Summary ________________________________________________________________ The Picture of Dorian Gray is the first and only novel written by Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. It follows the story of Dorian Gray, a man with captivating beauty which
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Summary
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The Picture of Dorian Gray is the first and only novel written by Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. It follows the story of Dorian Gray, a man with captivating beauty which hypnotises everyone who he crosses path with , including a painter named Basil Hallward. Basil paints a portrait of Dorian, but Dorian becomes upset and envious, realizing that the painting will remain young and beautiful forever, while his own beauty will inevitably fade , the beauty he values above all else. Dorian wishes to remain youthful forever, and his wish comes true. As the story progresses, we see how Dorian transitions from being innocent and pure into being corrupt and immoral person. The novel emphasis on the concept of narcissism and how it ultimately destroys the individual. It also talks about how Dorian’s views are influenced by the hedonistic philosophy of Lord Henry.
My thoughts
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The author does an impressive job of grabbing our attention by his phenomenon quotes and views. Such as follows,
“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
“Experience is merely the name men gave to their mistakes.”
The characters and plots are well articulated and designed in such a way that you get completely sent to the world consisting of Henry’s philosophy which is persuasive, witty, and often immoral. It dives into the concept of beauty which I think is central to humankind. We embrace beauty and Dorian Gray takes it to another level. The three characters Henry, Basil and Dorian has different philosophical approach to life which gives us aspect on how certain individuals perceives the world. Author does an immaculate job of unravelling how Dorian’s beauty acts as an external charm which often masks internal corruption.
The Characters
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DORIAN GRAY
Dorian Gray , the protagonist of the book is well known for his beauty. The author describes his beauty in beautiful lines, “he was certainly wonderfully handsome, with his finely curved scarlet lips, his frank blue eyes, his crisp gold hair. There was something in his face that made one trust him at once”. His beauty ultimately becomes both his greatest gift and his deepest curse.All of the scars of his life and sins are borne by the painting. This escape from reality turns him into manipulative and sinful character which he has no guilt towards. His goal becomes to seek for pleasure which he expresses often.
“I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.”
“I have never searched for happiness , who wants happiness ? I have searched for pleasure.”
He realises his beauty and youth can bring him endless opportunities of joy which makes him preserve it forever which ultimately takes a bad turn and this narcissistic behaviour destroys Dorian himself. He believes in the philosophy of hedonism which is a great philosophy for one evening but a terrible one for life. He never experiences true companionship and runs after temporary pleasures.
HENRY
“You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit.”
Henry is the character who is responsible for corrupting thoughts of Dorian which eventually leads to his downfall. His words influences Dorian so much that Dorian starts to envy his own portrait. Henry is manipulative in nature. He cares little for the consequences of his actions all the effect that they have on others he simply wants to enjoy his life to the fullest. Henry acts like a devil whispering temptations into Dorian’s ear.
BASIL
“An artist should create beautiful things, but should put nothing of his own life into them.”
Basil is a painter who lives to give something to the world like creating art. He is like an angel on Dorian’s shoulder. He acts as the moral compass in Dorian’s life and also tries to protect Dorian from Henry’s influential thoughts. He is a sensible character who has affection towards Dorian. Basil tries keep Dorian grounded. Ironically, Basil unintentionally sets the events of the novel in motion by painting the portrait.
About author
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“I can resist everything except temptation.”
Oscar Wilde was an Irish poet, playwright, and novelist known for his sharp wit. He became one of the most famous and controversial figures of the Victorian era. He was a member of the aesthetic movement that focused on the idea that art should be about beauty, not about teaching a lesson. After the publication of The Picture of Dorian Gray , his work was criticised heavily and was even called “a poisonous book”. People began to appreciate The Picture of Dorian Gray more widely in the early 20th century, after Oscar Wilde’s tragic death in 1900.
“There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written or badly written. That is all.”
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