Excerpt

Excerpt from Intentions, by Oscar Wilde

The point, however, which I wish to emphasise is, not that Shakespeare
appreciated the value of lovely costumes in adding picturesqueness to
poetry, but that he saw how important costume is as a means of producing
certain dramatic effects. Many of his plays, such as Measure for
Measure, Twelfth Night, The Two Gentleman of Verona, All’s Well
that Ends Well, Cymbeline, and others, depend for their illusion on
the character of the various dresses worn by the hero or the heroine; the
delightful scene in Henry the Sixth, on the modern miracles of healing
by faith, loses all its point unless Gloster is in black and scarlet; and
the dénoûment of the Merry Wives of Windsor hinges on the colour of
Anne Page’s gown. As for the uses Shakespeare makes of disguises the
instances are almost numberless. Posthumus hides his passion under a
peasant’s garb, and Edgar his pride beneath an idiot’s rags; Portia wears
the apparel of a lawyer, and Rosalind is attired in ‘all points as a
man’; the cloak-bag of Pisanio changes Imogen to the Youth Fidele;
Jessica flees from her father’s house in boy’s dress, and Julia ties up
her yellow hair in fantastic love-knots, and dons hose and doublet; Henry
the Eighth woos his lady as a shepherd, and Romeo his as a pilgrim;
Prince Hal and Poins appear first as footpads in buckram suits, and then
in white aprons and leather jerkins as the waiters in a tavern: and as
for Falstaff, does he not come on as a highwayman, as an old woman, as
Herne the Hunter, and as the clothes going to the laundry?

Nor are the examples of the employment of costume as a mode of
intensifying dramatic situation less numerous. After slaughter of
Duncan, Macbeth appears in his night-gown as if aroused from sleep; Timon
ends in rags the play he had begun in splendour; Richard flatters the
London citizens in a suit of mean and shabby armour, and, as soon as he
has stepped in blood to the throne, marches through the streets in crown
and George and Garter; the climax of The Tempest is reached when
Prospero, throwing off his enchanter’s robes, sends Ariel for his hat and
rapier, and reveals himself as the great Italian Duke; the very Ghost in
Hamlet changes his mystical apparel to produce different effects; and
as for Juliet, a modern playwright would probably have laid her out in
her shroud, and made the scene a scene of horror merely, but Shakespeare
arrays her in rich and gorgeous raiment, whose loveliness makes the vault
‘a feasting presence full of light,’ turns the tomb into a bridal
chamber, and gives the cue and motive for Romeo’s speech of the triumph
of Beauty over Death.

Even small details of dress, such as the colour of a major-domo’s
stockings, the pattern on a wife’s handkerchief, the sleeve of a young
soldier, and a fashionable woman’s bonnets, become in Shakespeare’s hands
points of actual dramatic importance, and by some of them the action of
the play in question is conditioned absolutely. Many other dramatists
have availed themselves of costume as a method of expressing directly to
the audience the character of a person on his entrance, though hardly so
brilliantly as Shakespeare has done in the case of the dandy Parolles,
whose dress, by the way, only an archæologist can understand; the fun of
a master and servant exchanging coats in presence of the audience, of
shipwrecked sailors squabbling over the division of a lot of fine
clothes, and of a tinker dressed up like a duke while he is in his cups,
may be regarded as part of that great career which costume has always
played in comedy from the time of Aristophanes down to Mr. Gilbert; but
nobody from the mere details of apparel and adornment has ever drawn such
irony of contrast, such immediate and tragic effect, such pity and such
pathos, as Shakespeare himself. Armed cap-à-pie, the dead King stalks on
the battlements of Elsinore because all is not right with Denmark;
Shylock’s Jewish gaberdine is part of the stigma under which that wounded
and embittered nature writhes; Arthur begging for his life can think of
no better plea than the handkerchief he had given Hubert—

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Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Intentions by Oscar Wilde

This passage is from Oscar Wilde’s Intentions (1891), a collection of essays on aesthetics, literature, and drama. The specific essay, "The Truth of Masks", argues for the centrality of costume and disguise in Shakespeare’s plays, not merely as decorative elements but as essential tools for dramatic effect, character revelation, and thematic depth. Wilde, a leading figure in the Aesthetic Movement, emphasizes artifice, illusion, and the power of visual symbolism—ideas that align with his broader philosophical belief in art as an independent, self-sufficient realm, where appearance often trumps reality.

Below is a close reading of the excerpt, breaking down its key arguments, literary devices, thematic significance, and stylistic features, while grounding the analysis in the text itself.

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1. Central Argument: Costume as a Dramatic Device

Wilde’s primary claim is that Shakespeare does not use costume merely for aesthetic pleasure ("picturesqueness") but as a mechanism for generating dramatic tension, illusion, and psychological depth.

• "The point, however, which I wish to emphasise is, not that Shakespeare appreciated the value of lovely costumes in adding picturesqueness to poetry, but that he saw how important costume is as a means of producing certain dramatic effects."

  • Wilde distinguishes between superficial beauty and functional artistry. Costume, in Shakespeare’s hands, is not just ornamental but structural—it shapes how characters interact, how plots unfold, and how audiences perceive truth and deception.

• "Many of his plays... depend for their illusion on the character of the various dresses worn by the hero or the heroine."

  • The word "illusion" is crucial. Wilde suggests that theatre is inherently deceptive, and costume is a tool of that deception, reinforcing the Aesthetic idea that art is a constructed reality, not a mirror of life.

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2. Examples of Costume’s Dramatic Function

Wilde catalogues numerous instances where costume is pivotal to plot, character, or mood, demonstrating Shakespeare’s mastery of visual symbolism.

A. Disguise and Identity Transformation

• "Posthumus hides his passion under a peasant’s garb, and Edgar his pride beneath an idiot’s rags; Portia wears the apparel of a lawyer, and Rosalind is attired in ‘all points as a man’..."

  • These examples show how costume enables characters to adopt new roles, often subverting social expectations.
    • Portia (The Merchant of Venice) disguises herself as a lawyer to outwit Shylock, using the legal system’s own rules against it—a moment where clothing becomes a weapon of justice.
    • Rosalind (As You Like It) dresses as a man (Ganymede) to test Orlando’s love, creating ironic distance between her true self and her performed identity.
    • Edgar (King Lear) as Poor Tom uses rags to conceal his nobility, forcing both himself and others to confront the brutality of nature and society.

• "Falstaff, does he not come on as a highwayman, as an old woman, as Herne the Hunter, and as the clothes going to the laundry?"

  • Falstaff’s multiple disguises highlight his theatricality and adaptability. His shape-shifting reflects Wilde’s own fascination with performative identity—a theme he explores in The Importance of Being Earnest (where characters adopt false names) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (where appearance masks corruption).

B. Costume as a Marker of Psychological and Social Change

• "Macbeth appears in his night-gown as if aroused from sleep; Timon ends in rags the play he had begun in splendour..."

  • Macbeth’s nightgown symbolizes guilt and disturbed conscience—his unraveling psyche is visually manifested in his disheveled state.
  • Timon’s rags (Timon of Athens) represent his fall from wealth to misanthropy, reinforcing the play’s theme of materialism’s emptiness.

• "Richard flatters the London citizens in a suit of mean and shabby armour, and, as soon as he has stepped in blood to the throne, marches through the streets in crown and George and Garter..."

  • Richard III’s shifting attire mirrors his political manipulation. His shabby armor is a false show of humility, while his later regalia signals his tyrannical ascent—costume here is a tool of propaganda.

C. Costume as a Catalyst for Climax and Resolution

• "the dénoûment of the Merry Wives of Windsor hinges on the colour of Anne Page’s gown."

  • The color of a dress determines who marries whom, showing how something as seemingly trivial as fabric can dictate fate.

• "Prospero, throwing off his enchanter’s robes, sends Ariel for his hat and rapier, and reveals himself as the great Italian Duke..."

  • Prospero’s removal of his magical garments symbolizes his abdication of power—the final revelation of his true identity is visually marked by this transformation.

• "Juliet... arrays her in rich and gorgeous raiment, whose loveliness makes the vault ‘a feasting presence full of light,’ turns the tomb into a bridal chamber..."

  • Wilde contrasts a "modern playwright" (who would make Juliet’s death horrific) with Shakespeare, who elevates it into something beautiful and romantic.
    • The opulent dress transforms the tomb into a bridal bed, reinforcing the tragic irony of their love—death as consummation.
    • This aligns with Wilde’s Aesthetic belief that beauty can transcend morbidity.

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3. Literary Devices and Stylistic Features

Wilde’s prose is highly ornate, rhythmic, and epigrammatic, reflecting his decadent style. Key devices include:

A. Cataloguing (Accumulation)

• Wilde lists example after example of Shakespeare’s use of costume, creating a sense of overwhelming evidence.
  • "Posthumus hides... Edgar his pride... Portia wears... Rosalind is attired..."
  • This rapid succession mimics the theatrical quick changes of Shakespeare’s plays, reinforcing the fluidity of identity.

B. Antithesis and Contrast

• "Timon ends in rags the play he had begun in splendour..."

  • The juxtaposition of "rags" and "splendour" emphasizes thematic reversal—a fall from grace made visually stark.

• "the Ghost in Hamlet changes his mystical apparel to produce different effects..."

  • The shifting appearance of the Ghost (armored, then otherwise) heightens mystery and dread.

C. Irony and Paradox

• "a modern playwright would probably have laid her out in her shroud... but Shakespeare arrays her in rich and gorgeous raiment..."

  • Wilde critiques naturalism (which would make death ugly and realistic) while praising Shakespeare’s romanticism, where beauty triumphs over horror.

• "the fun of a master and servant exchanging coats... may be regarded as part of that great career which costume has always played in comedy..."

  • The comic potential of costume (farce, mistaken identity) is elevated to a "great career", treating clothing as a character in its own right.

D. Allusion and Intertextuality

• Wilde references Aristophanes and W.S. Gilbert, placing Shakespeare in a long tradition of theatrical costume, but arguing for his supremacy.
  • "nobody... has ever drawn such irony of contrast, such immediate and tragic effect, as Shakespeare himself."
    • This hyperbolic praise is typical of Wilde’s provocative, declarative style.

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4. Themes and Philosophical Underpinnings

A. The Illusion of Identity

• Costume blurs the line between self and performance.
  • Rosalind as Ganymede, Portia as Balthazar—these disguises challenge fixed gender and social roles.
  • Wilde, who lived as a dandy and later wrote about masks in The Picture of Dorian Gray, sees Shakespeare as a precursor to his own ideas on performative identity.

B. Artifice vs. Reality

• "the very Ghost in Hamlet changes his mystical apparel to produce different effects..."
  • The Ghost’s changing appearance suggests that even the supernatural is a construct—reinforcing Wilde’s Aesthetic belief that art is about illusion, not truth.

C. Beauty as a Transcendent Force

• "turns the tomb into a bridal chamber, and gives the cue and motive for Romeo’s speech of the triumph of Beauty over Death."
  • Wilde celebrates Shakespeare’s ability to make death beautiful, aligning with his own decadent aesthetics, where art triumphs over morality and decay.

D. The Power of Visual Symbolism

• "Shylock’s Jewish gaberdine is part of the stigma under which that wounded and embittered nature writhes..."
  • The gaberdine is not just clothing but a symbol of oppression, showing how costume can embody social prejudice.

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5. Significance in Wilde’s Broader Work

This passage reflects Wilde’s core beliefs:

• Art is not a reflection of life but an improvement upon it.
• Appearance is more powerful than reality.
• Theatre is the ultimate art form because it embraces illusion.

These ideas recur in his plays and essays:

• The Importance of Being Earnest (false identities, costumes as social masks).
• The Picture of Dorian Gray (the portrait as a costume for the soul).
• The Decay of Lying (where he argues that life imitates art, not the other way around).

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6. Conclusion: Why This Passage Matters

Wilde’s analysis is not just literary criticism but a manifesto for Aestheticism. By focusing on Shakespeare’s use of costume, he:

1. Elevates artifice over realism—costume is not just decoration but meaning.
2. Celebrates theatre as the purest form of art—where illusion is the point.
3. Challenges moralistic readings of Shakespeare—for Wilde, beauty and effect matter more than didacticism.

In essence, Wilde argues that Shakespeare understood what the Aesthetes would later champion: that surface is substance, that a mask can reveal more than a face, and that the right costume can make a play—not just beautiful, but immortal.

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Final Thought: Wilde’s essay does not just explain Shakespeare—it uses Shakespeare to justify Wilde’s own artistic philosophy. The costumes he describes are not mere fabrics but metaphors for how we all perform our identities, on stage and off.