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A review by zaiphon
The Uncensored Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"It is the spectator and not life that art really mirrors".
In my quest to read more classics, I decided to read this novel in its original form. I think that many a reviewer have put together in words better than I in the last century what this book may be trying to say. However, I wanted to put my in my thoughts as well.
To address the elephant in the room, the knowledge of Oscar Wilde's sexuality and lifestyle seems to overshadow other key points in the story. No, even with the uncensored version, this isn't some kind of intense smutty novel. Remember, this is in the late 1800s and what was absolutely scandalous and vile to say then is very tame now. With that being said, there are a lot of things in undertones and suggestive verbiage that insinuate romantic feelings and trysts between two men. The sad reality is that is the focus it seems throughout the years when it should have just been an addition to the story.
Anyways, I found the preface by Wilde quite interesting when comparing to how Dorian viewed life and art. As a reader, critic, artists, or appreciator of the arts - what do we define as beauty? What defines as great art or a great artist? And therefore, what can be defined as sin and exploiting the senses and experiences in life. Is life itself truly a form of art and meant to be lived as such? Is there a beauty in even the darkest or wickedest of times? Was Dorian truly wicked? Is blaming Lord Henry right, because could it be said that Lord Henry's fascination with youth is symbolic to being free and possessing beauty with an open mind? Wilde says "Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital." While Wilde may have been trying to get ahead of the critics, I think there is truth to those words. There is something to be said of a novel written over a hundred years ago and that the questions it poses can still resonate and still cause discussion today.
The characters each have some significance and role that centralizes around the themes. Dorian's obsession with staying young and using your time in life to engage in pleasantries, knowledge, and in his eyes expand his intellect. Lord Henry, who speaks his philosophies and his witty commentary on beauty and pleasure, may serve to most as more of a negative impact or a villian of sorts in this story. However, to me he seems the physical form of influence and influence was only transformed to the extremes because of Dorian himself (at times, Dorian questions if he always had these thoughts or temperment). And even the painting itself, portraying a physical emobiment of the life lived by Dorian, and how that is perceived and visualized. Bazil Hallward, the artist who discovered love and infatuation and that art felt like an extension to honor that.
To summarize; I went into this knowing a brief history of the story but left with so much more. As we are entering a new year, I begin to think of life and society, how we define morals, and even how we perceive the arts in all its forms. We live in a society that sets its norms that most will blindly abide by, but there is growth in challenging influence in your own way.
In my quest to read more classics, I decided to read this novel in its original form. I think that many a reviewer have put together in words better than I in the last century what this book may be trying to say. However, I wanted to put my in my thoughts as well.
To address the elephant in the room, the knowledge of Oscar Wilde's sexuality and lifestyle seems to overshadow other key points in the story. No, even with the uncensored version, this isn't some kind of intense smutty novel. Remember, this is in the late 1800s and what was absolutely scandalous and vile to say then is very tame now. With that being said, there are a lot of things in undertones and suggestive verbiage that insinuate romantic feelings and trysts between two men. The sad reality is that is the focus it seems throughout the years when it should have just been an addition to the story.
Anyways, I found the preface by Wilde quite interesting when comparing to how Dorian viewed life and art. As a reader, critic, artists, or appreciator of the arts - what do we define as beauty? What defines as great art or a great artist? And therefore, what can be defined as sin and exploiting the senses and experiences in life. Is life itself truly a form of art and meant to be lived as such? Is there a beauty in even the darkest or wickedest of times? Was Dorian truly wicked? Is blaming Lord Henry right, because could it be said that Lord Henry's fascination with youth is symbolic to being free and possessing beauty with an open mind? Wilde says "Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital." While Wilde may have been trying to get ahead of the critics, I think there is truth to those words. There is something to be said of a novel written over a hundred years ago and that the questions it poses can still resonate and still cause discussion today.
The characters each have some significance and role that centralizes around the themes. Dorian's obsession with staying young and using your time in life to engage in pleasantries, knowledge, and in his eyes expand his intellect. Lord Henry, who speaks his philosophies and his witty commentary on beauty and pleasure, may serve to most as more of a negative impact or a villian of sorts in this story. However, to me he seems the physical form of influence and influence was only transformed to the extremes because of Dorian himself (at times, Dorian questions if he always had these thoughts or temperment). And even the painting itself, portraying a physical emobiment of the life lived by Dorian, and how that is perceived and visualized. Bazil Hallward, the artist who discovered love and infatuation and that art felt like an extension to honor that.
To summarize; I went into this knowing a brief history of the story but left with so much more. As we are entering a new year, I begin to think of life and society, how we define morals, and even how we perceive the arts in all its forms. We live in a society that sets its norms that most will blindly abide by, but there is growth in challenging influence in your own way.