Within the Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, there are themes and motifs/attributes and allusions that are aimed at Victorian society through the use and significant stereotypes and realizations about Aestheticism within this time period. In Curzon street and in Mall Pall, there are accounts and descriptions of these places that relate to the book and the actions/what takes place along the streets according to the plot of the novel.

Curzon street lies among the city of Westminster and runs from park lane to Berkeley Square. It is home to many people who are rich in status and live among that street living a high life of pristine and elegance.  In the picture of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry walks down that street to visit his uncle. His uncle is described as “an old bachelor whom the outside world called selfish because it derived no particular benefit from him, but who was considered generous by Society as he fed the people who amused him” (Chapter III). It shows (although the street is only mentioned that one time) that the rich people living on this street think very highly of themselves, and much like Lord Henry and his uncle, most likely think poorly of the impoverished citizens that reside in the East end of London. It goes to show how this reveals the inherent nature of Lord Henry and how his influence over Dorian will soon be completely corrupted by the false image of “beauty” that in turn will reveal Dorian’s inner “ugliness” later on in the novel. Furthermore, the essence and  essential notion that beauty plays for Dorian Gray will be an intricate plot point revealing the theme of the novel, as the gray area dividing both the “East and West” ends of London and the “beauty and ugliness” of Dorian will go hand in hand. Thus, showing an intricate relationship between the individual and the society in which they live and how they influence each other.

In the Old Bailey online archive, there are many reports of what it turns out to be a high number of robbery of theft. the accounts are of rich people condemning poor people of stealing household items such as silverware, and selling them to make money (or possibly using them to eat, Because that is what silverware is for). Some of the accounts relay a vast number of religious themes as many of the rich people called the peasants “unchristian” or any other term saying they were abominations in the eyes of God, thus showing the importance of adhering to a religious belief that could be favored in the eyes of the country (Christianity). This archive shows that for Dorian Gray, the importance of religion shows a sort of high standard of living and a specific amount of intelligence and grace that can be seen as a form of art. This would allure to Dorian and his obsession with elegance and artistic things, as well as Basil and Lord Henry’s obsession with Dorian Gray.

 this map on the Charles Booth Poverty Map shows what is stated above: it is predominantly upper middle class and wealthy citizens that live along this street, which has also been known to be visited by many famous people of whom are of Lordship or any high standing label. The citizens of the middle class color (pink) and the citizens of high middle class (red) are the ones who were most likely to cause the chaos and rob people along this street leading for the accounts in the Old bailey archive to label these important people as “unchristian” or barbaric due to their upheld standing as a wealthier citizen of London.

Therefore it can be deduced that this street has a huge effect upon Dorian Gray based upon the high class and wealthy citizens that live along that street, whom also show a high quality obsession with elegance and aesthetic things much like Dorian himself, thus showing that the society in which one lives, and the attributes and lifestyles of said culture, can shape and influence a person into whatever that society sees as “valuable”. This is evident among the plot and course of Dorian Gray.

Works Cited:

“Booth Poverty Map & Modern Map (Charles Booth Online Archive).” Booth Poverty Map & Modern Map (Charles Booth Online Archive). N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.

“The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891)/Chapter 3.” – Wikisource, the Free Online Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015

“The Proceedings of the Old Bailey.” Browse. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015

In the book Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, there are many themes and symbolic representations of what Victorian culture was like, and it shows the connection between Dorian Gray’s prestige and  rich lifestyle and how the west end of London connects to the theme of aestheticism and elegant attributes of English life. these connections thus reveal how Victorian society will influence people among its culture and that is evident through Dorian Gray’s novel.

One street in particular that is evident is Pall Mall street (although only mentioned once) is a street in London that is thought to be a street where many tourist attractions and mall settings reside. The rich mainly shop there as different types of elegant jewelry, herbs, expensive clothes, and other wealthy materialistic things are. In the novel, Dorian is at this point reading the yellow book that he gets from Lord Henry and the book negatively influences him as it warps his image of reality and the essence of beauty and ugliness; thus showing the contrast and connection between Dorian’s outer beauty and inner ugliness. The novel reads ” His mode of dressing, and the particular styles that from time to time he affected, had their marked influence on the young exquisites of the Mayfair balls and Pall Mall club windows, who copied him in everything that he did, and tried to reproduce the accidental charm of his graceful, though to him only half-serious fopperies” (chapter XI). This shows the importance that fashion was to Dorian and how the yellow book and Lord Henry’s influence has destroyed the innocence that Dorian Gray holds and is slowly losing touch with reality. This is clear by the end of the novel when Dorian kills himself by slashing the old rendition of his painting, but his body revealed his heart, which was his own image, as young and beautiful as Dorian wanted, and ironically, the reality that is Dorian Gray ended up being old and decrepit.

In the Old Bailey online Archive and the Charles Booth Poverty Map, there are many accounts of murder and petty larceny along this street; predominantly because it is a commercial district, there are bound to be people who steal things from different businesses. However, many of the people on this street are rich or of middle class, while there are accounts of poor people on the margin of the street. Therefore, many of the poor people would be liable for such assumptions in case a wealthier person happens to accuse them of a crime.

These archives show the relationship between the societal class distinctions and the hierarchy to which many citizens  are subjugated.  Dorian Gray is a rich and beautiful man who is influenced by his peers and by society itself into being what Victorian society feels is “valuable”. This connection can be seen on Pall Mall as the elegant lifestyle has corrupted Dorian thus turning him, ironically, ugly. This then shows the connection between the superficial aesthetic properties of the west rich lifestyle and how they are less “glamorous” as they seem.

 

Works cited:

“Booth Poverty Map & Modern Map (Charles Booth Online Archive).” Booth Poverty Map & Modern Map (Charles Booth Online Archive). N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.

“The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891)/Chapter 11.” – Wikisource, the Free Online Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.

“The Proceedings of the Old Bailey.” Browse. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2015.

I must apologize in case the screen shot that appeared appeared too small. Wardour street runs through Oxford street in the Soho district of the west end of London. This district is known as the party district, as Chinatown, prostitution clinics, and the vast chains of entertainment and commerce industries are located among this street.

According to the Old Bailey archive, Booth Poverty Map, and the Locating London’s past archives, this residential area is consumed with people who are both rich and poor, however the street itself is not safe and full of danger and violence. There are many accounts and testimonies of theft and grand larceny’s that appeared on the street, most prominently because the street is connected to other streets in the surrounding district; all of which are connected to Oxford street. On the poverty map it shows that on the street itself, that the people are poor or comfortably middle class (purple) and the rest are well-to-do regular middle class (red). With this in mind, it can show that by mixing two classes in the same street can cause conflict based on the differences in culture, attitude amongst each other, and overall availabilities and opportunities that are given to the people.

 Thus as depicted and showed on this map, it is not unreasonable to see that violence and robbery were apparent amongst the people that live on this street. Furthermore, this street is home to sex industries which were very frowned upon by society. From a religious standpoint, those that partake would be scrutinized and condemned to the jurisdiction and harsh consequential acts of the patriarchal system. People that came to the Soho district, and to this street, came to get drunk, laid, or come to be entertained. Thus, many writers and poets/songwriters and other liberal art talents came to get inspiration from this street. However, due to the nature of the party district, many of them did not stay sober long enough, or in cases, survived, in order to publish their works.

Within “Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde, this street comes up in chapter 4 when Dorian is talking with Lord Henry, and Henry tells Dorian that he went to barter and trade an old brocade. Lord Henry then continues to recount how it is difficult to trade things and barter things as people put such a high price on it because of the impoverish settings surrounding the area. e recounts saying the people know the”value of everything and the price of nothing” thus noting that people wish to have as much as they could because they come to this street to thrive and better their lives, but in the end, since nobody knows the price (metaphorically and literally) nobodies situation actually changes. This is the only mention of Wardour street between chapters 1-5, however it plays a significant role as this street is where the “sins” of London ultimately reveal themselves to the readers.

Cannon Street Station is a real landmark in London and it is near the river Thames and sits quietly near the middle of the area. The people that live in this vicinity are poor as reflected within the light blue symbols that are coordinated on the map. There are various reports within the Old Bailey  of petty, simple, or grand larcenies, along with robberies, reports on murder, and various acts of deception, such as forgery. The railroad track connects to many different roads and streets in the precinct smack in the middle of the neighborhood. Surrounding St. Michaels, St. Mary’s, and St. Magnus, Cannon station street stands as the epicenter for all of the local churches. Seeing as it stands within an impoverish center, it was a high area of violence, robbery, and oppression as it was an area that was dominated by the poor and within that led to an opium den that happened to be located a few blocks over in upper swan dam lane, so the area was also consumed with people funding over control of opium. Although since upper Swandam lane is located near a pier it is relatively blocked off from the richer parts of London.

In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s story “Man with the Twisted Lip” it takes place in these areas and references the drug cartel and the huge situational obsession with opium and how it changed the lives of the rich Englishmen that are absorbed within its clutches. Although Cannon Street Station is mentioned only once as a place in which Neville is said to get home via that location, it is referenced as a port that connects the other impoverished parts of the city together and it serves as a beacon that transports people from the rest of London, i.e.., the richer parts or middle class, and connects them to the poor district in which the opium and poorer acts are constantly seen. This is reflected as Neville has a nice family and is relatively well off, so as he goes to the poor section of London to intake in opium in the poorer districts, he hides his richer ego aside as he goes into the den to blend in with the poor.

 

Piccadilly street happens to be a street on the west end of London that connects to the east via the river smack in the middle of London but is closest to the North. On this street there happens to be a high concentration of burglaries and murders that occur frequently.

According to the Old Bailey online database, there a many article references that explain various situations in which people have been mugged or murdered along that street; some of the crimes were committed by workers themselves, and others by children. In one instance, an 11 year old boy came into a shoemakers shop and took some boots. As the shoemaker chased him out, many witnesses had stopped the boy from escaping and once the boy was caught he went to trial. That boy was on trial until age 13 when they finally locked him away for 7 years (is that harsh in this time period? Um, yes, he was a boy who stole once, and he was in prison for 7 years). But on this database there are many other instances in which these events and everyday crimes ensued, and these crimes were apparently taken very seriously.

The murder instances are also prominent: In one article, a man was driving over the speed limit, but no more than he did every day, meaning, he always drove over the limit, but now it seemed to be a big deal and get on everybody’s nerves. Anyway, this man was confronted by a bystander  decided he shouldn’t be allowed to drive anymore, but instead of reporting him, he beats him up, break his legs and leave him to die. A local surgeon came to help him by bringing him inside and preparing to operate, but in the end, the man died. Quite a harsh article, and very prominent in today’s society especially surrounding all the cold blooded murders that happen in contemporary America. But the man responsible for his death was indicted and sent to prison; that man was 18.

I suppose this all connects to “Dull Brown” because of the oppression and never ending violence that occurred. The murders and burglaries are prominent in this era and specifically in this location; but they leave a lasting mark on society as it leaves a trail of uncertainty and horror to the inhabitants. Furthermore, I am sure that since this is on the West end, the richer end, the people are even more worried than usual since there are places in such districts that occur, thus threatening the lifestyle and safety of all the rich. But I believe that this is to be expected, especially since this was an era that was vibrant and revolutionized, as well as “dull”. In this story, Jean talks about how unlovable the unattractive people are and how separating their lives from her own is for the best, which could mean, those that are poor and steal possibly get what they deserve in her eyes. She is aware of the pain and suffering that is prominent in London but she chooses to ignore it since it doesn’t concern her. But as put before, the effects of such a society can last an impression on those who are not affected, and create a negative effect, just as it did in this story. I guess the lesson is, dull and brown, is as bad as violent and poor, if there is no balance between them. At least that is what I think.  This is my screenshot of Piccadilly Circus. Looks like a nice street.

A contemporary image of Piccadilly Circus.

Works Cited:

“The Proceedings of the Old Bailey.” Results. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2015

“The Yellow Nineties Online – Search the Archive.” The Yellow Nineties Online – Search the Archive. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Sept. 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well. From the first sentence that read “all women who belong to the white race always concern themselves, and will always concern themselves, about the purity, freshness, and brilliancy of their complexion”that already took the cake to inspire me to write a hearty response. Naturally, in this era, the only race that is even considered a race, is the white one. Women of this time period also consider their “fine” and “fair” skin to be a delicacy, and apparently, some believe it is inherited to be of a beautiful complexion.

According to various passages in this article, pure blood that accounts for silky smooth skin, and blonde wavy or straight hair, blemish and freckle free, have the best skin tone on the planet, and therefore, are deemed a complete human (not to mention the most “beautiful). But to be a women of a rich or popular standing, they would have to conform to this mandatory societal view that demands specific reactions and applications to beauty. A specific amount of makeup is necessary, and making ones face as pale as possible (vitamin D free I suppose(no sunlight for you)) is the epitome of pretty. Anyone who defies this, rejects it, or really, disagrees with this notion will not be treated as a “lady” and are looked down upon.

I guess the worst part is that there are so many aspects that go into beauty, that of course it is impossible to be beautiful. I believe that any individual, of all skin colors, should be able to have the freedom to feel that they are naturally beautiful based on the body that they are born into, because it is true, all people of all colors and skin tones, are beautiful. Skinny or fat? Both are beautiful. Dark or light? Both are Elegant. Soft hair or rough hair? Both are spectacular. I personally feel that this conventional standard is pompous and ridiculous, but it was important for me to learn that this is how troublesome the beauty standards were in this era, and it made me realize that here in America it is the same. Problematic isn’t it? To add to that, its 2015 and we still have beauty issues and self-absorbed rules to what is beautiful and what is not. There are so many self-conscious and depressed/non confident women (and men too). I mean I would be too if these were all things that had to be fixed/watched out for in order to be beautiful. I mean look at these categories:

Face, Wrinkles, Complexion, Disease, Sunburn, Warts, Blemishes, Depilatories, Water(?), Cosmetics, Hands, Arms, Powders, Hygiene, and the Body.

They basically had something to say/fix/criticize every part of the body. No wonder so many people have self-image issues related to the body nowadays. The scary part: nothing has really changed.

(Health and Hygiene-Beauty, Health, Sanitary Products-Complexion-Colour/http://www.victorianlondon.org/index-2012.htm)

Hello Everyone, my name is Josh Greenberg and I am a Senior studying English as a major and a dual minor in Theater Arts and Asian Studies (how these three connect is an enigma, but I am pursuing them nonetheless). My hearty ambitions will hopefully lead me to becoming a famous movie star (HA!) but until then I am hoping to apply to a program that allows me to teach English abroad in Japan to younger students. So that seems to be my future so far, and after that, who knows! So I am taking this course, yes because it is a requirement (and my last one) but also because I never took a course on London specifically. So I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the city, and the country in general I suppose, and expand my knowledge on our lovely “mother land” that exists today.

Anyway, I read the article and I found myself very fascinated. I found it amazing that all of these industrial changes and societal changes happened after the crazy-violent-and deadly medieval era that plagued the nation.  Beyond that however, the crazy divide of social power and bureaucratic hierarchy grew and blossomed into the power it is today, and how the certain districts have these powers distributed. The West and East became a blooming point for aristocrats and the poor had job opportunities there, but were naturally abused and exploited. The South seemed to have been abandoned because of that river that had been a barrier for centuries. So the people are poorer and the area is smoggy, decaying, dangerous, and not an appealing place to live. Meanwhile, the rich get richer and as commerce and trade envelops the attention of the world, exploitation and future expansion of the country  increases.

It is crazy how a nation starts small and gets large, but, it is even crazier when it is in a state of turmoil, despair, and death for centuries; and now it is a booming metropolis that literally took over the world. But the pros and cons are the most important aspects of which to look when expanding a country for the future. And while commerce grows, homes are destroyed to make way for big businesses. As the rich get more money and power, the poor, naturally, wallow away and get poorer. But that is the cyclical nature of revolutions I believe. Some will benefit, but others will be hurt, sometimes extremely, by it. I guess that is how it is.