—that is what our century wants. You might be its visible symbol. With your personality there is nothing you could not do. The world belongs to you for a season....

Which Gothic theme is portrayed in this passage?

A.
descent into madness
B.
unrequited love
C.
fading beauty
D.
life after death

Answer 1

In this passage from Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gary,” the Gothic theme that is being portrayed talks about fading beauty.

So the correct answer is Option C.

Step-by-step explanation:

Wilde in this excerpt is addressing the reader and telling him/ her to live the years of their youth completely and perfectly without complaining about failures or listening to the tedious. He talks about the cruelty of time which slowly rips one away from one’s youth. He also speaks of the sudden realisation one has about ageing and the fear of not having accomplished anything. He is motivating the readers to live their youth and their lives to the fullest leaving behind any kind of fear as the time that goes away never comes back.

Answer 2

C

Step-by-step explanation:

The character is obsessed about being young and beautiful, and he refuses to let that part of him go. This is a main theme in the story, how the character never gets old and his fear of losing his beauty.