What would it be like if pleasure were to become the only important thing in life? Or, have you ever wondered what other meanings ‘art for art’s sake’ actually has? The Picture of Dorian Gray could answer them. This book is different in its thoughts and ideas. It will introduce you to perspective you may have encountered for the first time. So let us begin:
About the Author:
Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is best remembered for his epigrams and plays and his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde’s parents were Anglo-Irish intellectuals in Dublin. A young Wilde learned to speak fluent French and German. At university, Wilde read Greats; he demonstrated himself to be an exceptional classicist, first at Trinity College Dublin, then at Oxford. He became associated with the emerging philosophy of aestheticism, led by two of his tutors, Walter Pater and John Ruskin. After university, Wilde moved to London into fashionable cultural and social circles.
As a spokesman for aestheticism, he tried his hand at various literary activities: he published a book of poems, lectured in the United States and Canada on the new “English Renaissance in Art” and interior decoration, and then returned to London where he worked prolifically as a journalist. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress and glittering conversational skill, Wilde became one of the best-known personalities of his day.
At the turn of the 1890s, he refined his ideas about the supremacy of art in a series of dialogues and essays, and incorporated themes of decadence, duplicity, and beauty into what would be his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). The opportunity to construct aesthetic details precisely, and combine them with larger social themes, drew Wilde to write drama. He wrote Salome (1891) in French while in Paris, but it was refused a licence for England due to an absolute prohibition on the portrayal of Biblical subjects on the English stage. Unperturbed, Wilde produced four society comedies in the early 1890s, which made him one of the most successful playwrights of late-Victorian London. He died in Paris in 1900.
The Picture of Dorian Gray:
“To cure the soul by means of the senses,
and the senses by means of the soul.”
The Picture of Dorian Gray is unique – at least to me. There may be other books that speak about similar topics. I shall try to give a summary in a way which makes it easy for you to understand. I admit that there are some things in the book which I did not understand myself.
Basil Hallward is a painter – a very good one. One day, he and his close friend from Oxford – Lord Henry Wutton – sit in his studio and talk about different things. Lord Henry spies a painting Basil has made. He believes it is the best the painter has ever created. It is a full-length portrait of a young man of incomparable beauty. On being asked, Basil replies that such a person actually exists. Upon much persuasion from Lord Henry, Basil divulges the lad’s name as Dorian Gray. He does not want the hedonistic Lord Henry to meet Dorian, whom he thinks is too young and may be adversely affected by Lord Henry’s influence. Unfortunately, Basil’s butler comes in to announce that Dorian Gray has arrived for his next sitting with Basil.
Throughout the sitting, Dorian constantly talks with Lord Henry, whom he finds to be a fascinating person. Soon, Lord Henry starts speaking about youth and beauty – things natured has heavily endowed Dorian with – and how they fade away soon, leaving only a sick, old man, with wrinkles and white hair. Lord Henry’s talk incenses Dorian against the rules of nature. In a moment of passion and anger, he wishes that his painting must bear the effects of his age and his actions, while he himself will always remain young and beautiful. Unfortunately, his wish comes true.
Once he realises that nothing he does will ever affect his physical structure, Dorian, in an attempt to live a life where absolute pleasure is the only thing of importance, turns towards evil. He goes from good, to bad, to ugly. In his pursuit of the hedonistic way of living, and realising the true form of art, he starts indulging himself in crimes, scandals, and sinful pleasures, while living another life as a perfectly respectable member of the elite class. But sins must be avenged. Although his painting bears the physical changes, he must bear the mental pressure.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is part dramatic novel, part discussion of aesthetic ideal, and part moral commentary. It is a fascinating and arguably the most superior depiction of the Faustian bargain – or in common terms, ‘making a deal with the devil’. And as Dorian says, “The soul is a terrible reality. It can be bought and sold and bartered away.” Now it is for us to decide for ourselves whether this is true. But one thing I can say for sure – it is a must-read for any classic-lover and is not a novel that can just entertain, but one that can make one think, and is a perfect text-book for those interested in psychology and philosophy.
Now, this book is a little descriptive. I had some trouble navigating certain parts of it. Also, the language is a little different than the one we use in our daily lives. It is like that of Dickens, but with a lot of philosophy infused into it. I would recommend going for an abridged version first. Then if you like it – which I am almost certain you will – you can take up the original version. But if you feel comfortable with the language and think you will be able to fully enjoy the original version, go for it!
Outro:
I hope you liked the review. I assure you, reading the book will be a very unique experience. If you liked the review, you can subscribe to my blog here. I shall keep posting more such reviews, original short stories and artwork. Until next time, arrivederci.