Oscar Wilde’s only novel
is a dark little tale of excess and debauchery in the upper echelons of
Victorian life. It concerns a handsome young man named Dorian Gray, and his
chance meeting with the devious and witty old cynic Lord Henry through their
mutual friend, the painter Basil Hallward. Dorian is absolutely empty-headed,
modelling for the painter without a care in the world, until Lord Henry strikes
up a firm friendship with him and tells him all about the wonders and pleasures
of the world available to someone as young and drop-dead gorgeous as Mr Dorian
Gray; if only until old age and ugliness sets in. After he finishes sitting for
the latest portrait, Dorian suddenly has a tantrum over the fact that this
likeness of him will continue to remain young forever, while he himself will
only ever get older and uglier until the day he dies – foolishly saying that he
would give his soul if only it were the other way round. After being gifted
with the painting, Dorian Gray suffers a traumatic relationship with an actress
and realises, to his horror, that the image in the picture has begun to change
– reflecting the inner corruption of his soul, the Dorian Gray in the portrait
begins to age and develop outward signs of a corrupt lifestyle. With this
undeniable proof that his hasty wish has been granted, he sets out on a
personal journey of discovery to see what depths of pleasure and depravity he
can reach, heedless of the damage he does to his acquaintances or his soul as
he is assured that he will retain his youth and good looks despite whatever
foul deeds he commits. The painting will pay the price.
Overall it’s quite a good book – a very simple concept at
its heart allowing Oscar Wilde to tell a rather unique and engrossing story.
The writing is excellent, packed with a certain amount of literary skill that
often fails to be boring, whilst displaying those characteristic Wilde
witticisms that makes one wonder if the man was really like this. Most notably
this is seen in the character of Lord Henry, a dark and captivating figure with
a sharp tongue and a whole catalogue of sexist remarks; one is inclined to want
to punch him every time he enters the room. He’s wonderful. Of the plot, it
progresses quite naturally, at a steady and deliberate pace, hitting some
superb high points as it rolls inexorably towards its grim conclusion. It’s a
sick little book, and for the most part I enjoyed it.
Of the author, what more needs to be said? A few years
after The Picture of Dorian Gray was
published, Oscar Wilde – once the most celebrated man in the British Isles –
was marked by brutal misfortune as a result of the harsh anti-homosexuality
laws and attitudes of the era. Oscar Wilde was a talented writer – a fact that
he was all too aware of – and that his literary career was cut short like this
is a shame and a tragedy. The preface at the beginning of the book outlines a
bewildering ethical and aesthetic standpoint that the man seemingly hoped to
convey through his writing, and while this more than anything else makes him
seem a tad pretentious, it’s difficult to deny that he had style and
intelligence to back it up – and this book goes some of the way to proving it. While
I can’t help but think he was a bit a conceited old bastard, nobody, least of
all this man, deserved the fate in store for him.
So yes; a damn good book. Dark, and at times horrific, the
plot is fresh and original, the writing impeccable, style and poignancy
combined to create a book worthy of one of the most famous names of the
Victorian era. Go ahead and read it; you’ll certainly remember it at the very
least.
Biblioture
Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. Penguin:
Reading. (1994 [First Published 1891])
No comments:
Post a Comment