Walter Pater and Aestheticism
In late Victorian England, Aestheticism challenged the expectation that art should be useful, morally instructive, or socially improving. Walter Pater, its influential English theorist, argued that life is fleeting and should be experienced with intensity. He urged readers to attend closely to powerful sensations and emotions, especially those evoked by beauty and art. His image of living with a “hard, gem-like flame” expresses this ideal of heightened experience.
Art for Art’s Sake
The motto Art for Art’s Sake (l’art pour l’art) states that art does not need to justify itself through a moral lesson or a social programme. Its value lies in its artistic qualities and beauty. This principle contrasts with Victorian expectations that literature should educate readers or promote moral behaviour. It does not mean that art cannot evoke thought or feeling; rather, such effects are not required to make art worthwhile.
The Dandy
- The dandy applies aesthetic ideals to everyday life. His dress, speech, and conduct are carefully fashioned, making life itself resemble a work of art. Oscar Wilde became a prominent example of the dandy in London society. Rather than withdrawing from high society, the dandy moves within it and uses elegance, wit, and irony to challenge its conventions and expose Victorian hypocrisy.