For my fourth book in the Dark Academia reading list, I chose “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. I decided on this book because Wilde’s name popped up in “Maurice,” which I had just finished. I had heard of Oscar Wilde before, but this was my first time diving into one of his books.
Before I start a new book, I like to learn about the author. It helps me understand their stories better.
Oscar Wilde was a fascinating person. He was a writer from Ireland who lived in the late 1800s, known for his unique writing style and vibrant personality. Wilde loved beauty and art, often dressing in fancy clothes and living a flashy lifestyle.
Wilde wrote some great plays, like “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “An Ideal Husband,” and “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” which are loved for their smart jokes, commentary on society during the Victorian period, and exploration of topics like marriage and social class.
However, Wilde’s life was sad when his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas, Bosie, became public. When Bosie’s dad accused Wilde of being gay, Wilde took him to court, but the plan backfired, and Wilde was arrested instead.
Wilde was sentenced to two years of hard work and imprisoned from 1895 to 1897, when his health worsened. After his release, he lived in France but struggled with money and emotions.
Despite all this, Oscar Wilde’s work and personal life make him a significant figure in literary history. His writing continues to be praised for its cleverness, commentary on society, and artistic greatness.
Now, onto the book “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” It’s about a young man named Dorian Gray, who is incredibly handsome. The story starts when Dorian meets an artist named Basil Hallward, who is amazed by Dorian’s beauty and paints a portrait of him.
Influenced by Basil’s admiration and the cynical ideas of Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian wishes to stay young forever while his portrait grows old and shows his wrongdoings. This wish surprisingly comes true.
Following Lord Henry’s ideas, Dorian leads a life of pleasure and wrongdoings. Despite his increasingly wrong actions, Dorian keeps his outward beauty and charm, while his portrait becomes scarier as it reflects his wicked deeds.
As time passes, Dorian involves himself in various bad situations, harming others without consequences. His portrait becomes more and more hideous each day, reflecting his wrongdoings.
Terrified of his ugly portrait, Dorian tries to destroy it, but this ultimately leads to his downfall. In anger and guilt, he stabs the portrait, which causes his death, revealing an old, withered Dorian Gray.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is full of symbolism, suggesting that Wilde wanted to show the good and bad in everyone. Dorian starts as a pure character, but Lord Henry’s influence leads him to do wrong. Lord Henry symbolizes temptation and encourages Dorian to live a life of pleasure, representing the “bad” side.
On the other hand, Basil symbolizes morality and ethics. He appreciates the real beauty in Dorian and continues to care for him despite his wrong actions. Thus, Basil represents the “good” side. This idea of duality is central to the book, and Wilde suggests that every person has both good and bad in them.
The murder of Basil is a crucial turning point for Dorian, marking the moment when Dorian fully gives in to his darker impulses. By killing Basil, Dorian eliminates the possibility of turning back and fully embraces his sinful lifestyle.
However, in the end, Dorian’s remorse and self-destruction suggest that the struggle between good and evil continues within him until his last moments. This could indicate that Wilde believed in the chance of saying sorry and fixing mistakes, although it was too late for Dorian.
In conclusion, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” warns about the results of moral decay. The book shows how doing wrong can lead to a person’s downfall, as demonstrated by Dorian’s ultimate end. The ethical decisions of each character push the story forward and reveal Wilde’s views on the hypocrisy of Victorian society, the consequences of beauty over morals, and the need for a balance between being morally right and seeking pleasure.
The book in question is a short story. As an individual for whom English is not my first language, I found certain words quite challenging, which necessitated multiple checks with the dictionary to ensure an accurate understanding of the content. Also, I noticed that some paragraphs were exceptionally long.
Regardless, I found the book to be thoroughly enjoyable. It made me think, and I suspect it will stay with me for a long time. I appreciate books like this one that stimulate deep reflection. I was intrigued by elements of Jacobean tragedies that influenced the plot. As such, I’m excited to explore some actual Jacobean tragedies in the future.
As anticipated, the book has a dark tone. However, it offers a valuable opportunity to consider the moral compass of its characters and even our own.
My decision to delve into this book was inspired by its captivating plot and my desire to push the boundaries of my English comprehension and expand my literary experiences. The book’s ability to provoke profound thoughts and intense emotions makes it compelling. It invites readers to ponder the concepts of morality, enriching our intellectual journey. Without a doubt, this book is an intriguing choice.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a story that challenges the mind and sparks curiosity. Dive into it and let it broaden your literary landscape as it has done for me. Trust me, and it’s a journey well worth embarking upon.