The Concept of Beauty in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

Abstract

Any lingual item can be considered in two different dimensions. These dimensions integrate conceptual and semantic spheres. Semantic knowledge is a special type of conceptual knowledge. Different aspects of the concept are lexicalized through this type of knowledge. Any language is a synthesis of man and the world. Therefore, contemporary linguistics maintains its internalconnection with previous paradigms of linguistics. From this point of view, the internal connection of the modern linguistic paradigm with the systemic- semiotic paradigm of language is particularly significant. The article is devoted to the study of the conceptual sphere integrated into a literary text. The subject of study is the verbal representation of the concept of “Beauty” in O. Wilde’s novel “The Picture of Dorian Grey.” While analyzing the conceptual continuum of a literary text, the markers of the conceptual sphere of the novel were considered; the basic concept in the novel was highlighted; lexical units representing the concept were identified and analyzed.