About This Novel
The Artist as Critic is a collection of critical dialogues and essays by Oscar Wilde. It consists of four parts of the conversation, including The Decline of Lies, the Critic as Artist, and the Truth of the Mask; The Decline of Lies: A Critical Conversation between Two Highly Aestheticians; Pen, Pencil, and Poison: An Essay on Thomas Griffiths Wainwright (1794–1847), the English Artist and Serial Poisoner; The Critic as Artist: An Essay on Art Written in the Form of a Philosophical Conversation. It contains Wilde's major aesthetic statement; The Truth of the Mask: An Essay Focusing on Dramatic Theory. As an important collection of Oscar Wilde's literary and artistic criticism, it is also an important collection of Oscar Wilde's aesthetic criticism. This small collection embodies the issues of concern to the British literary and artistic circles in the 19th century. It also focuses on fierce debates about the value of literature and art, and whether art and life are superior or inferior. The author also makes his own assessment of the value of some classic literary and artistic works. It can be said to be a concentrated thinking and exploration of literature, art and aesthetics in the 19th century. From today's perspective, it is still critical and sharp. From drama reviews, biographies, to writing dialogues imitating Plato, Wilde discussed the nature of art and beauty in different ways, proposing that "life imitates art far better than art imitates life." The witty and profound words in the book can also let us appreciate the charm of Wilde as an aesthetic thinker.
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