The Portrait of Dorian Gray

by Elizabeth Gray (Retold By), Jenny Dooley (Retold by), Oscar Wilde

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Genres: Classics, Fiction, Novels, LGBT

51 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 1999

Reviews

[Zunair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely prose, extremely gay

[Gideon is BAE · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is amazing as I love the period in which it develops and the idea of ​​a portrait is a victim of the sins of dorian

[Sophia Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

in "THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY" I found it dull due to the time frame of the text, but in modern text this book would be remarkable. A young man who is incredibly self centered and vain to the point where he wants his youth to be eternal is very intriguing. I love how as his looks stay with him the portrait gets older and looses it charm it held before Dorian asked for his eternal youth. but I find it disturbing that he can find beauty and brilliance out of his lovers suicide. she could have been much more than just an uprising actress. As his time passes and he views the portrait in secret I think that he is becoming unhappy with what he sees and subconsciously wants to make things different for himself: especially after he ends up murdering Basil out of anger and stress. but my favorite part of the entire book is when he slashes the painting and when he is found dead he is an old man who looks as if time has taken a horrid toll on him, and the painting looks to be untouch3d from the day it was painted and the fresh faced, charming young Dorian its there in the picture.

[Kathy Crotty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Required reading only. Depressing social commentary. Would never have inspired a love of reading,

[Matthew Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dorian Gray is a pretty chaotic guy. Orphaned when young and co-parented rather irresponsibly by a painter who fancies him and a baron who lectures him incessantly on the world as it seems to him. Hardly surprising Gray turns out in equal parts insufferably vain and morally corrupt.

For me, the latter of Gray's two surrogate parents, Lord Henry, was by far the star of the show. Wilde gives him all of the best lines, and his attitude towards morality - exemplified by the line "even the cardinal virtues cannot atone for half-cold entrees" - paints a damning portrait of the English aristocracy. Though Gray commits the most heinous acts, we feel Harry's tutelage has provided the moral template on which they depend.

The narrative overall was fantastic. My only quibble is the slight excess of references to classical texts, Shakespeare etc. which made it a bit inaccessible. Although perhaps they function more as a critique of the characters who use them so frequently.

Well worth a read.

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agaiiiiin using this book as a placeholder for the fic ‘The Portrait of Draco Malfoy’ by SilverDragonGemini.
I was sus at first, because I wasn’t sure about the whole Draco is dead aspect and only his portrait is around.
But hang on cause things improved and stuff happens lol although some of the feelings towards the ending of the fic felt maybe a little much? Idk not really Draco-esque gave me the tinest ick
Overall good, and I had fun

[Scott Wilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those classics I've only now gotten around to reading. The story is superb, its comments on modernity yet timely. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to love that Prince of Paradox, Lord Henry, but I adored him, devil though he was.

[David Mucha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new favorite classic! Wilde so artfully describes the need to balance pleasure seeking with morality and the tension we feel when we try to mask our wrongful thoughts and actions. There is also a quote able line on nearly every page.

[Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of literary elements from the late 19th century, but absolutely delightful writing. Very homoerotic with lots of controversial talk about death and sin. The cords this struck with the British and Irish societies! #scandal

Will not write no more, but will finish with a quote from the book that I loved.

"Ah! I have talked quite enough for to-day," said Lord Henry, smiling. “All I want now is to look at life. You may come and look at it with me, if you care to."

Obviously, Lord Henry did not give two shits about what people thought, and that’s an energy that I respect.

[Rosabel Qué Onda · Rating 4 out of 5]

My English teacher told me to read it, and I don't regret doing it :)

[Julia Krzysztofik · Rating 5 out of 5]

kurwa tak to kocham cant wait zeby wszystkich namawiac do przeczytania, fun fact jak mój brat zapytał czy to ten grej od piędziesięciu twarzy to myślałam że mu jebne

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hated listening to Lord Henry Wotton. I understand that I'm not supposed to like him, but when he's talking for 100 pages straight and it's just sad to read it's not enjoyable.

[Lorelei Katcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

the death of an artist is possibly the worst thing ever because this man was revolutionary like how did he even come up with this

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book in the way I really liked Jane Eyre. It starts very slow and common but kind of takes you by surprise with the interesting subject matter that really does shock you. I somehow went all 20 years of my life without this book being spoiled for me so I was genuinely able to experience it for the first time. I found it a fun page turner and the ending is definitely what makes it one of those loved classics. Some of it I found quite boring which comes from me just not having an eye for classical literature because I am not often enamored by just chapters of exposition. The whole chapter describing the book Dorian is reading is really boring, I know there’s a point that doesn’t mean I don’t skim it and move on to the interesting stuff. All in all great book and up there with Pride and Prejudice for me!

[Gry Ranfelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The painter Basil finds great inspiration in the youth, innocense and beauty of Dorian Gray. He paints an indrecible portrait of the young man and inspires a wish:
"If only this portrait would grow old and lined with sorrows while I remain forever young."
You know the saying: be careful what you wish for.

I wasn't pulled into vigerous reading by this book. I didn't turn the pages like my life depended on it.
Instead I sometimes had to put the book away and think for a while. I love the philosophical conversations and how strange the character's opinions are. So true yet so twisted and deranged.
A good book but obviously far from anything our modern definitions would call "plot", making it a somewhat heavy read.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

So I just didn't get this at all. I didn't get the writing style, the characters, or why this is considered a classic.

I ended up DNFing this book because honestly I just couldn't carry on reading it. I've never been, and probably never will be, a fan of long descriptive passages. They just don't keep my attention and I find that I skip huge sections when there's a lot of description. I found with this book that by the time I've finished a paragraph, I've forgotten what it was describing.

I know there's meant to be a message conveyed in this book but I couldn't tell you what it was. It felt like 200 unnecessary pages of overly flowery detail. I definitely won't be recommending it to anyone and might only touch the book again to give it away.

[Aisana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most beautiful and mind blowing descriptions. A variety of interesting characters and their fancy way of thinking. A book worth reading and rereading. It contains many interesting thoughts and peculiar quotes. Wonderful language and nice plot.

[Tracey Parks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Not a page turner but a really good book and interesting time period. book about selfishness and human foibles.

[Abbystone Biscuit1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Wilde was a talented storyteller. This is an enjoyable classic to read again!

[Raluca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very captivating story! definitely recommend it!

[lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

what bad things did he do besides being criminally hot

[ally🌟 · Rating 4 out of 5]

rest in peace dorian, you would’ve loved botox 💔

[Zuzia Żuchowska · Rating 5 out of 5]

A question that preoccupies the depths of my mind after reading Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is: Did Harry ruin the main character or merely show him who he really is? I myself strongly believe in the theory that people are rotten by nature, some simply know how to keep it under control and others do not, and I live in harmony with that. I think that no one is one hundred percent good and that inside us lies the ability to be cruel and ruthless even more easily than to be tender and kind.

During the process of reading this book I kept having thoughts… hmmm Harry is terribly corrupting and demoralising Dorian and in the next moment I would decide that maybe he is simply showing him who he really is.

Harry’s character is, in a way, close to me because he lives in harmony with society yet has very rebellious and demoralising views. It felt familiar and I think I can identify with him to some extent. Another thing is the way the character throws his opinions into conversation, it is that cheekiness and desire to spark controversy against which I personally very often cannot defend myself. Controversy is the word that describes Harry and, by the way, my favourite word. There are so many of the lord’s remarks that are intriguing to me.

Statements that there are no good influences because every influence is immoral, that “sin is the only colourful thing that remains in the modern world,” that “Curiosity is a fatal thing. ‘Enough’ is merely a meal. More than ‘enough’ is already a feast… Fidelity is to emotional life what consistency is to intellectual life,” or “Modern morality consists in adapting to the age. In my opinion, for a cultured man adapting to the age is the greatest immorality.” Comments like “In her death I see something truly beautiful. It restores in man faith in the reality of the things we all play with: romance, passion and love.” When I copy these quotations a little spark of excitement lights up in my eyes at the very thought of how great discussions this could provoke.

I like it when a character is corrupted and that is what Dorian became, and that was beautiful. For me the picture the whole book is about is my definition of beauty in art because, in my opinion, pictures are beautiful because they hide some story behind them like Dorian’s portrait or allow us to create such a story. This book and the fact that the painting changed under the influence of the bad decisions and deeds undertaken by the main character is the most straightforward representation of a metaphor. I do not want to expand here on what Dorian did and how it affected him because that would be a summary and, for me, that is something one can simply read, so in this reflection I touch on side topics.

I would like to focus a little more on whether all this was Harry’s fault? I can confidently say that yes, he was responsible for these changes but only because he directed Dorian onto the path of self-evaluation. Harry achieved his goal, willing or not, he led Dorian through that journey which gave him the opportunity to conduct the desired observations, because Harry was an exceptionally intelligent man. With all his controversy he could handle himself perfectly and stay in control which allowed him good relationships with others and faith in his own values. Dorian probably just had too little self-restraint (I have the word on the tip of my tongue) to cope with it and the painting let him lose himself even more in exploring boundaries, money was not a problem for him either so the only thing that could stop him was death which, after all, stopped him in that pursuit when it turned into a fight with himself.

I can consider myself a fan of this book and the prettier sister of Harry, who immorally stole my heart. The beauty of Dorian Gray was artificial; it is the wrinkles and traces of history on the painting that I appreciate.

[Marina Kozareva · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

A young man who is incredibly self centered and vain to the point where he wants his youth to be eternal is very intriguing.

I love how as his looks stay with him the portrait gets older and looses it charm it held before Dorian asked for his eternal youth. As his time passes and he views the portrait in secret I think that he is becoming unhappy with what he sees and subconsciously wants to make things different for himself. Especially after he ends up murdering Basil out of anger and stress.

But my favorite part of the entire book is when he slashes the painting and when he is found dead he is an old man who looks as if time has taken a horrid toll on him, and the painting looks to be untouched from the day it was painted and the fresh faced, charming young Dorian its there in the picture.

I wasn't pulled into vigerous reading by this book. I didn't turn the pages like my life depended on it. Instead I sometimes had to put the book away and think for a while. I love the philosophical conversations and how strange the character's opinions are. So true yet so twisted and deranged. A good book but obviously far from anything our modern definitions would call "plot", making it a somewhat heavy read.

[Jaelin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though this novel's interpretation of the Faustian Bargain is well-executed and consistently intriguing throughout the read, I don't think this novel is for me. It is simply too outdated and downright offensive to be able to fully enjoy the novel. And I can already hear the same argument of "it was a different time," but I believe we need to criticize this kind of content to avoid repetition of any kind. Furthermore, from a more "objective" standpoint, the antisemitism and misogyny was truly too much. I would go pages without a break from hearing one of the main characters babble on about why women are horrid. What I can also see in this novel is Wilde's internalized homophobia. He obviously lived in an incredibly intolerant time, meaning even as a gay man he likely shared many homophobic views, explaining as to why some of Dorian's "immoral actions" can be seen now as allegories for homosexuality.

[Darryl Updegrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read. A perspective on what a person might do if they believe there is no physical consequence to sin, forgetting the emotional/psychological, and ignoring the spiritual. Interesting, too, was the fact that there is little mention of God, faith, religion throughout. To the point that a Bible scripture reference is referred to as a saying (i.e., they had heard people say it but had no idea its source). As the main character realizes that his portrait is suffering for his sins, he takes on a manner of evil to see the effects he causes in another who, while not the atonement for his sins, is in some ways the suffering servant who was wounded for his transgressions. Unfortunately for Dorian Gray, by his stripes he was not healed. I won't reveal the end, but not totally unexpected, and yet a reasonable conclusion to this tale.

[Anna Zhirova · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Lord Henry was speculating where his friend Basil Hallward might go, he revealed a piece of extraordinary funny evidence about San Francisco.

In Chapter 19, Lord Henry said: “Scotland Yard still insists that the man in the grey ulster who left for Paris by the midnight train on the ninth of November was poor Basil, and the French police declare that Basil never arrived in Paris at all. I suppose in about a fortnight we shall be told that he has been seen in San Francisco. It is an odd thing, but every one who disappears is said to be seen at San Francisco. It must be a delightful city, and possess all the attractions of the next world.”

Basil, a painter, was murdered by Dorian Gray who gave up his soul to keep his youth forever.

[Kavinda Ratnapala · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a slow book, but for the period in which it was written it may have been fast paced as a Bourne Novel.

Also explores philosophical themes such as goodness, justice, ageing, vanity and most importantly friendship me.

In reality it is the friendship with Henry which impacts young Dorian negatively than Basil who Dorian holds accountable throughout out the book for the plight of youth he faces .

[Jacci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

A masterpiece and debate on art, humanity, soul, religion--you name it, it was either touched upon or greatly expounded with such delightful, brilliant prose.

How I wish I could see the look on Lord Henry's face when he hears the circumstances of what happened to Dorian Gray and sees it up close for himself!

And the intro, on how art doesn't (no, mustn't) reflect the artist? Bravo, bravo!

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The storyline is depressing but it is masterfully written which for me made up for the storyline. I've heard various lines mainly from Lord Henry before but had no idea where the quotes came from. When a book is so well writen that people begin to quote it without having read the material then you know its a literary work of art. There's a reason it's a classic.