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Immorality and Obsencity in Dorian Gray and Manto's Short Stories -…
Immorality and Obsencity in Dorian Gray and Manto's Short Stories
Dorian Gray
Duality of Human Nature: The novel explores the idea of the duality of human nature, where the outer appearance can be deceiving. Dorian Gray's portrait becomes a reflection of his inner moral corruption while his physical appearance remains youthful and innocent.
Decay of Morality: Dorian's descent into immorality is depicted through his pursuit of pleasure, disregard for consequences, and abandonment of ethical values, hedonistic lifestyle
Influence of Lord Henry: Lord Henry Wotton plays a significant role in Dorian's moral corruption. He promotes a philosophy of hedonism and encourages Dorian to indulge in his desires without concern for societal norms or consequences.
Obsession with Beauty: Dorian's obsession with his own beauty and the fear of aging drives him to make a Faustian bargain. He wishes that his portrait would age instead of him, allowing him to remain forever young.
Consequences and Accountability: The portrait serves as a visual representation of the consequences of Dorian's immoral actions.
Society's Hypocrisy: The novel also critiques the hypocrisy of Victorian society, where outward appearances and reputation were given more importance than true moral values.
Manto's Short Stories
Obscenity
Explicit Language and Description: Manto's stories often include explicit language and vivid descriptions of taboo subjects like sexuality, bodily functions, and intimate moments.
Depiction of Prostitution: Many of Manto's stories explore the lives of prostitutes, offering a gritty and unromanticized view of their struggles, motivations, and relationships. He portrays their humanity, often presenting them as victims of circumstances.
Social Hypocrisy: Manto used obscenity to highlight the hypocrisy prevalent in society. He questioned why certain aspects of human existence were deemed obscene while other injustices were ignored. His stories reveal the contradictions in societal values.
Psychological Impact: Manto's explicit content is not meant for mere shock value; it serves a purpose. His stories often delve into the psychological impact of taboo experiences, offering insights into the complex emotional lives of his characters.
Immorality
Exploration of Violence: Manto's stories often explore the brutal and violent aspects of human behavior, particularly in the context of Partition. He presents characters driven to commit immoral acts due to the chaos and trauma of their surroundings.
Survival and Desperation: Many characters in Manto's stories engage in immoral acts as a means of survival or coping with desperation.
Critique of Society: Manto's stories are a critique of society's role in shaping individual morality. He presents characters who are products of their environment, reflecting on how societal norms and pressures influence their choices.
Unveiling Unconscious Desires: Manto's stories sometimes delve into the realm of unconscious desires and the darker recesses of the human psyche. He exposes hidden desires and impulses that society often suppresses.
Secondary Sources
https://victorianweb.org/gender/sextheory.html
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20170405-the-victorian-view-of-same-sex-desire