The Picture of Dorian Grey
Ratings1,321
Average rating4.1
Update: 07/31/2015
If you'd like to read this review on my blog.
Rating: 5/5 stars.
The Picture of Dorian Grey is the story of the man's own soul, portrayed by his portrait, and that soul's own destruction. It's a story about passions, about madness, about knowledge and, most noticeably, a classic worth reading.
When I was around eleven, our English teacher (literal English class, as in a language), made us read this book for reading. Of course, it was a shorter version and with a much simpler talk at times, but the essence of the novel was there. We read and, at the same time, heard a narrator, who is clearly the best narrator in history. He would do every single voice in this book and voice it completely different each time, and the makers even had some background music running at the best and most intense scenes. And as a kid, I completely loved it.
Now, older me finds herself in front of the book once again, the real version this time, and was not disappointed.
The book moves through this wonderful conversations about morality and life, and different unimportant but jet very when looked upon issues life, with a complete different voice as to what one is used to, and temps you to drive with it. More than once I questioned if the characters were really right about their opinions.
All the same, the story itself was very unique and dark, very rogue and wonderful to read. The characters were all complex people, and an unreliable MC is always a catch when done right. Specially for such a darling as Dorian was.
We were made to read this book for our Language & Literature class, teaching the life and work of Mr. Oscar Wilde himself, along side it. Learning about the life of Wilde and everything he went through while writing and delivering this book made me like the intention of the book even better. Every blunt opinion and harsh remark about a strong topic made complete sense once you know that it had a purpose. I personally think that it most definitely improved my experience while reading, but fear not, the book is just as great on itself.
The only things I did not like was chapter eleven. It was full of historically incorrect and completely jambled up information, and of the most random things. I know I was to understand how Dorian grew in knowledge and tried so many different things. But really, it was extremely long, and incorrect and just felt like he had dumped everything he knew at once. The book would have been ok without. (and just so you know, I only read half that chapter until I realized that it wasn't going to be important and just skimmed the rest.)
Excellent book, great story, dark thoughts, what else is there to be? Go read this wonderful classic if you haven't, it's completely worth it.
(And if you want to know, the version I read was the McMillan one, with a pretty blue-eyed pal on the cover and red for the title.)
It's a very deep book about art, immortality and other topics that are more interesting. While dialogues are quite extensive, they aren't boring, but provide much useful information and interesting at the same time. This book is a classic that everyone should read.
As someone who has read this book at least six full times, I'm not sure where to begin with this review. Wilde is by far my favorite author, and while his purple prose seems to put off many readers it's one of my greatest joys. The meticulous detail employed in Dorian Gray is absolutely necessary to the storyline. From the lazy buzzing bees in the first few paragraphs to the entire chapter dedicated to Dorian's obsessions with gems, orchids, perfumes, instruments...(Chapter 11 - it's my favorite chapter). Dorian's (and Wilde's) obsession with beauty is what makes the novel so dangerous and enticing.
I'll have more to say as I reread the novel for the seventh time, and so forth. I'm still new to reviewing books though, so I'm sure I'll improve in expressing myself.
9/23/22: Read for a seventh time, and there's always something new to discover.
Book Review: this is free right now on Audiobook from Audible if you want to pick up a good version. But I am left a little flat. It is a good Faustian bargain story (make a deal at the cost of your soul). But it just did not feel complete. The motivation and reasons for the actions seemed incomplete. It is not a bad story, and I can see why it is a classic. But I would have enjoyed an abridged version just as much.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/dorian-gray/
Very well written and obviously a classic, can't fault that. Just didn't quite do it for me.
I was looking forward to reading Oscar Wilde in novel form, as I remember thoroughly enjoying The Importance of Being Earnest my senior year in high school and loving his writing style. However, I got bored quite often in reading this novel, skipped over paragraphs and pages and thought Wilde could be quite long-winded at times (particularly the pages where Wilde goes on and on referencing the stages Dorian Gray goes through in embracing aestheticism and the “new Hedonism” through collecting fine furniture or whatever it was). The novel, in my opinion, is too long and could be a few chapters shorter. Nonetheless, the concept of “art for art's sake” and living a life solely for the purpose of seeking out pleasure is a fascinating concept, especially considering how unconventional this must have been at the time it was published. Lord Henry is a ghastly influence over Gray and this relationship seems to be a fair warning to those who allow certain individuals, thoughts or ideas to navigate their life and moral compass for them.
The idea that Gray had a visual soul of sorts to witness the wizening and decay of as he himself remained seemingly pure and full of youth is one that made me think quite a bit. The moral direction of this thought process is one I could probably muse on about for more than is necessary, but ultimately, really made me think about what it is I allow to hold influence over the decisions I make and how I approach life.
Overall, a fairly interesting read with a lot of good quotes and thoughts/ideas/principles to ponder. Would I read it again? Probably not but am glad I finally can add this book to my “read” list.
Filled with hedonism and with a wonderful supernatural twist, The Picture Of Dorian Gray is one of the reasons Oscar Wilde has such a legendary reputation.
Despite the supernatural twist and hedonist perspective, there is just as much wit in this book as in the less Gothic stories and plays.
There are elements of Wilde present in the key characters, and Wilde himself said: “Basil Hallward is what I think I am; Lord Henry, what the world thinks me; Dorian is what I would like to be — in other ages, perhaps”.
I love books about the British nobility and their lives of luxury. Hunting and horseback riding and going for visits then going to the club, it's all so foreign and romantic. If that wasn't enough, Dorian Gray with his endlessly young face and the creepy, witty Lord Henry with his counter-intuitive morality made this book a great read. It's psychologically and morally challenging but at the same time a lush and witty page-turner.
“‘I never approve, or disapprove, of anything now. It is an absurd attitude to take towards life. We are not sent into the world to air our moral prejudices. I never take any notice of what common people say, and I never interfere with what charming people do. If a personality fascinates me, whatever mode of expression that personality selects is absolutely delightful to me.'”
Definire è limitare.
Partendo da questa citazione, tratta direttamente dal libro, anticipo che per me sarà un po' complesso farne una recensione, come accade sempre quando si cerca di scrivere le proprie impressioni sui classici intramontabili della letteratura, anche perché oltretutto, benché pieno di aforismi meravigliosi e con un finale splendido, alcune parti non le ho propriamente “digerite”.
Il ritratto di Dorian Gray, in originale “The Picture of Dorian Gray” è un romanzo di Oscar Wilde che uscì originariamente nel luglio del 1890 sul Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. Nell'aprile 1891 Wilde fece stampare in volume il romanzo, unendovi la propria prefazione. Per esigenze puramente commerciali, legate al gusto dell'epoca fine ottocentesca, l'autore revisionò il proprio romanzo e vi aggiunse molti capitoli per rendere più “voluminosa” l'opera. Secondo alcuni critici, però, quest'operazione arrecò danno al romanzo originale, facendogli perdere spontaneità e una certa dose di mistero: per questo in alcune edizioni si può trovare ancora la versione originale. Numerosissime le trasposizioni nel cinema, nella televisione, nel teatro e perfino nei fumetti.
Il romanzo è considerato il manifesto dell'Estetismo, per cui l'espressione artistica è libera e indipendente dai principi della morale. Il “ritratto di Dorian Gray” ha molti influssi culturali e letterari: il primo è sicuramente il Faust di Goethe, fino al romanzo di Joris-Karl Huysmans “Controcorrente”, passando per “Mademoiselle de Maupin” di Théophile Gautier e per i romanzi di Balzac.
Il romanzo è ambientato nella Londra vittoriana del XIX secolo, che all'epoca era pervasa da una mentalità tipicamente borghese. Narra di un giovane, Dorian Gray, che arriverà a fare della sua bellezza un rito insano. Egli inizia a rendersi conto del privilegio del suo fascino quando Basil Hallward, pittore suo amico, gli regala un ritratto che lo riproduce nel pieno della gioventù. Lord Henry Wotton avrà un ruolo decisivo nella vita di Dorian, infatti, con i suoi discorsi, cattura l'attenzione del ragazzo, rendendolo, quasi l'incarnazione del suo modo di pensare. Infatti Dorian, dopo un lungo discorso con Lord Wotton, comincia a guardare la giovinezza come qualcosa di veramente importante, tanto da provare invidia verso il suo stesso ritratto, eternamente bello e giovane. Ciò lo porterà a stipulare quella sorta di “patto col demonio”, grazie al quale rimarrà eternamente giovane e bello, mentre il quadro mostrerà i segni della decadenza fisica e della corruzione morale del personaggio.
Il ritratto di Dorian Gray si configura come un capolavoro della letteratura inglese e come una vera e propria celebrazione del culto della bellezza. Una fede letteraria che Wilde tende a fare propria anche nella vita reale per mezzo della sua condotta decisamente anti-conformista nel pieno della Londra puritana dell'epoca vittoriana, sprezzante del buonsenso e dei canoni della morale borghese. La vita per l'autore è infatti come un'opera d'arte ben riuscita. Dunque opta per il rovesciamento del principio secondo cui è l'arte che imita la vita, ma è la vita che deve imitare l'arte. Di qui l'importanza attribuita all'apparenza e al dominio dei sensi.
Un'esperienza, quella estetica, che non sempre si rivela giusta e retta come vediamo anche attraverso le vicissitudini di Dorian, che lo porterà fino a commettere un crimine efferato. La visione della vita come arte implica da un lato la ricerca dell'edonismo, dall'altro uno stile di vita dissoluto che porta allo sfacelo morale.
Come dicevo in apertura questo libro è un classico e deve essere letto da tutti almeno una volta.
Personalmente, il libro non mi è piaciuto tantissimo, soprattutto perché alcuni capitoli, inseriti successivamente dall'autore perché il gusto ottocentesco lo richiedeva, hanno appesantito la storia che se fosse stata più scarna avrebbe riscontrato sicuramente il mio gusto personale. Nonostante questo, il libro sembra un compendio di aforismi e belle citazioni, che lo rende a tratti piacevole.
Insomma un arricchimento culturale sicuramente di grande peso, ma ho letto decisamente di meglio.