Qafqaz Universiteti Materiallar

DOUBLE LIVES AND SECRET VICES IN                                                

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY 

 

Nargiz BABASHOVA 

Qafqaz University 

[e-mail] 

AZERBAIJAN 

 

The Picture of Dorian Gray, the most fictitious novel of the decade that introduced Oscar 

Wilde as the most successful society playwright of his time, and as the most infamous sexual 

criminal of his day. This work was his first considerable and successful major work of art. 

Characteristically, this was a “success de scandale”. His novel provoked an contemptuou s response 

from many reviewers. These reviewers had found outlawed passions and unspeakable acts 

represented in Dorian Gray and they all revealed to be part of its author’s life.  

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The theme of a double life of unacceptable respectability, caring about one’s reputation 

and inmost transforming society’s moral rules are the principal matters of the plot of Dorian 

Gray. Dorian imitates Lord Henry’s disdain for people who choose to be pious and he gives 

cynical response to Basil’s accusation wielding Lord Henry’s name. “Take care, Basil. You 

go too far.” So this suggests that Dorian does have some attention for his reputation and the 

opinion of society. As the text asserts, “he was not really reckless, at any rate in his relations 

to society”. In fact, Dorian enjoys greatly his ability to indulge his illegal, immoral and 

dishonest activities while avoiding the consequences. Already he had accepted the horrible 

pleasure of a double life when he appeared at the society after committing a treacherous 

crime. The piece of text describing Dorian’s subsequent trip to an opium den obviously 

reveals his divided life. He hesitates for some moments with a obviously motionless smile 

upon his face, but at last he appoints to fulfil his idea at midnight. During the trip Dorian 

repeated the words that Lod Henry had said to him on the first day they had met, “Nothing 

can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul.” So it was his 

inmost, he could escape from society and could indulge his longing for opium and obscurity. 

The criminal and aesthete combined in the figure of Dorian and are inseparable feature of 

Wilde’s novel. 

The twofold object of his portrait, and also the character of Dorian Gray express the 

division between the odd and the direct aspects of one’s inmost identity. This double life can 

also be respectively illustrated as that of the private and the public. The only clue to solve the 

mystery, however, is that Dorian Gray’s moral regression does not begin until his identity 

is forcibly split. Wilde is more cautious to illustrate the easily identified split between these 

two halves. “I shall stay with the real Dorian,” says Basil, referring to the painting on the 

canvas rather than the flesh-and-blood Dorian who stands before him.  

Thus the philosophy of a double life plays an important role throughout the plot of the 

novel while secretly following an existence that crossed the boundaries of respectable 

activities. Dorian Gray becomes conscious his portrait will endure the splits of his corruption 

leaving his actual appearance unstained, and feels free to ignore the religious morality that 

encapsulated the Victorian era. Dorian is able to pursue his debauched behaviour awaring of 

his respectable appearance and unspotted looks will protect him from repercussions of 

decadence. After having committed a murder Dorian felt enthusiastically the loathsome 

pleasure of a double life. 

Lord Henry makes clear connection between the criminal and the respectable citizen. 

He observes, ‘Crime belongs exclusively to the lower orders. I don’t blame them in the 

smallest degree. I should fancy that crime is to them what art is to us, simply a method of 

procuring extraordinary sensations’. With his visits to opium dens and his great pleasure in 

high culture Dorian combines the criminal, the aesthete and the perfect explanation of 

immorality belonged to a single person and queer instance of the scars between the 

respectable public persona and the secretive private life. 

The novel’s metaphor of the dual life is extremely influential during the final scenes. 

The disguise of goodness and the denial of inner self was the true sin that Dorian felt the 

impulse, the longing to cleanse. In confessing his own sin, the sin of illusion, the real, and 

homosexual, Dorian is illustrated to be beautiful and true, while the public statement is left a 

hostile, decayed husk. 

 

 

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OEDIPIAN COMPLEX IN “AS I LAY DYING”                                            

BY WILLIAM FAULKNER 

 

Vafa ALIYEVA  

 

Qafqaz University 

[e-mail] 

AZERBAIJAN 

 

William Faulkner wrote As I Lay Dying in 1930.This novel is considered to be of the 

most influential novels in American fiction in structure, style, and drama. As I Lay Dying is 

Faulkner’s novel about the Bundren family’s travel to bury Addie, their wife and mother. 

Each of the family members narrate in turns, including Addie herself. One key to a basic 

interpretation. As I Lay Dying lies in the relationship between the psychological motives for 

the journey to Jefferson. 

This novel narratizes the oedipal law, and myth thus becoming a model form of story 

telling, for representation of social action .What is Oedipal law or Oedipal complex? Freud 

named the whole complex of feelings by the word "oedipal," naming the complex after the Greek 

tragic hero Oedipus .Oedip killed his father and married his mother. The Oedipus complex is 

one of the most frequently repeated one in modern literature of XX Century Literature.For 

Oedipus complex, little boys fall in love with their mother and hate their father and little girls 

like their father and hate their mother during the age of four to six. The girl-father relation is 

specifically known as Electra complex. Narcissism gives way to libido to make parent of 

opposite sex to become its object. 

There is a strong gap between human relationships, especially in the male characters in 

As I Lay Dying .They undergo a skewed Oedipal recognition. Although Faulkner never 

honestly describes any of his male characters as possessing an Oedipus complex, it is a clear 

evident that Addie Bundren’s sons, Darl and Jewel, express the fundamental need to destroy 

their mother’s sexuality .The whole text deal with the results of failing fathers who are absent 

and neglectful to their children. 

Darl says that “Jewel’s mother is a horse,” Darl says, in order to tease his half-brother. 

Jewel is the passion child who has the purest Oedipal relationship with his mother through the 

horse, and there is a certain cruel appropriateness about his having to give up his horse. Jewel’s 

loses both his mother and his horse that is why he suffers from a kind of Oedipal disaster, the 

consequences of which are not purely identified. Addie’s rejects Darl ,who really loves her 

passionately throughout her life Indeed, Darl suffers more than twenty-five years of denial 

and frustration” .From his monologues it is noteworthy to point his intense jealousy of Jewel, 

the most beloved son, which can almost resembles a distant similarity to Oedipal complex. 

Furthermore, Jewel’s relationship with Addie is parallel to Darl’s relationship with their 

mother. When Jewel understands that he is not a real part of the Bundren family, he feels 

violated by Addie’s deception, mirroring Addie’s feelings of deception about Anse’s “love.” 

In essence, his real father mentally separates him from the ones to whom he should feel the 

closest, and that is the real reason why Jewel hates his mother .Addie isolated him from his 

family. 

Addie is as pre-Oedipal force by the process of mothering. Jewel sees Addie as a main 

maternal and paternal force in his life. Jewel love for his mother passes onto his horse as he is 

aware that it hurts her deeply. Addie’s love doesn’t seem as a reality to Jewel, although that 

she tries to demonstrate by loving him more than any of her other children. Therefore, Jewel’s 

decisive action to purchase a horse ironically mimics Addie’s actions of taking a lover, 

paralleling his mother’s displacement of love outside of the family. Throughout the novel 

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Faulkner raises interesting questions about Addie’s role both as a mother and woman in Bundern 

family, there is not enough evidence to suggest that the women in his work are anything other 

than a product of their environmental and prescribed social roles. 

Faulkner’s short section on As I Lay Dying which contrasts Jewel with Darl. First one is 

the one who only uses his eyes, who understands everything and who ends up blind to his identity 

as Oedipus, while the second one ends up in the schizophrenia of his last monologue when he 

becomes the object of his own obssession with himself. 

 

 

LITERATURE AND HISTORY IN CHARLES DICKENS                         

'BOOK "A CHILD’S HISTORY OF ENGLAND" 

 

Gunel DAVUDOVA 

Qafqaz University 

[e-mail] 

AZERBAIJAN  

 

Literature has an exceptional role on delivering history to the present. Historical 

information from the sources is delivered to the present over different ways. The main and 

widespread method is to convey by historical books which written by historians and scholars. 

Mostly writers and scholars describe occured historical cases in various forms such as prose 

and poetry. Adding their own comments to historical events, writers pass the history to future 

generations in a smooth and interesting way.  

As a whole world literature is rich with examples of historical artifacts and stories. 

Charles Dickens is one of the authors, who is accepted as reliable author and is popular due to 

his historical romances in the history of British literature. His work “A Child’s History of 

England” demonstrates British history in a simplified and interesting language. 

Charles Dickens lived and wrote during the Victorian Period (1837-1901) that social 

and public conditions of this age contributed forming of his creativity. Victorian Age was one 

of the hard periods in British history. Charles Dickens with his literary creativity represents 

Victorian Period. His family structure, childhood, marriages, travels to different countries and 

total experiences in this Period formed his literary activeness. During his life he lived 

difficulties of the Age, and these experiences effected on his literary style. Writing numerous 

essays and stories he reflected hardness of his Period. With his stories such as "Oliver Twist", 

"A Christmas Carol", "Hard Times", "David Copperfield" and etc. he had huge contribution to 

British literature.  

Likewise could Charles Dickens demonstrate historical events on his stories and writings 

successfully. His success over historical literary made him one of the sources of history. Specially, 

with his romance “A Child’s History of England” he was reference for British history.  

 “A Child’s History of England” by Charles Dickens can be considered as one of the ir-

replaceable historical sources for his time and present generations. Charles Dickens described 

social-cultural, political, economic and public situations of Victorian Period in his book.  

On “A Child’s History of England” social inequality, changes that followed Industrial 

Revolution, harder life conditions of low-class population, heavy political situation around the 

Kingdom and wars that declined the country and etc.  could be demonstrated successfully. 

Like his contemporary, Thomas Babington Macaulay, he has important reference to the 

described period in the romance. 

Charles Dickens could make effective links between literature and history. Aristotle 

explains these links in such way: “History tells you what happened, Literature tells you what 

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ought to have happened.” In literature, the imaginative spirit plays a dominant role, though an 

historical novel is usually loosely based on facts.  

"A Child’s History of England" is a work where fact, myth and legend are braided into a 

reasonably understandable history of England. Anyone that has read of medieval kings, wars 

and betrayals can well imagine the difficulty in relaying that history in a sensible, 

comprehensive manner. The task of making the long forgotten history interesting enough to 

hold the attention of a child is indeed a hard one. Charles Dickens did this reasonably well.  

From this romance his patriotism is felt obviously. Readers can observe it especially 

when it comes to depict the role of foreign powers such as France and Spain in English history, 

as their respective political, economic and religious interest had very often opposed those of 

Britain’s colonial and imperialistic expansion. 

This piece of history and literature by Charles Dickens provides exciting history with 

witty observations and compelling narrative, which will capture a child’s imagination.  

But “A Child’s History” is not only the memory of the history of England but also Charles 

Dickens’ memory of his own childhood reading, and his reconstruction of childhood. The darker 

side of the mind, as of the past, can only be held in check by the retention of childlike innocence.  

"A Child's History of England" by Charles Dickens was subject to severe criticism. 

Hence, the famous writer`s most criticized work is probably worth making profound surveys 

of the scientific researchers and students. 

 

 

THE DEPICTION OF WOMEN BY VICTORIAN NOVELISTS 

 

Aydan HACIYEVA  

Qafqaz University 

[e-mail] 

AZERBAIJAN 

 

Victorian writers were mainly interested in their society’s issue, in particular the woman 

question. Through this thesis, we will get general information about some literary works 

created by Victorian authors to become aware of the ways women were portrayed. We will 

also find out the position of the Victorian woman. 

Most of the works produced during the eighteenth century had the same plot. It means 

that most literary pieces belonging to the Victorian Period mainly focus on a marriage that 

raises a poor maiden from her low social class and suggests her a more convenient, joyful and 

safe life. We can confirm this consensus (fact) through various works which were produced in 

the Victorian Era.  

One of the most outstanding writers, Jane Austen stated an episode in her matured work 

“Pride and Prejudice” which proves the idea mentioned above: “Mrs. Bennet tells her husband 

that it would be a great achievement for them if one of her daughters succeeds in marrying the 

wealthy Mr. Bingley. 

While reading literary works of the Era the reader gets acquainted with Victorians’ 

approaches, attitudes, manners, values, expectations from life, environment. One of the most 

depicted issues and affairs was the “woman question”. This issue attracted the attention of 

Victorians as each representative gave a special place for the woman in both poetry and prose. 

There was a notable debate about the position of woman in society. 

“Women’s Mission” is one of the most remarkable writings on the “woman question”. 

The author of the book is the outstanding novelist of the Victorian Era, Sarah Lewis. In her 

book that was produced in 1839 the great thinker offered women to apprehend and endure the 

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reality of their being inferior to men. They ought to have no other work than marrying, growing 

up children, encouraging their husbands and making a happy family. She stood on the idea 

that women ought to possess moral characteristics and virtues 

One of the most outstanding representatives, Charlotte Bronte strongly differed from 

her predecessors due to her changing earlier novelists’ model of nice and charming women. In 

place of them she depicted unattractive female characters who obtains the respect and love of 

the hero who is either handsome or is from a high social class. Charlotte Bronte’s heroines are 

entirely equipped with moral and intellectual features. And this is what makes them fascinating in 

the eyes of male characters. 

Elizabeth Gaskell was among the women writers who expressed their anxiety towards 

the “woman question”. Her position as a feminist writer is revealed through her works 

dedicated to this problem entitled “fallen women”. In one of her remarkable works called 

“Ruth”, she portrayed the fallen woman as being innocentThe heroine fell as a victim of a 

wealthy lover who resigns her before the birth of an expected child. The poor woman didn’t 

possess a family or anyone that could direct or help her. Luckily she was condoled and given 

aid by a non-conformist minister and his kind-hearted wife with whom she lived calmly. 

Nonetheless, when her secret was disclosed, she was neither accepted nor supported by her 

society. She was rejected and condemned instead. The only being from whom Ruth got 

comfort was her innocent child. Her child brought joy to her hard life. 

Gaskell’s masterpiece “Ruth” was a powerful attack on the gender double standard, 

showing how the whole burden of it fell on helpless women, and demonstrating the cruelty 

and injustice of existing moral and social beliefs. It offered a picture of unrelieved melancholy 

as far as women were concerned. Despite her youth and innocence, rehabilitation for Ruth 

was not possible. 

Thomas Hardy did the identical thing in his great work “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” like 

Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel “Ruth”, on which she stood, “that it was the man who was morally 

culpable. Ruth’s essential purity and goodness are not in any way diminished by her liaison, 

whereas her seducer continues to show himself in all the situations in which we meet him as a 

weak, self-indulgent, irresponsible, and even dishonest” (Caine Barbara, 1993:31). Tess is just 

portrayed as a naïve and innocent person although her purity is ruined by Alec d’Urbervilles 

who is demonstrated as a merciless and mischievous being. 

The question of woman was dominant in Victorian novels and most authors revealed 

their views on this issue in their creativity and invited the society to treat women in a 

respected manner and value them. 

 

 

THE AUTHORITY OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY ON LISTENING 

COMPREHENSION OF EFL LEARNERS 

 

Sveta GADIMOVA 

Qafqaz University 

[e-mail] 

AZERBAIJAN  

 

Comprehension, particularly listening comprehension is the one aspect of language learning 

that is complex process and critical in the development of foreign language competence. One 

aspect of language processing is that, the importance of listening in language learning encoun 

tered recently. It should also emphasized that, listening comprehension was disdained or 

underrated and more detailed studies represent that, in the past, it merited less research and 

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pedagogical attention. There is however an important difference between past and present, so 

listening comprehension in EFL teaching and learning is considered as a significant skill by 

researches that have dedicated time to listening. Yet the important point to note is that, 

listening skills lead learners to communicate effectively although it is considered as basic skill 

in language learning has given less heed , and time that students spend functioning in EFL 

while teaching listening comprehension at schools and universities. In any case it seems clear 

that, learners having mastered grammar sensitivity and word power, while they gained lack of 

listening comprehension. Through systematic study of basic levels of EFL at universities, it 

should also be noted that, listening and speaking capabilities have been left behind while they 

integrated skills in writing and reading.  

The evidence of limited listening comprehension is even more obvious in case of preli 

minary studies. It should also be noted that prior knowledge and worldview facilitate processing 

and enhancing comprehension greatly in reading, according to the researches. Listening, like 

reading, is an active process that entails construction of meaning beyond simple decoding. Yet 

the important point to note is that activation of prior knowledge lead enhancing the aural code. 

EFL students’ set primary goal to achieve a good listening comprehension and communicateve 

English for different purposes. Nothing can detract from the central fact that, the concern of 

teachers who teach English in the authentic context has always been the main.  

There were other factors which arguable counted for more. EFL students get the compre 

hension of English language as a foreign language in school, after listening to the native people 

they comprehend all the speech which is heard. More detailed studies show that, language carries 

intelligence and cultural information that has impact on the way of thinking. Thus culture con-

sidered as a basic and inseparable part of language which we speak and perform every time. 

Consequently, there is now, an emphasis in modern language teaching on cultural knowledge 

as a basis for language learning. This was one of the most significant reasons why acquisition 

of cultural knowledge is important for learning EFL. Judged by this measure, if students’ 

pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and cultural knowledge are appropriate, they can easily 

get adapted to the sound knowledge of the society in which the language is based. The favorable 

illumination of English as a foreign language in context depends on learners who shares elements 

of cultural background knowledge like values, traditions and beliefs. Still there is no denying 

that, some school subjects introducing the culture which is not appropriate to our values and 

beliefs. To put up simply, the intimate relationship between language and culture strikingly 

illustrates numerous debates on the role of ELT (English Language Teaching) in Azerbaijan.