Brief Introduction about the Author
Oscar Wilde ( 1854-1900)
Irish-born British playwright, essayist, poet, and novelist. He was founder of art-to-art’s-sake movement, and known to his contemporaries as a brilliant eccentric. “ The Importance of Being Earnest” (1899), a witty, light hearted play, was regarded as his masterpiece. He was also the greatest talker of his age. He was well-known for the witty dialogue in his famous comedies. Following are some quotations from his works. We can get an idea of how witty Oscar Wilde is.
Art never expresses anything but itself.
“The Decay of Lying”
Art should never try to be popular.
“The Soul of Man under Socialism”
Artists, like the Greek gods, are only revealed to one another.
“ The English Renaissance”
Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation.
“A woman of No Importance”
Woman are never disarmed by compliments. Men always are.
“An Ideal Husband”
王尔德是19世纪末英国颇有影响的小说家、诗人和剧作家.他生于都柏林的一个医生家庭,母亲是爱尔兰民族主义女诗人,对王尔德影响较大.就读大学期间,他广泛涉猎欧洲古典哲学家的著作,并受到达尔文的进化论、拉斐尔的绘画以及罗斯金、佩特的美学观点的影响,开始进行唯美主义的理论宣传和创作活动,甚至把自己的生活方式也当作唯美主义的表演,以奇特古怪的服饰名噪一时.
作为英国唯美主义的主要代表,王尔德的艺术观点集中体现在《谎言的衰朽》(1889)等文章和《道林·格雷的肖像》(1891)一书的序言中,他主张“为艺术而艺术”,认为思想和艺术均为艺术的工具,善与恶皆为艺术家的材料,“艺术家的伦理同情心皆是一种不能原谅的习气”.这种形式主义的艺术观点既反映了他厌恶资产阶级社会规范,渴望摆脱“为金钱而艺术”的羁绊,又表现出他面对资本主义危机而产生的迷惘、颓废的世纪末情绪.作品:《拉凡纳》、《快乐王子》、《石榴之家》、《少年国王》、《一个无足轻重的夫人》等. 王尔德的创作反映了英国资本主义危机和唯美主义对现实主义文学传统的悖弃.他追求艺术形式的奇巧,作品多以节构严谨、语言机智、用笔 简洁、文辞精美取胜.他的艺术观则对西方现代主义产 生了直接影响.
|
