Theory of Love [application of Fromm's theories to art]
- >The Picture of Dorian Gray< by Oscar Wilde is a story full of unhealthy relationships between foolish people. Dorian Gray, a young man in possession of excessive beauty, has a portrait in his attic that ages and displays his sins while he remains young forever. The painter of this portrait, Basil Hallward, is deeply in love with the subject and blind to his flaws. Basil's old friend, Lord Henry Wotton, is fascinated by the young Dorian Gray and what he might become. Dorian in turn falls in love with the young actress, Sibyl Vane, who dreams of running away with him from the life she has found herself trapped in. These four people, as well as other players like Sibyl’s brother James, and Dorian’s estranged friend Alan Campbell, have their lives changed throughout the book by the vastly different perceptions they all have of each other, especially of Dorian Gray. Many of them end up in his life because they want to love him, and be loved by him, but his relationships tend to be influenced by idolatry, vanity, and dishonesty. These are some of the aspects of love that social psychologist Erich Fromm writes about in >Art of Loving<. There are many decisions and developments that can be related to Fromm’s theories throughout the events of >The Picture of Dorian Gray<. These events are set in motion beginning with Dorian and Basil’s first meeting, at a party hosted by a woman named Lady Brandon.
Metadaten| Author: | Ari Landando |
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| Parent Title (English): | Celebrating Writers and Writing in our Communities, Vol. 5 (2023), pp. 42-44. [ISSN 2767-2700] [digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/rwc/vol5/iss1/27] |
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| Document Type: | Articles |
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| Language: | English |
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| Year of first Publication: | 2023 |
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| Release Date: | 2024/11/29 |
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| Format: | PDF-file to download |
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| IdNo: | Landando_A_2023 |
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| Writings about Erich Fromm (Secondary Literature): | Articles / Artikel |
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| Erich Fromm's Library and Erich Fromm Archive: | Articles / Artikel |
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| Licence (German): | free access / direkt zugänglich |
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