Book Review :: The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde…

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Published by Penguin Classics
on January 1st 1970
Genres: Classics, Fantasy, Fiction
Pages: 253
Goodreads

Dorian Gray, a handsome and narcissistic young man, lives thoughtlessly for his own pleasure - an attitude encouraged by the company he keeps. One day, after having his portrait painted, Dorian makes a frivolous Faustian wish: that he should always remain as young and beautiful as he is in that painting, while the portrait grows old in his stead.

The wish comes true, and Dorian soon finds that none of his wicked actions have visible consequences. Realizing that he will appear fresh and unspoiled no matter what kind of life he lives, Dorian becomes increasingly corrupt, unchecked by public opinion. Only the portrait grows degenerate and ugly, a powerful symbol of Dorian's internal ruin.

Last updated on 6 April 2022

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What is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde about?

The Picture of Dorian Gray is about a young man, Dorian Gray, who basically sells his soul to remain the beautiful young man that he is. As he sits having his portrait painted by the artist Basil Hallward, as he has done so often, he is introduced to Lord Henry, who launches into a speech on the youth and the good looks that will eventually wrinkle and fade.

Dorian, knowing he is the gorgeous young man that he is, is suddenly worried that this amazing painting that Hallward has done of him will, in his later life, remind of the young man he is no longer. He curses the painting, not knowing that it is this spark of vanity that will ruin his life.

Spending time with Lord Henry over the next coming weeks spins Dorian into a life of pleasure and corruption, and then one day he notices that his portrait has changed slightly. He eventually hides the portrait away in a dusty room, and lives his life without the thought of consequences and moral anything.

By the end of the book, Dorian hasn’t aged a day in appearance, though 18 years have passed. His portrait, however, is haggard and ugly and old. By the time the end page rolls around, Dorian has loved and lost, been the talk of the town, killed and been the cause of suicides.

If you don’t know the story, I won’t tell you what happens at the end, but just when he wants to turn his life around, it’s too late. He feels he can’t confess the sins he has committed; he went too far and destroyed his own life with vanity and corruption of his own soul.

My thoughts on The Picture of Dorian Gray

I’m not very good at reading the Classics. I’ve read a couple, like Emma by Jane Austin, and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but that’s about it. I remember picking up Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte  at one point, but I don’t think I ever finished it. I did read The Importance of Being Ernest, at school, but that was about as ‘classic’ as we ever got (unless you count one term on Romeo and Juliet, which I don’t, because we didn’t really study it). But I feel like I need to read more Classical novels.

The Picture of Dorian Gray has been on my list for a while now. A friend was talking about it a few weeks ago, so that sort of reminded me to read it. Thankfully it’s an easy free download on my Kindle. I have known the general story for years now, it is mentioned in other books and stories, and movies even. I even saw the 2009 movie with Ben Barnes in it. While I only half remember parts of the movie, the book brought back the story.

The story sounds heavy, I know. And I guess it really is. It’s about morality, vanity, humanity, and living life for yourself and no one else. But at the same time, it’s a good book. There were some parts where I got bored, but it was mostly good. It’s written wonderfully, and even though I was a little bit ‘meh’ about going into it, as older styles of writing often have me confused and re-reading whole sections (ridiculous, I know), it was really great to read and I found myself not being to click the ‘next page’ fast enough.

I really love the writing and there are so many great quotes in the book, so I thought I’d share some of them. Most of them are in relation to living life, and while these were mostly meant for living life the way you want it, in a vain sort of way as per the book’s themes, I think they are great quotes anyway.

“It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.”

“Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is far the best ending for one.”

“The world is wide and has many marvellous people in it.”

“Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you!”

“Life has everything in store for you.”

“You have a wonderful influence. Let it be for good, not for evil.”

“Life has been your art. You have set yourself to music. Your days are your sonnets.”

“All good hats are made out of nothing.”

Have you read The Picture of Dorian Gray? What did you think?