Stylistic Features of Oscar Wilde`s Wrightings, Детальна інформація

Epithet has remained over the centuries the most widely used stylistic device, which is understandable- it offers the ample opportunities of qualifying every object from the author’s partial and subjective viewpoint, which is indispensable in creative prose, Here we can see masterly touches in rich and vivid epithets. Wilde’s language is plain and understandable, it is wonderful and interesting. Wilde resorts to the use of colourful epithets, which sometimes help him to show the difference between pretence and reality. As we know Wilde was the leader of the “aesthetic movement”. He was brilliant in literature and tried to be brilliant in life. He used abundance of epithets in his speech. In fact, everybody uses epithets in his speech; without them our speech is dry, awfully plain and not interesting.

Wilde’s epithets give a brilliant colour and wonderful witticism to his plays. With the help of epithets Wilde’s heroes are more interesting, their speech is more emotive; they involve the reader in their reality, in their life.

e.g. ”I am not in a mood to-night for silver twilights, or rose-pink dawns.”(p.190)

“Those straw-coloured women have dreadful tempers.”

(p.48)

“Cecily, ever since I first looked upon your wonderful and

incomparable beauty, I have dared to love you wildly,

passionately, devotedly, hopelessly.”(p.319)

As we can see, epithets make the speech more colourful,

vivid and interesting. Wilde uses a great amount of epithets

in his plays. His epithets are based on different sources, such

as nature, art, history, literature, mythology, everyday life, man,

etc.

And all of them are wonderful. They reflect Wilde’s opinions

and viewpoints about different things. They give emphasis and

rhythm to the text. That is why Wilde may be also called a

master of colourful and vivid epithets.

METAPHOR

One of the most frequently used, well-known and elaborated among the stylistic devices is metaphor. The metaphoric use of the word begins to affect the dictionary meaning, adding to it fresh connotations of meaning or shades of meaning.

According to Prof. Sosnovskaya V.B., metaphor, a most widely used trop, is based upon analogy, upon a traceable similarity. But in the metaphor, contrary to the simile, there is no formal element to indicate comparison. The difference, though, is not merely structural. The absence of a formal indication of comparison in the metaphor makes the analogy it is based on more subtle to perceive.17

According to Prof. Kukharenko V.A., metaphor is based on the transference of names. This transference is based on the associated likeness between two objects.18

According to Prof. Galperin I.R., metaphor means transference of some quality from one object to another. A metaphor becomes a stylistic device when two different phenomena (things, events, ideas, actions) are simultaneously brought to mind by the imposition of some or all of the inherent properties of one object on the other which by nature is deprived of these properties.19

Such an imposition generally results when the creator of the metaphor finds in the two corresponding objects certain features, which to his eye have something in common.

I completely agree with these definitions. I also think that metaphors reveal the attitude of the writer to the object, action or concept and express his views. They may also reflect the literary school which he belongs and the epoch in which he lives.

As an illustration of Wilde’s skill in using every nuance of the language to serve some special stylistic purpose, we must mention his use of metaphors.

e.g. “We live in an age of ideals.”(p.293)

“She has all the fragrance and freedom of a

flower.”(p.175)

“The God of this century is wealth.”(p.206)

“But to suffer for one’s own faults,-ah!-there is the