The picture of Dorian Gray everyone, what a fantastic piece of literature! The book is really sad and heartbreaking while at the same time you hope at least five of the characters stop existing. I can't be the only one that wanted Lord Henry to fall down from a high place right?
The book is about the young, supernaturally beautiful Dorian Gray, and the portrait that his friend paints of him. When Dorian sees the portrait, he despairs at the thought that the young man on this painting will always remain young, while he himself must grow old and become ugly. In a fit of anxiety and jealousy towards the painting, Dorian makes an appeal that the relationship should be the other way around - that the portrait should age in his place, while he himself may retain his appearance. His wish comes true, with terrible consequences for Dorian himself.
At first, this book appealed to me mainly because I liked the idea of a painting that was aging in place of the main character. It's just this kind of rather subtle supernatural element about the whole book. But as I read the book, I increasingly realized that this is not a book that revolves around the supernatural elements, but a book that focuses on a person's fall from being an innocent, pure soul to becoming a monstrous, horrible human being. It is a rather philosophical book that uses the enchanted portrait as a springboard into the darkest corners of the human soul.
Dorian is a very interesting main character because we get to follow him from the time he is an invisible, unspoiled youth to the fact that he becomes a broken and unpleasant soul. As you read, you slowly realize what a horrible man he has begun to turn into, with his narcissistic egoism and devastating philosophy of life. The portrait he's locked in is the only proof of what he really is, and the version of him, that looks at him from the painting is his constant torment from which he cannot escape. He surrounds himself with beautiful things as if to try to hide how dirty and ugly his soul is, but can not get away.
It is admittedly a bit difficult to read and elaborate in its writing style, but it is also written in 1891. It is expected of such an old story. It is further offset by how fun it is at times. Oscar Wilde's humor and wit really shine through, especially when the character Lord Henry is active. Lord Henry is an important influence for Dorian and perhaps to some extent the reason for his decay, but he is quite funny unfortunately. He speaks almost exclusively in paradoxes and has an expression and ideas that were extremely controversial when the book was first printed. Overall the book is quite lovely and a good read.
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