Svolgi gli esercizi seguenti sul tuo quaderno, rispondendo in inglese quando richiesto. Gli esercizi alternano comprensione del movimento estetico, analisi del lessico critico e interpretazione dell'opera di Oscar Wilde. Leggi con attenzione le consegne prima di rispondere e motiva sempre le tue scelte interpretative.
- Which French expression is usually considered the motto of the Aesthetic Movement and what does it claim about the function of art?
- A) Fin de siècle — art must reflect the anxieties of the end of the century
- B) L'art pour l'art — art exists for its own sake, with no moral or social duty
- C) Mal du siècle — art must express the suffering of the modern soul
- D) Cri du cœur — art must communicate sincere personal emotion
- According to the principles of Aestheticism, a novel should always teach the reader a clear moral lesson and condemn vice in an explicit way.
- Vero / Falso
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Walter Pater, in the conclusion of Studies in the History of the Renaissance, invites his readers to burn always with a hard, ___ flame, an image that became a symbol of the intense aesthetic perception of every single moment.
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Match each character of The Picture of Dorian Gray with the role he or she plays in the novel. | Colonna A | Colonna B | |---|---| | Basil Hallward | The cynical aristocrat who introduces Dorian to hedonistic theories | | Lord Henry Wotton | The young actress whose suicide marks Dorian's first moral fall | | Sibyl Vane | The protagonist whose youth is preserved while his portrait records his corruption | | Dorian Gray | The painter who creates the portrait and represents devoted artistic love |
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Which of the following stylistic features is NOT typical of aesthetic prose as practised by Wilde and his circle?
- A) A sober, plain style that avoids any ornamental adjective
- B) A rich use of synaesthesia and sensuous imagery
- C) Frequent paradoxes and witty aphorisms
- D) References to refined or exotic objects, such as peacocks and oriental fabrics
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Define the figure of the dandy as it appears in Wilde's work, mentioning at least two distinctive traits and one example taken from The Picture of Dorian Gray or The Importance of Being Earnest.
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Analyse the final scene of The Picture of Dorian Gray, in which Dorian stabs his own portrait, and explain in what sense this conclusion can be read as a moral judgement on the philosophy of pure hedonism defended by Lord Henry. Write about 150 words in English.
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Compare the figure of the aesthete proposed by Walter Pater in the conclusion of Studies in the History of the Renaissance with the figure of Dorian Gray. To what extent does Wilde's character realise, distort or betray the ideal of "burning always with a hard, gemlike flame"? Support your answer with specific references to characters, episodes and stylistic choices.