So, I was going through my book collection the other day. Not necessarily through choice. I was tidying my room, and unfortunately dusting requires shifting stuff. I noticed a book that had fallen down the back of my shelf. With great difficulty (and an even greater lack of dignity) I was able to dig out the book. I dusted it off, uncrumpled the corners, y'know the usual stuff. To my surprise I had found a book that I had been looking for for ages.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of my favourite books of all time. It's been an adored part of my collection since I was about sixteen. Finding it again was a massive relief. It was almost as if I had found a missing part of myself.
The Picture of Dorian Gray from Jake's Personal Collection
The first time I was even vaguely aware of Dorian Gray was when I was still in secondary school. I was part of a quite *ahem* raucous Tutor Group. In the end our Tutor might have bribed us a little. If we could behave for the rest of term until Christmas then we would get a trip to the cinema. Well. Fair enough. I don't think I have ever seen a bunch of 12-13 year olds behave so well in class. The week before we broke up for Christmas rolled around and having been little cherubs for the rest of term we were allowed our reward.
I can't remember what we were supposed to go see originally, only that we didn't. Our tutor desperate for a Plan B decided on some superhero film. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This was loosely based (and I do mean loosely) on a comic by Alan Moore of the same name. Basically it was a superhero team made up of classic literary characters. Mr Hyde, The Invisible Man, Tom Sawyer, Captain Nemo, Alan Quartermaine, Mina Murray and Dorian Gray.
I can't remember what we were supposed to go see originally, only that we didn't. Our tutor desperate for a Plan B decided on some superhero film. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This was loosely based (and I do mean loosely) on a comic by Alan Moore of the same name. Basically it was a superhero team made up of classic literary characters. Mr Hyde, The Invisible Man, Tom Sawyer, Captain Nemo, Alan Quartermaine, Mina Murray and Dorian Gray.
It was a fun film. Was it a creative masterpiece? No? Is it one of those movies of questionable quality you can't help but stick on even though you know it's kinda hammy? Absolutely! Years later I would read the Graphic Novels (at Forest Hill Library of all places!) that had inspired the film and was disappointed at the absence of Mr Gray.
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| From The Times Digital Archive |
Nevermind, I was going to try and find out more about this eternally youthful enigma. Off I popped to the bookshop and grabbed myself a copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray.
I started reading it on the bus home from Croydon.
Then I couldn't stop reading. I think I finished it in about three days.
Firstly the writing style was very unique for a novel.
Rather than being written in any way I had previously experienced, this felt different, fresh (yes I am aware of the irony of using 'fresh' to describe a book from the 19th century), and exciting.
I started reading it on the bus home from Croydon.
Then I couldn't stop reading. I think I finished it in about three days.
Firstly the writing style was very unique for a novel.
Rather than being written in any way I had previously experienced, this felt different, fresh (yes I am aware of the irony of using 'fresh' to describe a book from the 19th century), and exciting.
Rather than the customary style of description interspersed with dialogue this was more like a play script. Detailed descriptions of the settings were laid down at the beginning of each chapter, to be followed by large amounts of dialogue. This could sound tedious, maybe even overwhelming, but it's not. Partly
this is down to the author, Oscar Wilde. Wilde is first and foremost a
playwright. This is obviously a key influence in his non-traditional writing style.
It's also arguably the reason it works. Wilde crafts these beautifully
described, richly detailed settings, but his almost instant dismissal of
these highlights that they shouldn't be the focus of what's going on.
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| from Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |
They are merely theatres in which the story plays out so to speak, glorious for sure, but not the reason you're there. I will touch on this later, but the irrelevance of the various places in the book arguably play a much greater level of significance. The dialogue really is what matters in this story. It's the true story.
Every conversation has a significance to the plot. From the first
chapter which ends with Dorian's lament, to when he finds his first
love, to the final chapter where his own desire to be untainted by the
world and his sins catch up with him.
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| From Grove Art Online |
Not only does this move the plot forward, but it often facilitates the deeper moral questions Wilde presents. To an extent you can even argue the dialogue is the plot. It's where the
majority of truly significant events take place whether it be Lord
Wotton's initial corruption of Dorian or Basil's realisation of what
Dorian has become.
This also would go some way to Wilde almost making the settings irrelevant. He is telling us the opulence or sordidness of any setting doesn't really matter because the real issues of importance are the conversations taking place.
These are where the events that shape the story are playing out, they inform the actions of our characters, it's almost as if he is impressing on us that the dialogue could take place anywhere, because the where isn't important.
This also would go some way to Wilde almost making the settings irrelevant. He is telling us the opulence or sordidness of any setting doesn't really matter because the real issues of importance are the conversations taking place.
These are where the events that shape the story are playing out, they inform the actions of our characters, it's almost as if he is impressing on us that the dialogue could take place anywhere, because the where isn't important.
From a perspective of a Gothic Horror novel Wilde plays more on the idea of the internal rather than external horror. If Dracula is all about primal fear, terror of the unknowable, then The Picture of Dorian Gray is all about the internal horror. We are witness to not just what's going on, but the inner workings of Dorian's thoughts and feelings. His hopes, his fears, his darkest desires. It's like watching a car crash play out in slow motion. We can see what's happening but we are nothing more than helpless observers. Yet since then every time I have re-read it I have found myself less
inclined to make the same choice as Dorian. First of all it affected me
on a moral level. Sure a life without limits sounds fun, but Wilde gives
you enough examples of the damage it leaves behind. Numerous lives are
ruined in the wake of Gray's own descent into debauchery.
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| From IndieFlix |
For me though this is a book that's left a lasting impact on me. It made me aware of Wilde's creative genius, and it ultimately led to him being one of my idols. When I first read it as a naive 16 year old my takeaway was 'well I really wish I had a painting that would take on all of my sins and make me eternally young.' On the surface of it, wouldn't you? A constant life of hedonism without it making its mark on you? Quids in!
While he may not be interested in anything other than getting his kicks, Dorian is content to leave a path of destruction in his wake. That really is his legacy, not the partying, not the good looks, not even the salacious whispers of what he gets up to in his spare time, it's all the lives he has effected and sucked into his own dark descent.
While he may not be interested in anything other than getting his kicks, Dorian is content to leave a path of destruction in his wake. That really is his legacy, not the partying, not the good looks, not even the salacious whispers of what he gets up to in his spare time, it's all the lives he has effected and sucked into his own dark descent.
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| From The Illustrated London News |
After my third or fourth reading however another, perhaps more obvious,
lesson presented itself. The Picture of Dorian Gray highlights how
perception and reality are not interchangeable. For all the people who
can't believe the stories they hear about Dorian, so choose to buy into
the perceptions, it does not change the reality of what Dorian is and
what he has done. They can disbelieve and bury their head in the sand,
but the fact is he is (unapologetically) what he is, and has no desire
to change that.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a tale that truly illustrates the old saying, beauty is only skin deep.
Fancy reading about Mr Gray (not that one!) and his fabulous painting?
You can find it on our E-Library Picture of Dorian Gray
You can find it on our E-Library Picture of Dorian Gray
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