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3.55 AVERAGE


La luna sembra molto strana questa sera

La tragedia di Wilde racconta la storia di Salomé in una delle tante versioni. Quella che ci dipinge l'autore è una donna ammaliatrice e sensuale, che tuttavia non riesce a spiccare molto come personaggio, o almeno a me non ha colpito particolarmente. Le pagine sono comunque dense di un fascino seducente e di una poesia ammirevole, ma devo dire che preferisco la chiave comica di Oscar Wilde, piuttosto che quella drammatica.

I kind of liked this one a bit more than the usual Wilde plays. I'm just not much of a fan of wit and humour and this one had a more darker theme. Plus, I've always liked the story about Salomé dancing and then lusting for a dead man's head.

Maybe I'd appreciate it more if I dug deep and really read into it. But I didn't enjoy the reading experience enough to put in that kind of mental effort.

Tracing the decadent movement at large and Oscar Wilde’s obsession with Salome is so fun. Possibly the most sinful story from the New Testament, it seems like these men who rejected religion (due to religion rejecting them tbf) were fascinated by the extreme perversity of the scene. It’s cool how Wilde was inspired by Against Nature and its analysis of Moreau’s painting of Salome, which he had Dorian Gray fall in love with, while his own version has become so influential in art and pop culture since (he came up with the dance of the seven veils). It’s an unlikely story of female empowerment, where Salome uses her attraction to defy men, like her step father Herod, and preserve her pureness. It also makes for an interesting exploration of gender and sexual dynamics. Very Wilde in many ways, overall exquisite. 

The Importance of Being Horny

Found a book of Oscar Wilde’s complete works including his stories and plays etc for £2 secondhand, and I had to pick it up. This short one act tragedy was my first of the anthology that I’ve read. It had Oscar’s classic beautifully descriptive writing style. Also I’m sorry but Herodias, Salomé’s mother was an absolute girlboss.
I’ve previously read half of Dorian Grey so I’ll probs restart that next and try and finish it this time around!

"Por que não olhaste para mim, Iocanaan? Tu me amarias, se olhasses para mim. Bem sei que terias me amado; o mistério do amor é maior que o mistério da morte. Só o amor deve ser meditado." I support women’s rights but also I support women’s wrongs

I guess you can say this play is freaking Wilde (Sorry). In my mind, Oscar Wilde's name is Oscar F. Wilde. His middle name is Flamboyant. This play is every bit as Wilde-ian as it can be. The sexual perversity, the power of passion over senses, the unpredictable farce of the plot. Good stuff.
I read that this play was a rendition and twist of John The Baptist's story. But one needn't know about that to enjoy this play.

I can't decide between 3 or 4 stars but I'm going with 4 stars for now.

A very interesting play with fascinating illustrations. The overall atmosphere is very strange, almost dream-like. Salomé's character is amazing and I wish the ending of the play was different.