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The Picture of Dorian Gray
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Archived "Buddy Reads"
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The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
I listened to 5 minutes, I ran out of charge :D
LOL, I haven't listened to anything today, so I'm still on chapter 2.
I've started but can't remember where I am, I'll come back in a bit
I've just started chapter 2, is Basil gay?
Elishia wrote: "I've just started chapter 2, is Basil gay?"That was my impression.
I also thought they were older in the first chapter but after that scene with the painting they seem really young I'm so confused. Think I only listened to a chapter maybe a bit more. I like that it's in East London because I can picture where they are.
Elishia wrote: "I also thought they were older in the first chapter but after that scene with the painting they seem really young I'm so confused. Think I only listened to a chapter maybe a bit more. I like that..."
I think both Basil and Lord Henry are older than Dorian, maybe late 20's. I think of Dorian as being 18-20 years old. Someone just come into adulthood and not quite sure who he is yet, so he's very impressionable.
Because some of us like to read along, I inluded the link of where to find a well formatted copy of the ebook and the one I'm using. Courtesy of the folks at MobileRead
here
.
Elishia wrote: "I've just started chapter 2, is Basil gay?"That's what I thought too. I'm still in chapter 1.
Is this guy name Henry or Harry? Basil calls him Harry but he was introduced in the first page as lord Henry.
Gisela wrote: "Because some of us like to read along, I inluded the link of where to find a well formatted copy of the ebook and the one I'm using. Courtesy of the folks at MobileRead here
."
I got the ebook from the library. It's hard just to listen.
Just started chapter 3
ShoSho wrote: "Is this guy name Henry or Harry? Basil calls him Harry but he was introduced in the ..."I think Harry is the nickname Basil uses for him.
Oh dear, this is just begging for someone to rewrite it as Fifty Shades of Dorian Gray, if it hasn't been done already. Some excerpts from Ch.3:"And how charming he had been... the night before, as with startled eyes and lips parted in frightened pleasure he had sat opposite to him at the club, the red candleshades staining to a richer rose the wakening wonder of his face..."
"...like playing upon an exquisite violin. He answered to every touch and thrill of the bow. . . . There was something terribly enthralling in the exercise of influence. No other activity was like it."
"There was nothing that one could not do with him."
"Yes; he would try to be to Dorian Gray what, without knowing it, the lad was to the painter who had fashioned the wonderful portrait. He would seek to dominate him – had already, indeed, half done so. He would make that wonderful spirit his own."
"Dorian bowed to him shyly from the end of the table, a flush of pleasure stealing into his cheek."
"“I want him to play to me,” cried Lord Henry, smiling, and he looked down the table and caught a bright answering glance."
"As he was passing out of the door, Dorian Gray touched him on the arm. “Let me come with you,” he murmured."
“I would sooner come with you; yes, I feel I must come with you. Do let me. And you will promise to talk to me all the time? No one talks so wonderfully as you do.”
OMG , you're right!
I have a confession. I don't understand the point of most of the dialogues. what are they talking about?That part in Harry's aunt's house when they were all talking about Americans what was the point?
Boo I had notifications off I knew one of you must have commented by now. I've just put it back on.
Sho I don't understand what half of their conversations are about I'm guessing they'll get to the point eventually, maybe it's a class thing because all they seem to do is go to each others house and tall about rubbish.
Hahaha Gisela I only noticed all that reading your comment, my mum probably wonders why I'm giggling.
yes I Googled to see if it existed
ShoSho wrote: "I have a confession. I don't understand the point of most of the dialogues. what are they talking about?That part in Harry's aunt's house when they were all talking about Americans what was the po..."
I know! They're so full of hot air!
Elishia wrote: " yes I Googled to see if..."
Bahahahaha! I knew someone must've done it! LOL
Didn't read any yesterday season 2 of Sense8 came out :-)
It's one of those books that you need to take in slowly and in moderation!
Gisela wrote: "ShoSho wrote: "Chapter 7 maybe! Or 6..."[spoilers removed]"
I hadn't got to the part where she talked with Dorian when I commented, and yes her reasoning seemed stupid to me too!
Lord Henry is like the little devil on Dorian's shoulder, while Basil plays the little angel. BTW, Lord Henry is so disdainful of women! >:(
Gisela wrote: "Lord Henry is like the little devil on Dorian's shoulder, while Basil plays the little angel. BTW, Lord Henry is so disdainful of women! >:("
He is really awful! His speech about women ...and then he talked about the woman that had loved him before, eeek
I'm going to put it on while I crochet so I can read your comments.
I've read it already. It certainly has gay undertones, but then who's the author? ;-) I loved it. It was a really good book, and a great social commentary on the perils of vanity xx
T.L. wrote: "I've read it already. It certainly has gay undertones, but then who's the author? ;-) I loved it. It was a really good book, and a great social commentary on the perils of vanity xx"
I didn't know I just read his bio! Poor guy!
Yeah, poor Oscar. He suffered a great deal.There's actually a pretty cool film featuring Stephen Fry about his life.
It's so hard to believe now what we used to do to gay people. And yet now they're allowed to get married. We've come a long way thankfully.
But the fact it was illegal is why there's merely a gay undertone alluded to but never fully mentioned. It's as if Oscar whispered it.
xx
T.L. wrote: "It's so hard to believe now what we used to do to gay people. And yet now they're allowed to get married. We've come a long way thankfully."I was thinking the same, in 70s and 80s in Australia gay people were prosecuted and imprisoned!! The world has come a long way in a short time and thank God for that!
I have to check that film out, sounds interesting specially with Steven Fry.
ShoSho wrote: "Chapter 13 I thinkthe last few minutes of part 5
."
That chapter is horrible! (view spoiler)
No idea where I am but he's 38 now I think and Basil is having a go at him. I can't read the comments in spoilers because I'm on my phone. Earlier on I felt like Henry was high most of the time it's also like he didn't want to be alone so tried to corrupt Dorian. That's interesting about Oscar Wilde I've heard of that film buy never seen it.
I th8think I had heard that before but i really like it.We women love with our ears and you men with your eyes.
Elishia wrote: "Earlier on I felt like Henry was high most of the time it'..."I hadn't thought about that; it would certainly explain most of the nonsense he says.
For those of you saying about being high, I think opium use was quite rife in the time it's set. So quite possible. It would also go with the hedonistic life Dorian is led into. It's full of vices, vanity being perhaps the lesser.
Gisela wrote: "Elishia wrote: "Earlier on I felt like Henry was high most of the time it'..."I hadn't thought about that; it would certainly explain most of the nonsense he says."
In the first page it says he was smoking heavy opium-tainted cigarettes so you are correct to assume he was high for most of the book!
I need to watch one of the movies based on this book.
I have a question that might of been answered already. Did Basil paint Dorian the way the painting is showing now and he was just blinded or is it meant to be magic. Wow Dorian turned psycho while I was typing
It's never really explained. Dorian believes that somehow his prayer was answered but it's never explained the how, why or by whom. So yes, magic.
Yeah, I'd go with magick too. He is kept artificially youthful whilst the painting shows his ageing, and indeed demonisation through his debauchery.
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Romance Lovers for the Challenge-Impaired
Books mentioned in this topic
The Erotic Picture of Dorian Gray, v1 (other topics)Fifty Shades of Dorian Gray (other topics)
Fifty Shades of Dorian Gray: Dorian Unwrapped (other topics)
Fifty Shades of Dorian Gray (other topics)
Fifty Shades of Dorian Gray: Dorian Unwrapped (other topics)
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Dorian Gray, a handsome and narcissistic young man, lives thoughtlessly for his own pleasure - an attitude encouraged by the company he keeps. One day, after having his portrait painted, Dorian makes a frivolous Faustian wish: that he should always remain as young and beautiful as he is in that painting, while the portrait grows old in his stead.
The wish comes true, and Dorian soon finds that none of his wicked actions have visible consequences. Realizing that he will appear fresh and unspoiled no matter what kind of life he lives, Dorian becomes increasingly corrupt, unchecked by public opinion. Only the portrait grows degenerate and ugly, a powerful symbol of Dorian's internal ruin.
Wilde's dreamlike exploration of life without limits scandalized its late-Victorian audience and has haunted readers' imaginations for more than a hundred years.
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Shosho, Elishia, and I will be listening to the audio version offered by the SYNC summer program.
If you wish to join us, you can download here. It'll be available for until tomorrow, so hurry!If you're too late, this book is in the public domain so you can find the ebook free online.* The copy I'm using to read along can be found here .