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A review by solitary
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
3.0
a lot has already been said about this book, that’s the thing with classics. personally, i didn’t think there was absolution for dorian gray even in the end. throughout the book, he demonstrated passiveness and a lack of accountability for his actions. he insists the making of his own corruption to his victims, so severely to the point of borderline delusion.
“sibyl killed herself — too bad! you know what’s worse? that ONE bad performance she gave me even though i watch her act so well every night!”
“oh god i killed basil. that’s all right, look at what HE DID to MY LIFE!”
the portrait is dorian’s only awareness of the life that he leads. he knew he was sinned, that he was corrupt, that his soul was literally dying alive, because the portrait tells him so. he did not even realize the cruelty of his words until he saw the minimal change in the portrait. he was sensitive to that — his looks, his beauty, his form — but not his doings and its harmful effects to others. his decay spreads while his vanity stays intact.
the concept of beauty and the power it yields was indeed evident, especially how basil refused to believe the rumors of dorian’s debauchery because of his youthful beauty, as much as because he was his friend. but i don’t think this book examines “the lengths we would go through for beauty” as i often see in reviews. dorian did nothing but say a thoughtless wish for the portrait to bear his aging. he did no attempt to preserve even its beauty once he knew of its mechanism.
that is why i believe his final act was not for atonement, but vanity and desperation
all in all this would’ve been a great study of morality and philosophy (i suppose it is, being a classic and all) but it could’ve been better with a better titular character to represent it
ps. i will miss harry’s great detachment from human emotions and his unserious conversations with spineless dorian
“my fiance just died after i broke up with her—“
“i wish someone died FOR ME!”
“sibyl killed herself — too bad! you know what’s worse? that ONE bad performance she gave me even though i watch her act so well every night!”
“oh god i killed basil. that’s all right, look at what HE DID to MY LIFE!”
the portrait is dorian’s only awareness of the life that he leads. he knew he was sinned, that he was corrupt, that his soul was literally dying alive, because the portrait tells him so. he did not even realize the cruelty of his words until he saw the minimal change in the portrait. he was sensitive to that — his looks, his beauty, his form — but not his doings and its harmful effects to others. his decay spreads while his vanity stays intact.
the concept of beauty and the power it yields was indeed evident, especially how basil refused to believe the rumors of dorian’s debauchery because of his youthful beauty, as much as because he was his friend. but i don’t think this book examines “the lengths we would go through for beauty” as i often see in reviews. dorian did nothing but say a thoughtless wish for the portrait to bear his aging. he did no attempt to preserve even its beauty once he knew of its mechanism.
that is why i believe his final act was not for atonement, but vanity and desperation
all in all this would’ve been a great study of morality and philosophy (i suppose it is, being a classic and all) but it could’ve been better with a better titular character to represent it
ps. i will miss harry’s great detachment from human emotions and his unserious conversations with spineless dorian
“my fiance just died after i broke up with her—“
“i wish someone died FOR ME!”