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

I present to you: Oscar Wilde, master of adding gay undertones that are so obviously homoerotic that they cannot be called undertones anymore.

Reading this book was long overdue. It's almost like a gay bible. What homosexual man does not want to stay forever young, with perfect skin, seductive lips and hair right out of a shampoo commercial. Just please do not take the murder part too literally. We might be overdramatic, but we're a peaceful community. Mostly.

Jokes and clichés aside, The Picture of Dorian Gray was alluring - especially the writing. I could swear there is an almost scandalously beautiful rose bush just outside my window whose heavy odour fills the whole apartment. I can basically hear the bees sing an ode to it. The characters were intriguing and the moral downfall of Dorian Gray was most fascinating. There were a few moments that I didn't find too exciting, but I devoured the dialogues. I really wish there was some kind of BBC limited series of this. I'm not a fan of the Ben Barnes film, and if I remember correctly, it also wasn't exactly close to the book.

Anyway, I'm glad that I have finally managed to read this. If you have always wanted to read a classic or two but were too intimated by old-fashioned and demanding writing, Dorian Gray is a good start.

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Un libro interesante. El contexto y la manera en que la historia es narrada es muy buena. Hubo algunas cosas en específico que no me gustaron: el cómo Dorian se enamora de Sibyl tan rápido. En un par de semanas ya estaba totalmente enloquecido por ella. Además, ella se enamoró perdidamente de él la primera vez que lo vio y todo era amor y felicidad muy rápidamente. En mi opinión algo más debió haber pasado ahí, en vez de hacer todo tan rápidamente. Tampoco me gustó que casi al final del libro, cuando James Vane encuentra a Dorian, de repente habían pasado 18 años. No creo que no haya pasado absolutamente nada en 18 años, quizás lo hubiera acortado a 5 o 10 años, era un tiempo más razonable. Lo que sí me gustó fue la caracterización de Henry, está bien narrada. También me gustó la historia en general; el mensaje que entrega Oscar Wilde: el miedo a envejecer, a la muerte y la presión (por parte de Dorian) de conservar su belleza física, y a la vez Wilde transmite que no todo es belleza física en la vida. Interesante libro, aunque con demasiada formalidad entre los personajes, lo que se entiende absolutamente teniendo en cuenta la época en la que se escribió.

n  n    ” there is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written,or badly written. That is all”n  n

n   the plot:n it’s about this beautiful,gorgeous men named dorian gray who exchange his soul with a portrait so the portrait can age and take all the burden of the sins of his soul for him while he stays young, beautiful and innocent in the eyes of the English society. We see the events after that and consequences of this bargain.

- this book was a WILD ride. It provoked and fascinated me. I was in wow of how the author captured the ugliness of one’s soul after committing so many sins. How beauty and youth is so important for some people that they’re willing to sell their soul just to keep their beauty.It was just so beautifully, provokingly written. I loved it so much.

n  n    “the artist is the creator of beautiful things. To reveal art and conceal the artist is art’s aim. The critic is he who can translate into the manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things”n  n

n   charactersn

n   Basil:n basil represents the sensible and rational principled voice. He’s a man of a strong moral convictions. I prefer him over lord henry and over everyone. He deserves better. Justice for basil ✊

A reread that was just as enjoyable the second time around!

صورة دوريان جراي

لو طلب مني إعداد قائمة بأهم الكتب التي قرأتها في حياتي، ستكون رائعة أوسكار وايلد على رأس القائمة، ومهما صغرت قائمتي، ومهما تطايرت منها العناوين، ستبقى (صورة دوريان جراي) لأنها رواية عبقرية كتبها فنان عملاق.

قرأت هذه الرواية في مراهقتي، نسخة مختصرة منها بالأصح وأبهرتني، أبهرتني فلسفتها، أبهرتني تحولاتها، وها أنا بعد أعوام طويلة أعود لأقرأ نسخة كاملة منها، ومع ذلك لا يتشتت الانبهار ولا يخفت جمال النص ولا قوته.

دوريان جراي شاب وسيم، فاتن، بريء، يرسم له صديقه الفنان لوحة مذهلة، تلتقط تلك اللوحة بشكل ما روح دوريان، هكذا كل التغيرات التي ستجري عليه، كل القسوة، والوحشية، كل الفجور الذي سينغمس فيه لاحقاً، لن ينعكس على ملامحه البريئة الطفولية، سيحتفظ دوريان جراي بوجهه الطفولي، وحدها اللوحة التي سيخفيها دوريان في علية منزله عن الناس، وحدها اللوحة ستحمل خطاياه، وستذكره دائماً إلى أي درك وصل، سيحفر الزمن والفجور خطوطه على اللوحة، وسيبقى وجه دوريان صافياً، جميلاً، خادعاً.

إلى جوار شخصية دوريان وقصته المذهلة، تبرز شخصية اللورد هنري ويتون، بفلسفته وذكائه وسخريته، تبدو لي شخصية هنري مجرد ستار لأوسكار وايلد، لقد كان هنري بكلامه وبكتاب ما أعاره لدوريان جراي أول معول هوى على براءة دوريان فحطمها، هكذا سيخوض دوريان جراي في العوالم السفلية، هكذا ستسوء سمعته وسيعرف في الأوساط الاجتماعية بأنه فاجر، وسيتحدث الكثيرون عنه، ولكن كل الأحاديث ستتبدد وتزول حالما تقع العيون عليه، كيف يصح أن يصدر كل ذلك الفجور، كيف يصح أن تنسب كل تلك الأفعال إلى هذا الطفل الغر؟! كيف تمضي الأعوام ولا يتغير شيء في دوريان جراي؟ يرقد الجواب في علية منزل دوريان، في لوحة مستورة، حيث صورة رجل عجوز فاجر، تحمل ملامحه كل آثامه.

نهاية الرواية حكاية أخرى، يمكن لي تصنيفها كأحد أروع النهايات إطلاقاً، لا يوازيها في ذاكرتي إلا نهايتي (ابنة الحظ) لايزابيل الليندي و(لورد الذباب) لوليم غولدينغ.

Possessing eternal youth and beauty produces exactly the same effect as sentencing a man to life without the possibility of parole. Both have nothing to lose and morals disappear before the desire for immediate self-gratification in all things. And so it is with Dorian Gray. It's a moral story so eventually his evil catches up with him and he dies, as does the criminal.

Is Oscar Wilde saying that it is man's essential nature, to be so internally psychopathic and selfish that so long as he can keep his reputation he will wreak havoc on people's lives and not care in the process of enriching his own?

Oscar Wilde was a man who held some very nasty views and only cared when extremely similar ones were turned upon himself. (He was imprisoned for homosexuality, but felt it was ok for Dreyfus to be imprisoned on trumped-up crime of murder but really because he was Jewish. He chose the wrong side on that one and lost even his best friend and was out of step with almost the whole of Britain). I don't like the author, but I do love his prose.

I read this book years ago. But the psychological story of a man's realisation that there are no consequences to his actions, nothing is forbidden, everything is permitted, you never forget.

بسهولة شديدة يستحيل البياض سواد لكن كم هو صعب إعادة البياض لقلب اسود مختوم بالمعاصي..مفتون بالاثام..كقلبك يا دوريان♥
هذا وجهه سمح و ملامحه وضاءة تشع نور
و هذا وجهه فظ غليظ خشن حجب نوره


هل وجوهنا تحمل اثامنا؟
هل تجاعيدنا =خطايانا
بالطبع لا☆ و الا لما كان في اللغة تعبيرات مثل و أسفر عن وجهه. .او اماط اللثام عن ملامحه الحقة.. فالشيطان جميل دوما

هل تعبر ملامحنا عن صفاتنا ؟
بمرور الزمن..نعم..لهذا كلنا نخاف مرور الزمن..و بصماته التي يتركها حول العيون المبتسمة دوما..او الجباه العابسةللابد ..لكن تظل العيون مرآة الروح..فقط لمن أجاد قراءتها

هناك من يلبس قناعه فور استيقاظه و يجيد إخفاء وجهه الحقيقي لسنوات..و هناك من يضع جرائمه و جحوده و سفالاته في دولاب مغلق..و لكن لابد و سيأتي يوم و يتم فتحه..فهل سيتحمل ما سيراه؟؟

قرأتها في سن 18 وظل الجدل الذي اثارته في نفسي حاضرا حتى راجعتها في سن 30
من الكلاسيكيات الواجب قراءتها في سن مبكرة. .في سن الجمال والشباب..و من افضل مائة رواية باللغة الإنجليزية

لا يخطر على بالك للحظة واحدة ان كلنا دوريان جراي..ابدا ..نعم كل منا لديه دولابه المغلق على ما ستره الله عليه ..لكننا نحمل اخطاءنا في قلوبنا و عقولنا..لا مهرب في وجود الضمير

اختلف انا مع اوسكاروايلد في حياته ومبادئه واسلوبه بل وكثير من اعماله ولكن مع دوريان الامر يختلف.. فهي مرآة جيدة لنقاط ضعف هامة بالنفس البشرية..ولم تكن لتحوز هذا القدر من الاهتمام لوكانت بطلتها إمرأة

FOREVER YOUNG I WANT TO BE FOREVER YOUNG DO U REALLY WANT TO LIVE FOREVER FOREVER AND EVER

"Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic."

Under the influence of a captivating aristocrat, Dorian Gray sells his soul in exchange for prolonged youth and vitality. Part of the deal is that a full-length portrait of Dorian will age and record his sins, whereas he remains unblemished.

Picking one quote from this book was like being asked to read just one book for the rest of your life - nigh-on impossible. I hadn't even thought about how difficult it would be until Tes (instagram @paperbackbones) pointed this out and then I got sucked into a vortex of reading different Wilde quotes online... that man was a goddamn genius.

This book has achieved a significant title in my reading life; the title of "Favourite Classic". It totally blew me away. To be honest, I only vaguely knew the storyline before picking this one up having encountered Dorian Gray in the TV show Penny Dreadful, but not the specific story that Wilde had created. I didn't think it would be so dark, so I was pleasantly surprised. The writing itself was just another level, quite possibly the most beautiful writing that I've had the pleasure of reading. As my buddy reader Abbie (instagram @ab_reads) and I discussed with each other, we quickly recognised so many quotes that are widely known and can easily be found on places like Pinterest.

The three main characters are really interesting, it seems to be that Dorian Gray represents a "normal person," Lord Henry is the bad influence, and Basil is the voice of reason. Dorian Gray himself is incredibly intriguing, at the beginning he is presented as the perfect specimen, and he is vain, but this vanity is only worsened following conversations with Lord Henry wherein he reminds Dorian that his favourable characteristics won't last forever. He wishes that he could forever resemble the picture of youth that Basil has captured in his painting, which is where things begin to go downhill...

Although Dorian is indeed captivating, I felt like a lot of my attention was actually placed on Lord Henry. He is the standout character from this story for me. His sass, his insights, his wit, his intelligence, it felt like Lord Henry was a representation of Oscar Wilde himself. And Dorian quickly falls under his spell. It's also interesting that although Lord Henry speaks of pursuing immoral behaviour, he himself never partakes in any. Perhaps towards the end of the book, he may lose some of his likability for other readers, but I still was a fan (I can't help but smile at his insights).

I honestly could talk about this book forever and the different themes that are found within, but this is not school and I'm not trying to achieve extra credit, so I'll keep those thoughts to myself! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this classic and I'm particularly thankful that my boyfriend bought this book for me, as otherwise I'm not sure I ever would have picked it up. And now he'll be smug *rolls eyes* But this gets all the stars!! I loved it!

Nothing like a nice homoerotic 19th-century classic to start the spring season off with.

What would you do to live forever? Would you sacrifice your morals? Would you sacrifice your friends? Would it all be worth it?

Dorian Gray was an asshole! He abandoned all goodness in his life for worldly pursuits. He wanted nothing more than to be young and beautiful for the rest of his life and he was willing to do whatever it took to remain that way.

Dorian Gray is a study of morality and the effects of what giving into our shallow, vain, and carnal desires have on our physical and spiritual bodies. What other possible outcome could there have been for a young and handsome Dorian Gray? Take away all consequences and what's left for a person to do but be an asshole.

It's an old book that reads like an old book. It was hard to feel bad for Dorian. He made his choices. He knew what he was doing, and he had the opportunity to remedy the situation but always chose to delve deeper into his own depravity. He gets no sympathy from me. A spoiled man-child obsessed with his looks. Not the most relatable character.

Facts that I know for sure:

1. I got this edition because I'm a slave to the aesthetics and that's exactly the kind of motive the ghost of Oscar Wilde would approve of

2. It’s safe to assume that no matter what I’m doing, at any given moment in time, at least 20% of my brain capacity is perpetually dedicated to making sure I am clever enough, gay enough, and dramatic enough to earn the approval of the ghost of Oscar Wilde

n  n    "The sitter is merely the accident, the occasion. It is not he who is revealed by the painter; it is rather the painter who, on the coloured canvas, reveals himself. The reason I will not exhibit this picture is that I am afraid that I have shown in it the secret of my own soul."n  n

And so begins this tale of art and sin.

I would highly recommend first watching the movie Wilde, a film which takes the audience on a journey through the life of the tormented writer, from the beginnings of his fame to his later incarceration for "gross indecency" - a charge used to imprison individuals when it was impossible to prove sodomy. Wilde was sentenced to two years hard labour and died not long after being freed due to health problems gained during those two years. Looking at Wilde's story from a twenty-first century perspective, it is sad and horrifying to realise this man was indirectly sentenced to death for being gay. The "hard labour" prescribed was carried out in various ways but one of the most common was the treadmill:



This machine made prisoners walk continuously uphill for hours on end and had many long-term effects on people's health.

Why do I think it's important to know this? Because, as Wilde claims, in every piece of art there is more of the artist than anything else. And I believe this is especially true of The Picture of Dorian Gray more than perhaps any other fictional work I've read. In this novel, Wilde explores the nature of sin, of morality and immorality. The homoerotic undertones between Dorian Gray, Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton are, I think, the author's little expression of his own secret "sins" within his work. Rarely does a work of fiction so deeply seem to mirror elements of the author's life.

By 1891, when The Picture of Dorian Gray was published, Oscar Wilde had met and fallen in love with Lord Alfred Douglas and they had begun a semi-secret affair. By which I mean that many were suspicious of the relationship but didn't argue with Wilde's claims that they shared a Socrates/Plato teacher/student kind of love. The idolisation of Dorian Gray's youth and beauty, his tendency to be mean at random... these characteristics all fit with the description and personality of Lord Alfred Douglas. For me, there is no real question as to whether part of Dorian is meant to be Mr Wilde's lover.

I think if you familiarise yourself with Oscar Wilde, this becomes a very personal novel, much more than just a disturbing horror story where a man sells his soul. But even without any additional information, I think this is a sad and haunting book that tells of the joyful naivete of youth and the sad wisdom of maturity.

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