Oscar Wilde comes from the Victorian generation, a group of writers known for their dogma and oppression. In many of his works, he negates these austere ideas with his particular brand of humor; however, Helas! and The Ballad of Reading Gaol are different. Unlike Oscar Wilde's irreverent output as a playwright or joke composer, poems like Helas! and The Ballad of Reading Gaol take a moralistic turn, challenging conventional notions of morality. Most of his works are lighthearted and satirical in nature, but these two poems address the morality of human actions. Sometimes they do it in truly paradoxical ways. It is perhaps for this reason that it may be much easier to place these two poems into the Victorian canon, as they are much more representative of that time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Helas! is a poem by Oscar Wilde that deals with the idea of ​​discontent and decadence. He questions the basis of human actions and concludes that for very small pleasures we lose our grip on the greatest truth of life. He says he gave in to passion so often that his soul became like a "stringed lute." This line marks the beginning of a contemplative narrative that questions human nature as well as the human tendency to sacrifice morality for petty passions. In this poem there is a clear binary between morality and passions, and both of these ideas are projected as antithetical to each other. In the following lines, the poet echoes a distinct sentiment that is not very often echoed in his works. Drifting with every passion to my soul Is a stringed lute on which all winds can play, Is this why I gave my ancient wisdom, and austere control? I think my life is a twice-written scroll, scribbled on a vacation as a kid. The poet intends to show remorse, but the only crime he seems to have committed is that of indulging in "small passions". It is interesting to note that in this poem he seems to present himself as a foolish criminal, while the narrative clearly suggests otherwise, because in The Ballad of The Reading Gaol he describes a contrasting idea of ​​morality. In this poem, morality is how it is conventionally viewed by society; in The Ballad of Reading Gaol, the poet seems to challenge this very narrow idea of ​​morality. The Ballad of Reading Gaol is another major work by Oscar Wilde that is elegiac in nature. This poem mourns the death of Wilde's inmate during his time in prison and condemns the humiliation the inmate was forced to endure. A very recurring feeling in this poem is manifested in the following lines. Yet every man kills what he loves. Let each one make it felt, some do it with a bitter look, others with a flattering word, the coward does it with a kiss, The brave man with the sword! The poet wants the reader to understand that the prisoner is not that much of a criminal, if one wants to see things differently. He emphasizes the morality of putting an "innocent" man in prison, but in the context of this poem, morality seems to be an entirely different thing. In fact, it's quite antithetical to the idea of ​​morality depicted in Helas! Here, the poet rejects the conventional idea of ​​morality and adopts a new morality, implying that the convict was innocent because "every man kills what he loves." He condemns the hypocrisy of society that condemns such a man to death. Here morality would be to forgive the man because his crime does not remain isolated. Here, morality and passion go hand in hand. Please note: this is just an example. Get a personalized document now.