DELUXE HARDBACK CLASSICS PICTURE OF DOR

I read this for school and had always heard great praise about it. When I started to read it i expected something more supernatural and instead got a self involved conceded man. The over all idea that Wild provided of manipulation and good vs evil was well shown in the novel as well as the most innocent turning to evil.

The picture of Dorian Gray is a story depicting the human soul and the negative implications of narcissism. In addition, it also takes a unique artistic perspective on the importance of preserving “innocence”. First published in 1890 in Lippincott’s monthly magazine it was decried immoral. That being said, The Picture of Dorian Gray was a novel simply ahead of the time it was published. In revising the text the following year, Wilde included a preface, which serves as a useful explanation of his philosophy of art. The purpose of art is to have no purpose. In order to understand this claim fully, one needs to consider the moral climate of Wilde’s time and the Victorian sensibility regarding art and morality. The Victorians believed that art could be used as a tool for social education and moral enlightenment, as illustrated in works by writers such as Charles Dickens. Not too entirely stray from this novel, the preface in itself is truly a masterpiece. I highly recommend this novel to those who have a serious and sincere interest in the arts.

"[W]hat does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose … his own soul?'" (Chapter XIX)

The Picture of Dorian Gray was entertaining to read and had an unexpected ending. The prose was beautiful, and there were many references to roses. The idea of this story is very creative and I was surprised that the story was this interesting. The only problem I had was that there were too many conversations to demonstrate Lord Henry's thoughts.


One day, Basil Hallward, an artist, sees Dorian Gray at a gathering and feels instantly connected to him. Basil feels that Dorian can inspire his work to be tremendous.

Basil befriends Dorian, and asks him to come to his studio so that Dorian can get his picture painted. Dorian is beautiful and young, and Basil always tells him that.

Soon after, however, Basil hints to his friend, Lord Henry, about his strange meeting with and interest in Dorian Gray. And that Dorian has inspired him, and his paintings to be the best that he has ever painted.

Hearing that Dorian is untainted, Lord Henry wants to show Dorian the world, and to help Dorian experience new thoughts and emotions. Although Basil wants to keep Dorian to himself, because he knows the mind games that Lord Henry plays with all of his friends, Henry ends up meeting Dorian by accident, when Dorian comes to the studio. That is how innocent Dorian's life changes.

Later, Lord Henry tells Dorian that he can have everything he wants in his youth, because of his appearance, but that beauty won't last forever. Dorian becomes upset, and after Basil is finished painting picture of him, Dorian wishes that he could look like the Dorian in the picture forever, and that the Dorian in the picture would age instead him.

See the wicked evils that Dorian commits to alter the face in the picture. Read the thoughts and ideas Lord Henry plants into Dorian's mind, like a devil whispering into his victim's ears.


The following are a few lines I enjoyed:

"The advantage of the emotions is that they lead us astray, and the advantage of science is that it is not emotional." (Chapter III)

"Experience was of no ethical value. It was merely the name men gave to their mistakes." (Chapter IV)

"It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others we were really experimenting on ourselves." (Chapter IV)

"... who were extremely old-fashioned people and did not realize that we live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities…" (Chapter VIII)

"So I have murdered … her as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife. Yet the roses are not less lovely for that. The birds sing just as happily in my garden." (Chapter VIII)

"'To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul!'" (Chapter XVI)

"It is said that passion makes one think in a circle."(Chapter XVI)

"Knowledge would be fatal. It is the uncertainty that charms one. A mist makes things wonderful." (Chapter XVIII)

"Crime belongs exclusively to the lower orders … I should fancy that crime was to them what art is to us, simply a method of procuring extraordinary sensations." (Chapter XIX)

4/5

"[W]hat does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose … his own soul?'" (Chapter XIX)

The Picture of Dorian Gray was entertaining to read and had an unexpected ending. The prose was beautiful, and there were many references to roses. The idea of this story is very creative and I was surprised that the story was this interesting. The only problem I had was that there were too many conversations to demonstrate Lord Henry's thoughts.


One day, Basil Hallward, an artist, sees Dorian Gray at a gathering and feels instantly connected to him. Basil feels that Dorian can inspire his work to be tremendous.

Basil befriends Dorian, and asks him to come to his studio so that Dorian can get his picture painted. Dorian is beautiful and young, and Basil always tells him that.

Soon after, however, Basil hints to his friend, Lord Henry, about his strange meeting with and interest in Dorian Gray. And that Dorian has inspired him, and his paintings to be the best that he has ever painted.

Hearing that Dorian is untainted, Lord Henry wants to show Dorian the world, and to help Dorian experience new thoughts and emotions. Although Basil wants to keep Dorian to himself, because he knows the mind games that Lord Henry plays with all of his friends, Henry ends up meeting Dorian by accident, when Dorian comes to the studio. That is how innocent Dorian's life changes.

Later, Lord Henry tells Dorian that he can have everything he wants in his youth, because of his appearance, but that beauty won't last forever. Dorian becomes upset, and after Basil is finished painting picture of him, Dorian wishes that he could look like the Dorian in the picture forever, and that the Dorian in the picture would age instead him.

See the wicked evils that Dorian commits to alter the face in the picture. Read the thoughts and ideas Lord Henry plants into Dorian's mind, like a devil whispering into his victim's ears.


The following are a few lines I enjoyed:

"The advantage of the emotions is that they lead us astray, and the advantage of science is that it is not emotional." (Chapter III)

"Experience was of no ethical value. It was merely the name men gave to their mistakes." (Chapter IV)

"It often happened that when we thought we were experimenting on others we were really experimenting on ourselves." (Chapter IV)

"... who were extremely old-fashioned people and did not realize that we live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities…" (Chapter VIII)

"So I have murdered … her as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife. Yet the roses are not less lovely for that. The birds sing just as happily in my garden." (Chapter VIII)

"'To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul!'" (Chapter XVI)

"It is said that passion makes one think in a circle."(Chapter XVI)

"Knowledge would be fatal. It is the uncertainty that charms one. A mist makes things wonderful." (Chapter XVIII)

"Crime belongs exclusively to the lower orders … I should fancy that crime was to them what art is to us, simply a method of procuring extraordinary sensations." (Chapter XIX)

4/5

I would recommend this edition for the avid Wilde reader: the notes are geared towards someone with some previous knowledge of the text - I loved the indications of where the text had been changed from the first to the second release of the novel. And, of course, the meserizing story itself -- still fresh, still relevant, beautifully written. A great buy!

After watching the movie "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", I realized that I didn't know the stories behind the main characters. Allan Quartermain, Captain Nemo, Mina Harker, the Invisible Man, Dorian Gray, Tom Sawyer and Dr. Jeykll and Mr. Hyde. Thus my quest to search out the books where they were introduced and read them. First on the list that I read was "King Solomon's Mines", Allan Quatermain, by H. Rider Haggard.




According to his friends and acquaintances, Dorian Gray is a lovely man in every way. Upon first seeing him, Basil Hallward becomes determined to paint his portrait. It is while sitting for him, that Dorian first meets and falls under the lure of Lord Henry Wotton. I disliked Henry from the moment he was introduced. He cared only for the luxuries of life. I'm not sure if describing him as a hedonist is correct. During the course of an afternoon he sways Dorian from his 'nice' lifestyle' to one bent on excess. It is during this afternoon that Dorian, while gazing upon his picture states that he wishes he would stay as lovely as his picture is at that moment and that the picture grow old. He even offers his soul in payment.
Once this comes to pass Dorian never accepts that he is at fault. He blames Basil for all the ills of his life. Dorian is the one who makes the choices of what to do each day and how to live with this salvation/curse. In my opinion he makes one bad choice after another. He should only blame himself. Even when he realizes that he can not continue this way and that he could redeem himself, he still blames Basil.
Contrary to my belief, Dorian continues to look at the painting through out his life. He becomes obsessed with it. Mistakenly, he believes that if he destroys his painting then he will have his life back as it would have been.
There is a lot more to the story that describes the many depravities of Dorian's life and the philosophies that Lord Henry continually uses to re-enforce chosen lifestyle. I liked the summary article for this book on the Wikipedia site.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a story of decadence, privilege, and the human soul. Dorian Gray, a wealthy and exceedingly handsome man, lives in late-Victorian London. While having his portrait painted, he impulsively wishes that the portrait bear the burden of Dorian's sins and the aging Dorian desperately wishes to avoid. When he realizes that his wish has come true, Dorian begins a descent into pleasure and decadence that has horrific consequences. His story is ultimately a human one, for who among us hasn't wished to be able to act without the cost of repercussions?

The book is really good, scary. Its about A guy called Dorian who always stays the same but the picture changes uglier everytime he does something bad.He turns really evil. Then something happens. You should read it today.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a story of decadence, privilege, and the human soul. Dorian Gray, a wealthy and exceedingly handsome man, lives in late-Victorian London. While having his portrait painted, he impulsively wishes that the portrait bear the burden of Dorian's sins and the aging Dorian desperately wishes to avoid. When he realizes that his wish has come true, Dorian begins a descent into pleasure and decadence that has horrific consequences. His story is ultimately a human one, for who among us hasn't wished to be able to act without the cost of repercussions?

Particularily in the early portion of the novel, Oscar Wilde does a commendable job of speaking to the areas of beauty, art and desire. The depth of characterization is remarkable and their hearts are exposed to you as a reader.
I was required to read this for a Philosophy course and it was one I actually enjoyed reading and could not put down.

I really didn't particularly like the book. Oscar Wilde bored me and I feel ashamed to admit it! But he had some great lines. There was a couple of things he said that left me thinking about them for a few minutes. The story as a whole, though, I found pretty dreadful.

Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is a story of corruption, sin and the power of influence. The young and beautiful Dorian becomes so selfish and hedonistic that he completely disregards those that care for him and refuses to take ownership of his actions. Although Dorian at first appears innocent and modest, the influence of Lord Henry feeds his vanity and destroys his morality. He acts like a child who craves only pleasure, as he discards those he once called his friends when they no longer satisfy his hunger.

Dorian is easily despised, even though he is young and impressionable. His actions are selfish, and his vanity and self-absorption make him ignore the feelings of those around him. He treats his 'love' Sibyl Vane as though she is a "thing," and fails to notice the evil in his treatment of her. In fact, Sibyl's suffering is a catalyst for Dorian to become even more hedonistic and vulgar.

As a reader, I felt a lot of sympathy for Basil Hallward, the artist that painted the portrait that would "bear the burden of [Dorian's] shame" and show the hideousness of his personality. Basil was so devoted and attached to Dorian, but his friendship was pushed aside and replaced with the ideals of Lord Henry because his own views were too moral for Dorian's behaviour. When Dorian begins to realize how he has "marred [his own] soul," instead of owning up to his crimes, he places the blame on Basil and never feels much remorse for his actions. Basil was an innocent and honest person, but Dorian's hate of the portrait that showed the ugliness within him caused him to forget that Basil was once his best friend.

However, I do not feel that Dorian's vanity is entirely his fault. At times, I felt really sorry for him because of how naïve he is and because of how he finds his whole sense of worth in his physical appearance. The society he lives in has a large part in fuelling his vanity. People would judge and praise Dorian after seeing the "purity of his face" so I understand why he feels the necessity to prize and preserve his beauty and youth.

Dorian's lack of responsibility really began to anger me towards the end of the novel. He treats the portrait as a scapegoat for his sins and vices. The painting shows the destruction of his soul and becomes almost like a detached conscious. Yet Dorian finds amusement in the distortions of the portrait, which shows the ignorance of his character. Instead of putting in a real effort to become a better person, he rejoices in the fact that he can enjoy "eternal youth, infinite passion, pleasures subtle and secret, wild joy and wilder sins" while watching the portrait take the consequences of his actions. He becomes so hedonistic that he loses his self-worth and integrity as a human being.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" was an enjoyable read and presented a lot of thought-provoking ideas. The characters seemed very real and Wilde used great descriptions and imagery to form pictures in my mind. Even though some conversations were a bit long and dull, the plot and philosophical ideas created interest for me to keep reading. At times I even felt guilty for agreeing with the views of Lord Henry because, although they influence Dorian to become so evil and destructive, I still think his ideas of people and life are very true. Wilde has written a thoughtful novel that combines the fantasy of the magical portrait with the realism of human corruption to create an enjoyable and imaginative story.

I'd forgotten just how much I loved this novel. Wilde's wit is superb, and super-sharp. His ability to make snide social commentary was lost on his time (and indeed, got him in a whole hell of a lot of trouble), but it makes me smile.

On the surface, this is the story of a man who trades his soul in order to make a painting suffer all the effects of sin and aging for him, that he never loses the blush or beauty of youth. As he delves further and further into sin and degredation, taking the young and innocent down into the dirt with him, the painting grows more grotesque, and he watches his own sins stain its surface.

The 'homosexual content' that so landed Wilde in trouble is such a deft and light touch that at times you have to really hunt for it, but there's a testament there to just how far we've come (and how far we have to go).

Enjoyable, dark, spoiled, ruined, hopeful, interesting... oh, I love this book.

A captivating story of a wonderfully handsome Dorian who over time becomes more selfabsorbed and heartlesss as his vanity consumes him. But it is Lord Henry who spills utter delight upon this story. Lord Henry's wit, humour and aphorisms are a beautiful contrast to the ever polite and conservative British high society. Oscar Wilde is brilliant. A definite favourite novel of all time.

It was interesting, not really what I thought it would be, but good all the same. The way Oscar Wilde made the characters act is very odd. If you want a book you won't finish in a day, this would be the book for you.

a boxer recommended this book......i enjoyed it.....only one slow chapter filled with too much detail....otherwise....great read......

Honest to God, Dorian Gray could be the only book I was allowed to read for the rest of my life, and I would not grow tired of it. I cannot explain how much impact it has had on my life, and how much it has changed me as a person. this sounds cliche and ridiculous, but it also has changed the way I look at everybody else.
I could go on until the Second Coming about my favourite book, but one cannot truely appreciate this masterpiece simply by reading a review by some stranger over the internet. You must experience this work of amazing fiction for yourself.
Thank you for taking time to read this, and thank you, Oscar Wilde.