THE ROLE OF AESTHETIC PHILOSOPHY IN DORIAN GRAY’S PSYCHOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION IN OSCAR WILDE’S NOVEL
Keywords:
Aesthetic philosophy, Oscar Wilde, Dorian Gray, psychological transformation, Aesthetic Movement, beauty, morality, identity, hedonism, Victorian literatureAbstract
This article examines the influence of aesthetic philosophy on the psychological transformation of Dorian Gray in Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. As one of the most significant works of the late Victorian period, the novel explores the relationship between beauty, morality, identity, and self-destruction through the lens of the Aesthetic Movement. Wilde's philosophy of "art for art's sake" challenges traditional moral values and presents beauty as the highest ideal. The study investigates how aesthetic principles shape Dorian's personality, behavior, and moral decline. Through literary and psychological analysis, the article demonstrates that Dorian's obsession with youth, beauty, and sensory pleasure leads to a gradual corruption of his conscience and identity. The findings reveal that aesthetic philosophy functions both as a source of self-realization and as a catalyst for psychological disintegration.
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