It’s difficult, these days, to come across a book with the right amount of drama while still holding on to philosophical discourse. The Picture of Dorian Gray delivers both. This book needs a highlighter on one hand and your thoughts on the other. Every other sentence is a quote to ponder.

The Picture of Dorian Gray had me thinking long after I finished. It almost left me feeling depressed. I think in today’s world, there is much emphasis on image, at the cost of our souls slowly seeping into an artificial abyss. Yet somehow, we overlook this disease and keep up with appearances.

n  n   

“Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”

n  n

When Dorian Gray arrives in London, he is innocent enough, trying to make life better. However, the masterfully crafted Lord Wotton draws Dorian into a world of deceit, desire, and unhinging power.

When Dorian's friend paints a portrait, capturing the innocence and beauty of young Dorian, it is a shock. Dorian is so mesmerized by his image that he makes a deal to give up his soul so that he can remain young and beautiful.

‘Be careful what you wish for’ is the perfect euphemism to describe Dorian's life after his disillusioned wish. How far will he go to sell his soul?

n  n   

“What of Art?
-It is a malady.
--Love?
-An Illusion.
--Religion?
-The fashionable substitute for Belief.
--You are a skeptic.
-Never! Skepticism is the beginning of Faith.
--What are you?
-To define is to limit.”

n  n

This book made me think of the trillion-dollar beauty industry and the lengths we go to to remain young and beautiful. We can’t open social media without being bombarded with artificial imagery perpetuating the beauty myth. Is it worth it?

When do we turn our cameras toward the beauty of the world? Instead, we focus on our image, carefully perfected with filters. I suppose Oscar Wilde was well aware that the humbling cure for vanity is age. Alas, the realities of the world.

Everyone is desperate to be relevant, to be seen. When they are not...

n  n   

“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”

n  n

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a dark, tragic, epic classic with well-crafted writing!

You can’t expect anything less from Oscar Wilde!

5/5 stars.

n  n
Oscar Wilde tells us the story of Dorian Gray, who was obsessed with beauty and youth. His narcissistic obsession with beauty made him trade his soul for eternal youth.

I think this is one of those few novels that was the topic of many Psychological studies. The morality aspect of this novel has been a topic of discussion for more than a century now. This is a book that the celebrities of our generation should undeniably read. It shows the plight of unnecessary obsession that will destroy our soul and conscience.

The philosophy in this novel will make you contemplate for a long time. This is one of those novels that you should never miss.

n  n    "Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul."n  n

"My dear Jordan!" said Lord Rayner expansively, as the butler discreetly closed the door behind his young visitor. "Really, it is too good to see you again! And what brings you to Cambridge?"

"Oh, this and that," said the lad, flinging himself casually onto a priceless Ikea divan. "By the way, has there been some mistake in the casting? I thought I was female?"

"Well, since we're doing Dorian Gray, I hoped you would have no objection to reversing your gender," said his host. "And besides, is there anything quite as female as an attractive young man?"

"How could one disagree?" murmured the lad, as a becoming blush suffused his ivory cheek. "So, aren't you glad I persuaded you to read it?"

The rest of this review is available elsewhere (the location cannot be given for Goodreads policy reasons)

It is a fantastic and philosophical novel that I had yet to read.
"How sad! I'm going to get old, horrible, scary. But this painting will never have a day more than this day in June. If only it could be the opposite! If it was me who remained young, and may the portrait grow old to him! To obtain that, to get it, I would give all I have! Yes, there is nothing in the world that I would refuse to give! I would give my soul to get it! "
And there it is—the die is cast. Dorian will remain young and attractive, but his portrait carries the heavy burden of old age and ugliness.
Since his face and body no longer reflect his soul, he believes himself untouchable. His life becomes a work of art, his pure soul hidden in the portrait of the painting. He now has two faces, one real, the other fantastic.
How far will this man, deprived of scruples and morals, free from the chains of old age and ugliness, go to satisfy his pleasures?
But will this diabolical Narcissus resist the sight of his portrait revealing the darkness of his being?
Tearing the veil of illusion, what will remain of her beauty?
It's a haunting story.

“There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book.
Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.”
- Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray

*Sits down at a chair and smiles charmingly as a painter works on his portrait.*

Welcome everyone, to my 200th review!



No, no. Enough of that. As a wise book once said, "I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them." Be more vain, sneer a bit, no happy Kermit reactions here.

So, let us begin again. Welcome dear readers to my 200th review.

*Smirks*



Ah, yes, that's much better.
_______________________

So, honestly this was a terrible book to pick for my 200th review. Not because I didn't like it, far, far from that. It's because I'm having a bit of trouble actually coming up with what to say about it. I mean, what is there to say? There is zero point in doing a plot description as even those who have not read the book could probably give a decent synopsis just because of how immensely popular it has been over the 100+ years since its publication.

I could talk about how quotable and witty it is, but it was written by Oscar Wilde, so that really goes without saying.

Should I mention the history of the novel and how it had to be edited because of the homoerotic aspects, but how even in its edited form it was still so abundant that it was used as evidence in Wilde's trial against him? Well, that is a pretty well known historic fact, so you probably knew that already.

I could give a warning about chapter 11; how it is both the most fascinating and frustrating chapter in any book I've ever read. Wilde goes on at extreme length, seemingly showing off how knowledgeable he is on several subjects, and subtly showing Dorian's descent in to hedonism in the process and ending it with the brilliant line: "There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of the beautiful."

I could do that I guess, but what would I say about that line?

Theoretically, I guess I could talk say that in context of the chapter, it is important to note that it is the closing line, and practically the exclamation point to all that came before. Prior to that we had a detailed (and I do mean detailed) description of Dorian's pursuits of art, literature, music, jewels, and embroideries (I may be forgetting some, there was a possible over abundance of details). It's monotonous, but that's kind of the point. His life has become a constant stream of entertainments and debauchery to the point where they have become uninteresting. Through his actions (and through Henry's borderline devil on your shoulder conscience suggestions) he has come to look upon these things AS a form of art. It has become his aesthetic (which is a fun play on the look of the picture changing along with his actions and philosophies). Thus, what society has deemed evil, would also be his idea of beauty. That one quote is pretty much the definitive sum up of what Dorian becomes.

I think it also represents a fear of the aesthetics replacing morality, which is something Henry voices as a positive and which Wilde seems to be conflicted about throughout the book. It's interesting to note that Wilde said that "Basil Hallward is what I think I am; Lord Henry what the world thinks me; Dorian what I would like to be in other ages, perhaps." Given that if Henry represents something of an evil conscience (and ideals of aesthetics), Basil is certainly the good one, thought ironically he is also the creator of the portrait and the only "true artist" in the book. This is made more interesting by the fact that Dorian flat out stabs Basil to death.

*Shrug.*

But that's just theoretical. Probably shouldn't even mention it... I guess I could make a joke about how there is only one thing in the world worse than talking about this book, and that is not talking about it.

Oh! I could talk about the idea of the Mandela effect (shared false memory phenomenon) and point out that many people, myself included, were sure that the title of this book was "The Portrait of Dorian Gray," and that there was a bit of genuine shock when I discovered this was not the case (going so far as to look it up and see if it was retitled at some point)... but that would be a pointless digression and would most likely come off as padding to anyone not suffering from the same issue.

*Sigh.*

See, there's just nothing to say about this one. I guess I'll just go with a one sentence review, though I may as well not write a review at all.

Tim's review: A rare 5/5 stars.

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"All art is quite useless."
- Oscar Wilde (who I like to think may have appreciated my little joke here as well).
The Picture of Dorian Gray