OSCAR WILDE, part 3

 THE BALLAD of the READING GAOL, the poem

1. Watch the video on the ballad from an Italian program Cult Book. It's in Italian, but very interesting for the interpretation of the famous drama critic Masolino D'Amico

• Try to find the common points of the scenes in the video
• Would you consider this ballad a tribute against the death penalty?

We will discuss in class!

The following is a version of the Ballad according to Gavin Friday, released in 1989 and is the debut album after his exit from the Virgin Prunes : they made the history of rock!!!

I hope you remember that Oscar Wilde wrote the beautiful classic tale The Happy Prince.

Unfotunately it is so rare to see it on tv or to find it! But now you can enjoy listening to it, so sit down and relax!

Choose between one with captions and one without but read by the great Stephen Fry.

Anyway, here's the link to the whole text.....just in case!!!😉

We haven't talked about Wilde's plays.....fantastic! I will deal with them sooner or later with students!

But one thing is interesting to tell you: look up who Salomé was in history and what she is famous for.

Just to let you know more, Al Pacino made a movie on Wilde's Salomé, that is a play.

In the short video below, you will see Wilde's home in Dublin. 

Hope you can go there soon: if you do, don't miss it!

Hope you've enjoyed this post! 

If you feel like, leave your own comment!

Prof

OSCAR WILDE part 2

"THE PICTURE of DORIAN GRAY": the novel

Let's keep on with Wilde's famous work, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

You should have read this novel as a summer book, but....who knows! But  I'm sure you know there's a portait which has something to do with beauty and youth of the main character.

Now check the video "10 things you should know about The Picture of Dorian Gray"

As usual, take down the 10 notes to report to the class. Did you know any of them?

The following videos are three different trailer versions of the movie based on the novel:

• choose the one you like best giving reasons for your choice; I would appreciate if you campare  it to the novel (you are supposed you have read!)

• Be ready to report to the class

1945: adaptation : directed by Albert Lewin; screenplay by Albert Lewin

2004: adaptation by David Rosenbaum; screenplay by David Rosenbaum; starring Josh Duhmael as Dorian Gray

2009: adaptation directed by Oliver Parker; screenplay by Toby Finlay; starring Ben Barnes as Dorian Gray; Ben Chaplin as Basil Hallward; Colin Firth as Henry Wotton

Last but not least, here's the NOVEL, as an  e-text. Just in case......

If you want to know more than what you find in your text book Peformer Heritage 2,  pg 126, about the themes of  The Picture of Dorian Gray,  you can check Spark Notes

Moreover, I suggest and would like you to read this interesting article from The Guardian about Wilde's last work, De Profundis: in my opinion one of the greatest love letters ever written.

As usual, enjoy!

COVID-19 Time!

 

OSCAR WILDE  part 1

Let's intoduce one of my favourite writers, the brilliant Oscar Wilde. In 1882, at the Customs Control in the USA, he said simply

"I have nothing to declare but my genius"

 Session 1) His life and "The Picture of Dorian Gray", his novel

                 Videos : 15 minutes ;  Reading and notes : 1 hour

  Step 1. Take notes from the video and then read from your textbook Prformer Heitage, 2, pg124-125, 

Step 2: The following video is taken from the movie Wilde, starring Stephen Fye (1997). It   shows up the famous monologue on "Love that dare not speak its name", he spoke during the trial when he was sentenced and condamned to two years' hard labour  (lavori forzati) for his love affair with Bosie

"The Love that dare not speak  its name in this century is such a great affection of an elder for a younger man as there was between David and Jonathan, such as Plato made the very basis of his philosophy, and such as you find in the sonnets of Michelangelo and Shakespeare.It is as deep, spiritual affection that is as pure as it is perfect. It didctates and pervades great works of ast like those of Shakespeare and Michelangelo and those two letters of mine, such as they are. It is in this century mi sunderstood, so much misunderstood that it may be described as the "Love that dare no speak its name", and on account of it I am placed where I am now. It is beautiful, it is fine, it is the noblest form of affection. There is nothing unnatural about it. It is intellectual, and it repeatedly exists between an elder and a younger man, when the elder man has intellect and the younger man has all the joy, hope and glamour of life before him. That it should be so, the world does not understand. The world mocks at it and sometimes puts one in the pillory (alla gogna) for it"

 

 If you have ever been in Dublin, this video shows the actor Rupert Everett visiting Wilde's house in Merrion Square.

              

  Step 3: Video n.3 : a collection of some of his aphorisms. Choose one and get ready to tell  your mates why.

  The top 10 quotes: why Wilde said yhem....Enjoy!

     Next sessions:

     Session 2: The Picture of Dorian Gray

     Session 3: The Ballad of the Reading Gaol