Reading

The Oval Portrait

Understanding the Text

Answer the following questions.

a. Where did the narrator and his servent make a forceible entrance?
Ans: The narrator and his servent make a foreible entrance into an abandoned Chateau in the Apennines.

b. Which special picture did the narrator notice in the room?
Ans: The narrator noticed a picture of young girl in the room.

c. Describe the portrait that the narrator saw in the room.
Ans: The portrait was in an oval-shapes frame. It revealed the head and shoulders of the young woman. The arms, the bosom and even the ends of the radiant hair dissolved untraceably into the unclear yet deep shadow which formed the background of the whole.

d. What is the relationship between the portrait painter and its subject?
Ans: The relationship between the portrait painter and its subject is husband and wife.

Reference to the context

a. What is the central theme of the story? Who is the woman depicted in the oval portrait?
Ans: In the short story “The Oval Portrait”, the relationship between life and art is a primary theme. Art and love have the ability to raise anybody to a greater degree of perfection but they also have the potential to harm those around us. The story’s storyline highlightened the perils of developing a strong connection to anything. Art and love have the power to destroy everything that stands in their way. The woman in the oval portrait is the painter’s wife and he painted th oval portrait.

b. “The Oval Portrait” is a short horror story by Edgar Allan Poe involving the disturbing circumstances surrounding a portrait in a chateau. Elaborate.
Ans: This short story has presented a terrible and gloomy setting of a desolate Chateau in one of the mountains range of central Italy. The Chateau which we find here in this story is completely deserted and very old fashioned. The setting inside and outside seem very terrible. The apartments inside Chateau are so unmanaged and dirty. The apartments where the narrator and his valet stay have many things for decoration but all of them are in decaying state. The life-like portrait has been placed in one of the dark corners. The surrounding of the life-like portrait is so disturbing due to the unmanaged condition everywhere. The arrival of the visitors also has added distance in the environment. The protrait seems quite valueless in that desolate environment of the Chateau.

c. “The Oval Portrait” suggests that the woman’s beauty condemns her to death. Discuss.
Ans: In his short story “The Oval Portrait” Edger Allan Poe not only examines th relationship between art and life, but he also makes many references, one of which is that the woman’s beauty would lead to her death. We find out whether the young girl was dead just because of her beautiful appearance. Her husband wanted to photograph her since she was described as a beautiful lady in the story. He put a lot of effort into making his wife’s photo seem like her in real life. Because he was so dedicated to giving his art life, the portrait took him weeks to complete.

Throughout the course of time, he viewed his wife as nothing more than a tool. He didn’t think about the fact that she was a person who had been in a dark room for a long time and might have perished. She eventually dies as he finishes and exclaims, “This is really life itself!” Her sole cause for death was her attractiveness. In other words, her husband would not have wanted to paint her if she hadn’t been so breathtaking beautiful and she may still be alive today.

d. Discuss the story as a frame narrative (a story within a story).

Ans: The frame narrative is a literary technique that reveals abouta story within a story. It starts with a different plot and setting of story but later immerses out with the next story within it. Here, this technique reveals us how a single story involves the next story within it. The story starts with different information about the narrator and his valet with a different setting. The readers here move along with the Story’s flow at first but later on the next story starts within it with an amazing description of oval portrait, its detail and background information. The readers reach up to the next level of the story. The technique of frame narrative works showing a single story and the next story within it.

e. The story is told in a descriptive style, with plenty of imagery and symbolism. Which images and symbols do you find in the story?

Ans: The mansion is abandoned and worn-out. The turret room is in a remote section of the mansion. The room is rich in decorations, but they are tattered and antique. The walls are full of tapestries, trophies, and spirited modern paintings. This vivid description of the mansion provides the gothic image. Likewise, the descriptions of the portrait describe how real and beautiful it is. Although she is dead, she is painted so life-like in the portrait.

The dark gloominess of the abandoned house is a classic background for a gothic story. The painter is the symbol of the fanaticism. The woman in the oval portrait, is the victim of painter’s passion for art. The frame is the symbol of the general objectification she faced as a physically attractive woman.

f. What does the expression “She was dead!” mean?

Ans: His expression of “She’s dead!” means his realisation of his extreme love for his materialistic work and neglection to the living soul which ultimately caused the death of his wife. For a long time, his wife has been obedient to him. As time passed on the job, her health desteriorated. The painter, on the other hand, was completely oblivious of his wife’s deteriorating conditon while he worked feverishly on the painting. The painter is pleased with the vividness of his work as he turns to face his wife but he knows she is dead. 

Reference beyond the text

a. Do you think there is life in art?

Ans: There is practically no lide in art, creativity and imagination, typically in the form of a visual mediu msuch as painting or sculpture with the goal of producing works that are pleasing to the eye or have an emotional effect. Unlike art, the continuation of any organism’s or plant’s presentation of a living activity, is referred to as life.

Art has no life of its own. It is nothing more than the pinnacle of a person’s creativity, inspiration and technical ability. Death, on the other hand, is the polar opposite of life. As a result, art seems like a lifeless thing to me. However, when a piece of art approaches its subject, elicits an emotional response, and enlightens the viewer, it is said to have life of its own.

b.  As a thing of art nothing could be more admirable than the painting itself. Explain.

Ans: This statement is absoutely right about painting. Painting is really a very admirable form of art. The painters really work hard to create quality paintings with meanings. The painting itself speaks in its literal manner. Painting provides us with facts related to life. Here in this story, the oval portrait is one of the finest examples which has startled the narrator. He feels completely puzzled to see that painting. He wants to know about its and painter. 

c. A more intense look at the painting reveals the illusion. Have you noticed any such painting?

Ans: Yes, I have noticed such painting. The painting becomes more meaningful when it is passionate about paintings. But, for those viewers who don’t have an idea about paintings find illusion all the time. In my case, I watched a typical painting for a long time but I didn’t get meanings about it. I tried a lot to grasp its meaning but vain. Later on, I got its meaning from my friend.