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A review by penpar
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
2.0
This book was written two centuries ago. Most of the text--that is to say its diction, syntax and style--are now archaic. The plot itself seemed rather promising at the start, but soon got lost amidst chapters of prolonged agony that focused too much on citing other works and other alleged dandies, and focused too little on actual worthwhile plot development. There is no doubt that the Picture of Dorian Gray has influenced many works of literature since it was published, but I personally don't see what's so great and relatable about this novella today.
I expected Lord Henry to fill in the traditional role of the wise mentor, only to find him quickly turned into a character permanently occupied with the superfluous task of forcibly presenting opinions he himself doesn't believe in just for the sake of sounding smart and alternative; Basil is perhaps the most relatable and likeable character, yet Lord Henry and Dorian Gray soon despise him for being conventional; and Dorian Gray is an innocent lamb till Lord Henry meets him and from there on, it's all, 'Oh look, I'm Lord Henry, and I'm corrupting you, O youth! Look and see how unconventional and unorthodox my wisdom is!'
Had I only just read the first fifty pages and skipped through to the final two chapters to see the portrait destroyed, I'd have saved myself quite a bit of time and not missed much at all.
I expected Lord Henry to fill in the traditional role of the wise mentor, only to find him quickly turned into a character permanently occupied with the superfluous task of forcibly presenting opinions he himself doesn't believe in just for the sake of sounding smart and alternative; Basil is perhaps the most relatable and likeable character, yet Lord Henry and Dorian Gray soon despise him for being conventional; and Dorian Gray is an innocent lamb till Lord Henry meets him and from there on, it's all, 'Oh look, I'm Lord Henry, and I'm corrupting you, O youth! Look and see how unconventional and unorthodox my wisdom is!'
Had I only just read the first fifty pages and skipped through to the final two chapters to see the portrait destroyed, I'd have saved myself quite a bit of time and not missed much at all.