From the Bookshelf of EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club…

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde

Start date: April 1, 2025

Finish date: April 30, 2025

Discussion: CLASSICS READS

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CLASSICS READS

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What Members Thought

Apr 11, 2008 Jenny rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is definitely a disturbing book. I think there is great worth in reading it, particularly when paired with a book such as Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe or Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Contrasting Dorian's sordid downfall with with the heroic ascension of Uncle Tom or Jean Valjean is particularly beneficial.

The Picture of Dorian Gray begins with Dorian, a young and handsome gentleman who is involved with philanthropy, sitting for a portrait The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is definitely a disturbing book. I think there is great worth in reading it, particularly when paired with a book such as Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe or Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Contrasting Dorian's sordid downfall with with the heroic ascension of Uncle Tom or Jean Valjean is particularly beneficial.

The Picture of Dorian Gray begins with Dorian, a young and handsome gentleman who is involved with philanthropy, sitting for a portrait while his new friend, Lord Henry, a sarcastic and hedonistic man of society, watches on. Dorian is described as being “unspotted from the world” and his beauty inspires the artist to his very best work. Lord Henry exclaims how lovely the portrait has turned out, but laments that it is too bad that the picture will stay young forever, whereas Dorian will eventually age and lose his youth and beauty. A vexed Dorian makes a wish that he will stay timeless and the picture will age instead of him.

Taking Lord Henry as a mentor, Dorian sets out to apply Lord Henry's selfish and narcissistic worldview into nearly every facet of his life. In time, Dorian realizes that his wish has magically come true. He remains beautiful, while his painting takes on all the consequences of his wicked actions. As the debased Dorian sins more and more, the picture becomes more hideous and tortures Dorian's soul.

Despite being filled with Wilde's signature wit, this is a haunting story showing the consequence of selfish character and the downfall of the soul due to despicable and hideous behaviors. Dorian loses his inner beauty long before he realizes that his soul's ugliness will destroy him.

It's interesting to note that he chooses a French novel as his own Core Book, a personal classic which guided him throughout his life. In comparison, Uncle Tom and Jean Valjean both chose the Bible as their Core book. Near the end of the book, Dorian laments, "You poisoned me with a book once. I should not forgive that. Harry, promise me that you will never lend that book to any one. It does harm." Wilde clearly shows that books exert an amazing influence over our lives. We must be wise in our choice of what we read. As Thoreau once said, "Read the best books first, or you may not have the chance to read them at all." I would only add to that, "Read the best books most often, for they will color your soul." ...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Stephen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: literature, z-read-in-2013, gay, and-saw-the-movie, available-on-line, 9-hoopla-audio-read, gay-uk, gay-historical-fiction, gay-pg, gay-by-gay

A young man, strikingly beautiful and remarkably pure from corrupt influences, sits for a portrait and when that portrait is finished makes a prayer that instead of his changing, the portrait will.

What follows is more than just a Faustian story. Perhaps Dorian comes to realize that man must bear the evidence of his mistakes though life or perhaps not. What we do see is a man who struggles to find something that gives his life meaning when the typical things are stripped away.

Wilde is infamous ...more

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May 13, 2010 Sunflower rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction-read-2010, e-books

With a name like Dorian he really didn't stand a chance, did he? I had difficulty for the first third of this book getting used to the upper classes and their tiresomeness, then the book took off and I could see what all the fuss was about.
Great concept, having a beautiful person stay unchanging while his portrait reveals what his face would be showing as his lifestyle degenerates. I thought for a while he might redeem himself, and perhaps Wilde was exploring that. Lord Henry entertains with a ...more

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Jul 12, 2014 Sarah rated it it was ok

Shelves: abandoned

Sorry. I really tried hard to like it. While I'll admit the prose was beautiful I just couldn't get over the fact of this pansy boy crying because he was going to grow old and lose his beauty! And the despicable character perpetuating the idea that the only way to be happy in life was to give in to temptation and pleasure. I haven't crossed this author off my list but these characters were just too pretentious and horrible to spend any more time with. ...more

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