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Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray and Other Writings by Oscar Wilde (Bantam Classics) by Oscar Wilde ISBN: 0-553-21254-0 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 January, 1983 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (4 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A classic novel about the gift of eternal youth
Comment: Basil Harwood talks to his friend, Lord Henry Wotton, about his latest painting, a portrait of a striking young man named Dorian Gray to whom he has taken quite a fancy. He feels that his art has never been alive as it has since meeting this young man. Intrigued at his friends acute interest, Lord Henry determines to meet the young man himself, and quite by chance, manages to remain in the studio as Dorian arrives and stands for the finishing touches to his portrait.
Once it is completed, Lord Henry comments on how youthful the painting is, remarking how unfortunate it is that the portrait will always remain as young as on the day it was painted, whereas Dorian will slowly age, losing his youth and looks to time. Dorian frets over this and says that he would give anything if only his portrait would age instead of him.
Weeks later, after an unfortunate scene with his fiancée, Dorian notices a subtle change to his portrait, a certain cruel turn of the lips. As the days pass, he notices more changes and begins to realize that he can commit every vice and cruelty imaginable without any harm coming to him. His portrait will bear the brunt of his adventures. But at what price? As the years pass, he begins to wonder about the state of his very soul and if he can change, perhaps bring the portrait back to its original beauty.
This is a great novel, dealing for the most part with man's quest for eternal youth. Who wouldn't want to stay young forever? We go through fad diets, gyms, botox, plastic surgery -- all in the name of trying to remain healthy and youthful. Dorian is given a unique opportunity, the consequences of which show him the havoc that all the vices and cruel acts have upon his soul (or his conscience). We also get to see how getting what you wish for doesn't always turn out the way you thought it would.
It's a well-written story, full of unique characters. The majority of the male characters seem to have no problem whatsoever having intimate relationships with other men. By his actions, Basil appears to be in love with Dorian. Dorian, in turn, is infatuated with Lord Henry, even thought both of them do have relationships with women (for Dorian, a fiancée; for Lord Henry, a wife). There's even a bit of jealousy on the part of Lord Henry's wife when she finally meets the man who's been monopolizing her husband's time.
At times, though, it does move slowly due to long passages discussing the place of art in society and philosphizing about the quest for youth and beauty. In these passages the text seems to turn more into a lecture rather than a novel. That, however, does not take away from the enjoyment of the novel.
Rating: 5
Summary: Dorian Gray
Comment: Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' is an exceptional novel. Through this novel Mr. Wilde presents many characteristics of the human heart and mind. It hits hard telling the truth of the way in which people really are. Mr. Wilde in his novel asks the question how far would one go to obtain beauty and youth forever to please society? And in doing so presents the desires of most humans to remain young forever and the lengths in which they might go to obtain it. This novel illustrates the obession society has with the outward appearance rather than the inward and is shown in the novel by the Dorian Gray being accepted into the 'circle' despite the 'rumors' that he is a bad man. Through Dorian Gray and Lord Henry Mr. Wilde also illustrates the influence of people over people. Resulting in the destruction of character.
I enjoyed the book Dorian Gray because of the fact that it does tell the truth and quite often people don't like to hear the truth, but Oscar Wilde went against what society would view as good and did and wrote what he believed, which makes an wonderful novel.
Rating: 3
Summary: Good idea, less to go with
Comment: When I decided to use this book for a school project, I had only heard things about the plot. I thought it sounded very interesting, so "why not?" Well, no one ever mentioned that reading this book was like wading through the mud. Oscar Wilde is very philosophical, very profound. Nearly every sentence he writes has to be reread two or three times to absorb the full meaning of it.
Dorian's descent into evil at Lord Henry's urging does make for an interesting story, but almost all of it is internal. If you're looking for action with the same plot there is a play or movie out there just waiting for you. I assume they are easier to muddle through.
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Title: Frankenstein (Changing Our World) by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley ISBN: 0553212478 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 June, 1984 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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Title: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Dover Thrift Editions) by Robert Louis Stevenson ISBN: 0486266885 Publisher: Dover Publications Pub. Date: 01 February, 1991 List Price(USD): $1.00 |
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Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray (Modern Library (Paperback)) by Oscar Wilde ISBN: 0375751513 Publisher: Modern Library Pub. Date: 01 June, 1998 List Price(USD): $7.95 |
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Title: Dracula (Signet Classics (Paperback)) by Bram Stoker ISBN: 0451523377 Publisher: Signet Classics Pub. Date: 01 October, 1997 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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Title: Heart of Darkness (Dover Thrift Editions) by Joseph Conrad ISBN: 0486264645 Publisher: Dover Publications Pub. Date: 01 August, 1990 List Price(USD): $1.50 |
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