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The Picture Of Dorian Gray
About the book: "The Picture of Dorian Gray"

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

I just finished The Picture of Dorian Gray (1981) by Oscar Wilde (Reading Social).

I found this novel interesting, albeit slightly disturbing - not about "sin" itself, but the disfigurement of one's "soul" due to sin. I suppose it still comes down to what one defines as sin and whether or not the sin begins at conception or action. But more than simple disfigurement per se, I am disturbed by the danger in turning a blind eye to the disfigurement of one's soul. I suppose then the only sin is perpetual disfigurement of one's soul due to ignoring or denying what the soul is telling you. I suppose then your soul defines what is sin and what is not. I suppose then we must define what a soul is and what gives it its morals. I still think it's sort of a potential-influenced-by-nurture type thing, as opposed to some ghostly thing that floats between worlds, etc, etc.

I was alarmed at how I was so easily taken by Lord Henry Wotton's philosophies - I thought, hey this is different from what I normally think, maybe I'm wrong, maybe he's right, he sounds confident that he is right - until I thought, wait a minute - I have my own morals, too and I like them. In any case, I think they are interesting.

Yesterday, I wrote in my diary,

"Dorian Gray killed Sybil Vane. I wonder who in this story I can relate to the most? This is most peculiar."

Then, today, after I had finished the novel, I found this on Wikipedia,

"In a letter, Wilde stated that the main characters of The Picture Of Dorian Gray are in different ways reflections of himself: "Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks of me: Dorian what I would like to be - in other ages, perhaps."
I guess I sort of related to Dorian Gray in that lately, I've been trying to figure out the influences on me and what is it about myself that has changed so much recently. I've also been trying to figure out what it means for one's reality, judgement and appreciation (of life, knowledge, others, etc.) when one ceases to believe in objectivity.

Anyway, as per usual, here are some interesting quotes (most of which are appreciated for their irony):

"Some subtle influence passed from him to me, and for the first time in my life I saw in the plain woodland the wonder I had always looked for, and always missed." Basil Hallward, p12
Wonder is good. It's innocent.
"An artist should create beautiful things, but should put nothing of his own life into them. We live in an age when men treat art as if it were meant to be a form of autobiography. We have lost the abstract sense of beauty." Basil Hallward, p12-13
I find this interesting, particularly since I've been pondering about the relevance of this blog and the nature of my creations or art, as you may call them. I never mean to indulge in vanity, but I find that almost everything I create has myself in it, otherwise it is not mine and I do not wish to be attached to it. I guess the irony is that The Picture Of Dorian Gray is much like Wilde's autobiography somewhat. So perhaps Basil Hallward is the most naiive character of all, not Dorian. I think Dorian is very aware indeed.
"Those who are faithful know only the trivial side of love: it is the faithless who know love's tragedies." Lord Henry Wotton, p?
"Children begin by loving their parents; as they grow older they judge them; sometimes they forgive them." Lord Henry Wotton, p55
"The basis of optimism is sheer terror." Lord Henry, p61
"As for a spoiled life, no life is spoiled but one whose growth is arrested." Lord Henry, p61
"They (women) create Love in our natures. They have a right to demand it back." Dorian Gray, p65
This reminds me - at times, the things that Lord Henry says about women are very degrading.
"It (the picture) held the secret of his life, and told his story. It had taught him to love his own beauty. Would it teach him to loathe his own soul?" p74
"Why should he watch the hideous corruption of his soul?" p98
"The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world in its own shame." p172



June 13, 2008 | 8:06 AM Comments  1 comments

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urssulasss crazydiamond
July 12, 2008 | 6:34 AM
<3
love the book! it's just so simply wonderfull that when you read it, you can't stop reading it! and love oscar too ;)
did you read it for pleasure or for school?
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