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The Aesthetic literary movement is a nineteenth century movement that appeared in France and England. The French term "fin de siècle," or the "end of the century," is often linked to the Aesthetic movement; it refers to the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. The movement appeared at a time where the ideals of the Victorian Age were not a priority anymore as it got replaced by Aesthetic values. “The main characteristics of the movement were: suggestion rather than statement, sensuality, massive use of symbols, and synaesthetic effects—that is, correspondence between words, colours and music. It was the music that set the mood.” This essay focuses on the massive use of symbols in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Basil Hallward’s portrait of Dorian Gray was a regular portray until Dorian has recognized how his beauty will fade unlike the beauty in the picture so he said: “If it was I who were to be always young, and the picture that were to grow old! For this—for this—I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give!” little did he know that his wish would be fulfilled the moment he uttered it. The portrait becomes a mirror to what is inside Dorian Grey’s. His deeds, thoughts and of course the effect of time on his beauty are reflected upon the painting, leaving him flawless. The portrait is a symbol of his conscience, every crime he commits; he can see its effect on the painting. It is a vivid view of Gray’s inner self. Although his corruption did not leave its trace on him and left it on the canvas instead, the portrait reminds him of his cruel actions which eventually led to his own death as he ripped the portrait apart, thinking it was the only way to redeem himself.
The colour white in th...

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...ents Dorian’s shame of his true self. Finally the quote in the first chapter: “Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-sweet and honey-colored blossoms of the laburnum, whose tremulous branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as theirs” the laburnum is a beautiful but poisonous tree, just like Dorian. This is considered foreshadowing the character development.
Oscar Wilde in The Picture of Dorian Gray shows the readers several forms of Aestheticism since he is considered in Britain to be famous as one of the best representatives of the aesthetes. He believes that art represents nothing but itself, and that art has its own life just as thoughts do.

Works Cited

http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides3/PictureOfDorian.html http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/doriangray/themes.html http://www.douban.com/note/165121319/