The Picture of Dorian Gray

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY by OSCAR WILDE is a book about three characters: Basil, a moralistic painter; Harry, a jaded wit; and Dorian, a searcher.

The story begins with Basil painting a portrait of Dorian, an innocent young man. We aren't told how Dorian managed to reach young adulthood and remain largely naive of his own good looks, the lure of drugs, the joy of fast women, etc., other than that he was raised by his grandparents in a rural setting.

Enter Harry, a socialite who tangles every idea in a clever phrase and philosophizes about art, psychology, and love at the drop of a hat. Harry flatters Dorian, who for the first time gets an inkling of just how good looking he is and the potential that lies therein. At this moment Basil finishes the portrait, capturing the moment that the innocent Dorian "awakens" to his manhood. Dorian, captivated by his own beauty on the canvas, muses that he would trade his soul if he could forever stay beautiful while the painting ages instead.

Essentially, this is what happens. Dorian takes Harry as his mentor and explores every hedonistic pleasure imaginable, often to the dire harm of others. But instead of being marked by these experiences, the painting bears the visible burdens of the debauchery. What does Dorian do when he discovers this phenomenon? How does it all end? I'm not telling. I've told you enough already.

This book is full of wonderfully witty sayings that seem perfectly true in context. Most of them are uttered as the pet theories of Harry, who serves as a sort of catalyst for bringing out the worst in people. After some reflection, his charming and verbally intricate proverbs are revealed to be thoughtless cynicisms. Consider the following example, offered to Dorian. To give the passage context: Dorian's first real love has committed suicide, but Harry doesn't know it and is trying to put a good face on his friend marrying a common actor.

"She is very lovely, and if she knows as little about life as she does about acting, she will be a delightful experience. There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating-- people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing. Good heavens, my dear boy, don't look so tragic! The secret of remaining young is never to have an emotion that is unbecoming."

Harry's witticism's function as a device for keeping Dorian interested in pursuing self-gratifying pleasures without concern for others or for his own well-being. The best part of reading the book is wrestling with the moral complications of Dorian's self-absorbed lifestyle and endless rationalizing. On the one hand, there is is his friend Basil's morality, which seems stuffy, unimaginative, and boring. On the other, there is real harm as well as real fun in Harry's cynical approach to life. Also, there is Dorian's self-reflection. He watches the effects of his experiences on his soul-portrait, and this terrible knowledge in turn affects his future choices.

FRANKENSTEIN, DR. JEKYLL AND MISTER HYDE, and THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY together make a masterful trilogy on the potentially monstrous human nature. I recommend them all and suggest that the subtleties in comparing and contrasting them makes for a rich study.

Three more quick thoughts.

1. If you are a teacher, this book would be an excellent companion to A CLOCKWORK ORANGE for comparison/contrast essays.

2. Oscar Wilde's own history as a gay man in a century that was not so forgiving of homosexuality is intertwined with the story of Dorian Gray. There are many parallels and overt references to Wilde's own life.

3. The following passage is from near the end of the book. I wonder how it relates to the book itself in a "meta" sense. Harry is speaking to Dorian.

"You and I are what we are, and will be what we will be. As for being poisoned by a book, there is no such thing as that. Art has no influence upon action. It annihilates the desire to act. It is superbly sterile. The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame. That is all."

I am 14, and strangely enough, Dorian Grey is the most relatable character I've ever read of. His skewed sense of morality and others is absolutely fascinating, and his secrets are darker than most. Incredible book, worth reading, changed my life.