Abstract
The concept of the opium den—as a site of both physical and moral corruption—plays a crucial role in late-Victorian literature, symbolizing the decay of the male aristocracy and a society uneasy with its imperial ambitions. The opening of Charles Dickens’s The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870) is a pivotal representation: a portrait of an opium den where the East, symbolized by opium, saps the vitality of Victorian society—particularly its pillar, the church. Here, Dickens critiques the moral and social impact of foreign imports, especially from China, revealing anxieties about imperialism and colonial trade. Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle both draw on Dickens’s depiction, but Wilde in particular offers a more complex account. In The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), corruption stems not solely from foreign substances but from the aristocracy’s utilitarian mindset—Dorian’s detachment from morality and his pursuit of pleasure at all costs. Wilde critiques not just substance addiction, but also the elite’s view of indulgence as a means of escape, pointing to broader ethical decay. This paper explores how Dickens and Wilde use the opium den motif to critique imperial anxiety and moral decline. While Dickens presents it as a physical site of degeneration, Wilde explores its psychological and philosophical dimensions, suggesting the elite’s true vulnerability lies within. Framed within discussions on addiction, empire, and gendered power, this analysis shows how both authors unsettle traditional frameworks of order, exposing the self-destructive tendencies of a class enthralled by consumption, colonial fantasy, and the denial of pain.
Presenters
Charles LoweProfessor, Department Head, Languages and Cultures, Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University, Guangdong, China
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Opium Den, Late Victorian Literature, Addiction, Imperialism, Gendered Anxiety, Wilde
