The Picture of Dorian Gray: Paint Me As An Event

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The Picture of Dorian Gray: Paint Me As An Event The Picture of Dorian Gray, a decent fanciful novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde, published in 1890. The novel, the only one written by Wilde, had six additional chapters when it was released as a book in 1891. The work, an exemplary tale of a young man who acquires perpetual juvenility as a significant investment of his soul, twas a romantic delineation of Wilde’s pure beauty and 'art for art's sake' emphasizing the obvious and sensuous attributes of art and drawing o'er rational, moralistic or chronological tolerances. “There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book,” wrote Wilde. “Book are well written, or badly written. That is all.” These proverbs that make up the “Preface” of Wilde’s novel were his response to those critics who had condemned the lewdness and unhealthiness of this story. Nevertheless, for all its transgressive pleasures, The Picture of Dorian Gray could easily be read as a profoundly moral book, even a cautionary tale against the dangers of vice. Dorian’s plunge toward ethical ugliness is neither praiseworthy nor advantageous. Indeed, the beautiful boy is the least interesting character in the book that bears his name. To be sure, it is the succinct wit of Lord Henry Wotton that urges Dorian on his quest for sensuality and sensation, but Dorian’s values pervert the deeply serious "oscarwildean" ethic that they externally mirror. Whereas, Wilde’s essays advocated individualism and self-realization as a route to a richer life and a bounteous equitable gentlefolk, Dorian follows a path of debauchery, self-indulgence, and the objectification of others. It is, nonetheless, a story that poignantly reflects Wilde’s own double life and anticipates his fall. Dorian’s repudiation, “Ugliness was the one reality,” neatly summarizes Wilde’s aestheticism, both his love of the artistic and his attraction amidst the impious. The Picture of Dorian Gray: Paint Me As An Event The saga originates in the particular art studio of Basil Hallward, which is considering a contemporary canvas amidst his sarcastic and amoral advocate, Lord Henry Wotton. Henry speculates that specific painting, a portrait of an exceptionally attractive adolescent individual, should remain uncovered, but Basil opposes, apprehending that his infatuation amidst the unprecedented portrait’s subject, Dorian Gray, can transpire observed against individual achievement. Dorian then appears, and he is fascinated as Henry demonstrates his conviction that one should savor presence to the absolute by gratifying one’s motivations. Henry likewise influences escape such elegance including adolescence are temporary, and Dorian confesses that he wouldst grant his soul if the portrait were to grow old and wrinkled while he remained young and handsome. Basil furnishes the painting with Dorian. Henry resolves to exercise on the scheme of embellishing Dorian’s personage. A few weeks later, Dorian tells Henry that he has befallen in love with an actress, Sibyl Vane, because of her great beauty and acting talent. Henry and Basil go with him to a shabby theatre to see Sibyl, but her performance is terrible. Sibyl describes to Dorian that now that she knows what authentic love is, she can no longer purport to be in love on stage. Dorian is nauseated and wants nothing further to do with her. When he returns home, he sees a cruel grimace on the face of his portrait, and he resolves to solicit Sibyl’s indulgence. Henry visits the next day, nevertheless, with news that Sibyl committed suicide the previous night, and he convinces Dorian that there is no reason for him to feel bad about it. Dorian has the portrait transferred to his attic. Henry delivers Dorian a book that he finds morbid and engaging, "Against The Grain" by Joris-Karl Huysmans. Following the book’s magnetism, Dorian consumes the subsequent 18 years in the pursuance of whimsical and carnal prodigality, and he matures increasingly induced to evil. He frequently visits the portrait, remarking the signs of aging and of depravity and degradation that emerges, though he prevails unblemished. One evening he runs into Basil, who tells him that there exist implicated rumors that he has destroyed the lives and reputations of many people. Dorian, notwithstanding, refuses to endure culpability. Basil confesses that he does not recognize Dorian anymore, he counters by accompanying him to the attic to see the portrait. The painting has become horrifying. Basil tells Dorian that if this is a representation of his soul, he must lament and pray for clemency, but he abruptly heightens enraged and Dorian murders Basil. He blackmails another former friend into disposing of Basil's body. Dorian proceeds to an opium den, where Sibyl’s vengeful brother, James, finds him, but the fact that Dorian still appears quite young discourages him from performing. Nonetheless, another patron of the den later divulges Dorian’s age. At a succeeding hunting party at Dorian’s country estate, one of the hunters unintentionally shoots and kills James, who was hiding in a thicket. Some weeks later Dorian tells Henry that he has selected to become righteous and latterly elected against overwhelming pleasure of a young girl who was belabored with him. Dorian goes to see if the portrait has elevated because of his distinguished commitment, except he perceives slightly that that has procured an appearance of craftiness. He decides to terminate the portrait and stabs it with a knife. His servants hear a scream, and, when they arrive, they see a loathsome old man dead on the floor with a knife in his chest and a portrait of the beautiful young man he once was. 2020 February 11

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Sigrid Ermine

Date: 6/27/2020 7:10:00 PM

You are a fine writer, William. I think you write this summary of Dorian in a way more concise and immersive than I would expect to see anywhere.

Hilo Poet
Date: 6/27/2020 7:23:00 PM

An insightful commentary you have written, Jasmine, all my best -- Aloha~@wk