The picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a book authored by oscar Wilde. I found it on amazon. I was just bored and I was looking for something new to read and that’s when I saw this book in amazon classics. when I read the review it instantly grasped my imagination but it was recently that i picked it up to read. 

book is profound in its vocabulary and 18th CE references which might interest some but that was not my cup of tea. I got into it for story and turns out it has not so satisfactory ending but that does not mean there is nothing to learn from it. characters are sketchy but mostly stand out because situation they are in are narrated with philosophical backing and that’s what keeps you glued. 

Spoilers !!

This is the story Dorian gray the innocent boy (at first) whose painting is so beautiful that he himself become jealous of it and secretly prays that instead of him ageing, his painting should carry that burden. and viola! destiny grants his wish.

It feels like character of lord henry wotton is personification of temptation and painter (Basil Hallward) represents the will to contain it. lord henry meets dorian at painters house where dorian is subject in the painting. Painter is visibly infatuated with dorian’s beauty and decides to paint him. He captures dorian is moment of realisation where he opens up to immense possibilities and sensations that his youth promises to provide. And all this is influence of lord henry who enjoys to study other people and claims that he never met someone like dorian. Throughout the book lord henry is major influence on dorian and appeals to his fascination through various means which heightens his thirst for pleasure. Like he says,

“Yes, Dorian, you will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you have never had the courage to commit.”

Ahead in story He loses his first love (Sybil Vane), murders his best friend -the painter, blackmails people, ruin them completely but instead of facing or feeling remorse or guilt he decides to escape it into material pleasure. he starts to collect exotic things, beautiful tapestries, reads fascinating stories but when he face himself, the worst of him repels him. Every evil he does, reflects on painting and he is intimidated with his ageing painting which not only gets ugly with time but also reflects his cruelty and crimes.

in the end he decides to become good person and thinks that he did something good by sparing his childhood love of pain by leaving her. And he is proud about it. only good thing he thought he did after so many crimes he commited, comes out of vanity. he thinks he made difference and rushes to take look at his painting hoping that it changed. but he is disappointed to find it as it is and in fit of rage he stabs the painting with knife.  and the painting returns to its former glory and youth drips on canvas once again, but on the floor lies Dorian gray with knife in his heart.

 He found escape in material things not realizing the fine line between evil and pleasure. There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realize his conception of the beautiful. his vanity and fascination for temptation made him blind towards love and friendship. But he paid the Price for his eternal youth by losing everything he was and everything he loved.

click on an image below to access book.