Dehumanizing art: Aetheticism in the short stories of oscar wilde

This is a qualitative study that used the Formalistic Approach in identifying the characteristics of Aestheticism manifested in the plot, the characters, and the setting in Oscar Wilde's short stories namely: The Happy Prince, The Fisherman and His Soul, The Birthday of the Infanta, The Young King, and The Star Child. The study also used Biographical Approach in discussing Oscar Wilde's life as reflected in the short stories. The results showed that Oscar Wilde's plot was filled with digressions and usually had frustrating twists or unexpected endings. Wilde's characters are considered unconventional with an exaggerated descriptions of beauty and detailed descriptions of pain and suffering. Moreover, the distinctive characteristic of Wilde's settings is the delineation of the environment or physical surroundings. Another result with regards to the discussion of Oscar Wilde's life as reflected in the short stories, it is quite evident that he intentionally included homosexual codes, presentation of his personal experiences and ultimate concern for aesthetic beauty, and his aesthetic ideas to express his unconventional treatment of art.