Wilde’s Language Style in The Picture of Dorian Gray

Abstract

Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish Aestheitc Writer, is well-known for the humourous language in his works. As the “lord of language”, he deliberately utilizes English as a tool to show the beauty of the language itself. His only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray commendably reveals Wilde’s talent in language organizing. This paper outlines Wilde’s employing witty rhetorical devices, the harmonious diction, brilliant paradoxes, jocular dialogues and witty epigrams to help readers perceive that succinctness, vividness, impressiveness and meaningfulness form the most important features of the writing style of the novel.