This is one of those books that I always had the impression of having read, but had not, until now. The reason is that movies have been based on it and allusions to it are made in many other books, movies, and articles. My favorite film version is the 1945 one with Hurd Hatfield as Dorian, George Sanders as Lord Henry, and Angela Lansbury as Sibyl Vane. I watched it lots of times on as a child and Lansbury's song <i>Goodbye, Little Yellow Bird</i> was a favorite. And no, it's not in the book!
Oscar Wilde was a great storyteller, and <i>Dorian Gray</i> is a morality tale. Dorian starts out as a very handsome innocent young man who sits for a portrait for his artist friend Basil Hallward while urbane, sophisticated, cynical Lord Henry whiles away the time chatting and introducing subtly corrupting ideas into Dorian's head. Such ideas and his continued friendship with Lord Henry ultimately lead Dorian into a life of hidden vice. Meanwhile, Dorian discovers that by some miracle, he has become mysteriously identified with his portrait. It begins to show signs of each vicious deed he commits, while he remains physically unchanged to the point where he does not even age. The portrait, which might have helped moderate Dorian's lifestyle by serving as a visible conscience, actually helps to accelerate his corruption because it detaches him from the physical consequences of his vices. The problem is that the physical consequences of vice are not the only ones: there is the damage to his reputation, damage to other people's lives, and also damage to his own soul.
I think Wilde may have meant this story to criticize how society places too high a priority on appearance and not enough on substance, and also to show how a growing discrepancy between appearance and substance becomes impossible to keep up in the end.
Oscar Wilde was a great storyteller, and <i>Dorian Gray</i> is a morality tale. Dorian starts out as a very handsome innocent young man who sits for a portrait for his artist friend Basil Hallward while urbane, sophisticated, cynical Lord Henry whiles away the time chatting and introducing subtly corrupting ideas into Dorian's head. Such ideas and his continued friendship with Lord Henry ultimately lead Dorian into a life of hidden vice. Meanwhile, Dorian discovers that by some miracle, he has become mysteriously identified with his portrait. It begins to show signs of each vicious deed he commits, while he remains physically unchanged to the point where he does not even age. The portrait, which might have helped moderate Dorian's lifestyle by serving as a visible conscience, actually helps to accelerate his corruption because it detaches him from the physical consequences of his vices. The problem is that the physical consequences of vice are not the only ones: there is the damage to his reputation, damage to other people's lives, and also damage to his own soul.
I think Wilde may have meant this story to criticize how society places too high a priority on appearance and not enough on substance, and also to show how a growing discrepancy between appearance and substance becomes impossible to keep up in the end.
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