Once again, don't feel as if you have to draw from these discussion questions. Feel free to develop your own or use your blog as a space to respond to or expand upon another student's ideas.
1) Do some independent internet research on Oscar Wilde, himself. You might want to look up some of his family history (his mom, especially, was a particularly interesting character), or do some research on the infamous 1895 trial where Wilde's character (and his literary works) were put on trial. How might we relate Wilde's personal life to some of the themes in the novel?
2) Do some independent internet research on Aestheticism. What role does this movement play in the novel? Pay particular attention to the Preface of the novel. Do you feel that Wilde follows or at times transgresses his own artistic code? How so? How are artists and the role of the artist characterized in the novel?
3) What is the role of Sybil Vane in the novel?
4) Take a good look at the image above. It's of a statue of Oscar Wilde that stands in a park just off the corner of Merrion Square in Ireland. If you look closely, you can see that one from angle Wilde is smiling and from the other it looks as if he's deeply troubled, even sad. How does this statue embody some of the major themes of the novel? What is the rule of duplicity and performance in the novel? How might this statue (along with the novel) reflect the plight of the Irish artist "playing" for a primarily British audience?
5) In your opinion, what is the picture of Dorian symbolic of? Explain your response.
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