ENGL 497Senior Seminar
Prof. G. Steinberg
Wilde expresses himself in a somewhat unusual way, but his ideas about literature were fairly commonplace at the turn of the century. So, while you enjoy Wilde's wit and humor, keep in mind that the ideas he expresses are those of an important school of thought on literature.
Why does Wilde bemoan the decay of lying? What is wrong with the truth?
If Art is lying, what makes it good? How does Wilde say Art should be judged and evaluated? How is it created? What does Art express? Art often seems to present us with a realistic picture of how things are. Doesn't it present things as they really are?
What is the purpose and usefulness of Art? What role does it play in life?
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