This unit's theme is function in art, and we have studied everything from the most functional art form (architecture), to arguably the least: Oscar Wilde's aesthetic comedy of manners, Lady Windermere's Fan/A Good Woman. Wilde maintained, in critical essays like "The Decay of Lying," that art should be beautiful and purposeless; its only function to bring beauty and self-expression into the world. Yet, as Wilde says, "The well-bred contradict other people. The wise contradict themselves."
Is Wilde's play really purely aesthetic art? Does it have a function, and if so, what? Why? And, since we're on the subject, what makes A Good Woman, according to Wilde? Do you agree?
Warning to those not yet finished the movie: possible spoilers ahead! Cover your eyes if you don't want to know!!!
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I don't think the play is purely aesthetic. It tells a story, and almost every story has a moral in it, maybe several. One of the morals in this story is to not give up on your lover based on an assumption. Therefore, the play clearly has a function, which is to convey a moral.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes a Good Woman, according to Wilde, would be one willing to give up her own chance for something good to help someone else. I suppose I would have to agree with that. Selflessness is a good quality to have.
I agree with the last comment, but I also think that Wilde made it seem sometimes that women should lie to make themselves look better to society and I don't agree with that. People shouldn't have to live up to a certain stereotype. However I do agree with giving up your chance at happiness to do something good for someone else.
ReplyDeletei would have to say that it is not purely aesthetic. There could be a function of entertainment or to show people his ideas, therefore it isnt completely aethetic. According to Wilde a good woman would be one who is pretty, and that is always a good quality.
ReplyDeletei dont think its completly aesthetic
ReplyDeleteWhile I saw a possible underlying theme of "have faith in whatever's happening" and "trust those you love", I did think the movie was rather aesthetic. To simply justify that, I didn't get much out of the movie but I did enjoy watching it. I don't really know how Wilde would characterize a good woman, but I suppose that it would basically be one that justifies those two themes.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I did see some of Wilde's "Decay of Lying" principles in the movie; things were left to our imagination, for example Mrs. Erlynne as Meg's mother and not a prostitute.
i dont think that the movie was truely aesthetic. I think that Wilde classified Ms. Erlynne as the good woamn because of her choice in the end of the moive in not telling meg the truth to prevent her from pain and sorrow. In this case to her lying for the sake of another was the right thing to to do.And i agree with her choice. If she would have told her the truth Meg dreams of her mother will all be destroyed and wouldve taken the longest time to heal if she could heal at all.
ReplyDeleteWilde's play is not purely aesthetic. As he said, "The wise contradict themselves," and through his play he contradicted his statement that art should be purely aesthetic. It shows the importance of not listening to rumors and demonstrates the power of the bond between mother and daughter. Wilde seems to think that a good woman is one who performs selfless acts without needing people to know that she performed those acts. Mrs. Erlynne truly was a good woman because she acted as to give up her own happiness for Meg's. I agree that putting the wants/needs of others before one's own makes a good woman.
ReplyDeleteA Good Woman was not purely aesthetic because it teaches a lesson: don't believe every rumor you hear. By teaching a lesson, the play/movie transcends its entertainment value and becomes functional.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Wilde, a "good" woman is a woman who demonstrates selflessness. This is clear becasue in the end Mrs. Erlynne puts her own wants and needs aside in favor of Meg's. I sort of agree with this. I agree that a good person will make sacrifices for others. However, I don't think this is the only quality that makes a good woman or a good person.
I do not think that Wilde's play is purely aesthetic, i do think that there is some meaning behind this. Most every story has some kind of moral or has a purpose to teach you something. I think his view of what a good women is someone who gives up and just lets everything go to waste based on what they have heard without hearing all the details. I do not agree, i think women in todays world are the opposite of that and have learned from the women in the past.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the writer that the play was not purely aesthetic art because the story had a purpose. It had a function to teach a lesson. This goes against what Wilde says that art is only for beauty and self expression. Which is just weird? I don’t understand why Wilde would say that was his view on art but than create art going against his own view.
ReplyDeleteI think that according to Wilde a good woman is someone who is elegant self aware and looks out for others without compromising themselves.
I don’t believe the play is aesthetic. There could have been more entertaining and funny, so it couldn’t be fully aesthetic. Wilde showed Ms. Erlynne as a high quality character because of her decision in the end. She didn’t speak the truth because she wanted to prevent Meg from mourning and misery.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is 100% aesthetic. The story in the end had a moral and a purpose that has a functional idea in it. In the ending of A Good Woman Mrs. Erylnne gives up her relationship with Tuppy in order to save Meg's marriage.
ReplyDeleteThe movie kinda didn't make sense but I would say that it is not fully aesthetic. There was a lesson that the movie taught and it had a purpose. Fully aesthetic art has no purpose.
ReplyDeleteEverything has a purpose weather intended or not. I guess it is at least entertainment to some people. His version of a good woman is one that looks good.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the movie was completely aesthetic. Aesthetic art is "art for art's sake." There is no point in aesthetic art but to increase beauty and I believe that A Good Woman had a purpose.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that the movie was completely aesthetic. I say this because at the end of the movie there was a moral. According to Wilde, a good women would be someone to drop everything and do whatever for there man. I do agree with this because i believe thats what a good women would do.
ReplyDeletethe movie wasn't completely aesthetic because Wilde made certain characters very unappealing and therefore is conveying the message that people should not be like these characters. According to Wilde a "good woman" is one that bears the weight of her sins and doesn't force them on others even if it means lying. I agree with this except for the lying part because in the immortal words of Haddaway "Baby don't hurt me." and being lied to hurts.
ReplyDeleteThe movie wasn't fully aesthetic because if it was, who would watch it? It has few lessons like trust. Wilde pictures a good woman as a person that will do anything for their husband, but I believe a good woman should have a personality and be able to think for themselves.
ReplyDeleteNo, a movie trying to convince people that pure aestheticism is the way to go is not purely aesthetic itself. It has a purpose: to teach the values of aestheticism. According to Oscar Wilde, aestheticism isn't only applicable to art; it is what makes a "good" woman. As the countess says: "Crying is the plain woman's refuge. Pretty women go shopping!"
ReplyDeleteI think that there wasn't JUST aestheticism in Wilde's work. Every story has a meaning and so did the movie. I think it's really hard just to have a story for story's sake becaus esomewhere between the lines there's a message trying to be conveyed and there's the fact of course the point that Wilde's idea of a Good Woman is not only beautiful but she serves a function and has purpose.
ReplyDeleteThe movie "A Good Woman" actually stood in completely contrast to Oscar's arguments that beauty should be purposeless, because a story with a moral is the most purposeful kind of art there is. The play, because it is resolved in such a manner and conducted with a storyline similar to that of many other stories, leaves an emotional impacts regarding character and personality over beauty.
ReplyDeleteA "Good" woman is one who is, at the core at least, one who is selfless and independent in the face of a crisis. While personal flaws may be evident or past choices may have ruined reputation, what is important is what the woman will do in an extreme situation and if she will act in the interest of others (especially her family) over herself.
Wilde's story explains a good moral value to have. Indirectly trust. Also people need to be very careful to pass judgem,ent based on assumption, which happens quite a bit these days. And according to Wilde, a good woman is one who sacrificies something of theirselves for someone else.
ReplyDeleteIT is not completely aesthetic. I think the movie is named A GOOD WOMEN becasue of what she did at the end. If she told her daughter she was her mom her whole perspective of her mom would of changed. And the daughter would of been upset. I agredd with the mommy decision.
ReplyDeleteI think the movie showed how aestheticism can change the appearance of someone or something; but with that, it can only take you so far. It almost showed more how if you hide who you really are with aesthetic clothes and such, it can impair someone elses judgement of you and make you look like something your not.
ReplyDeleteNothing can be without some sort of purpose, and his was there regardless of whatever he said to deny it. he couldnt have even made the play without having some reason behind it, it just doesnt work that way. There always has to be some basic plot, and while it may be that he's going for aestheticism theres always the point of entertainment behind it. Even if a painting is painted to look pretty, its nearly impossible to do something pretty without some motive behind it
ReplyDelete