The Picture of Dorian Gray is by far one of the best books that I have ever read. I am a writer, and the clever use of words in this books astounds me, as well as the way that Oscar Wilde weaves description with emotions that every human being experiences in their lives.
When I was younger, ... Read review
A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the ... more
aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, his subject's frivolous wish that the picture change a...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the ... more
aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, his subject's frivolous wish that the picture change a...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the ... more
aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, his subject's frivolous wish that the picture change a...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the ... more
aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, his subject's frivolous wish that the picture change and he remain the same comes true. Dorian Gray's picture grows aged and corrupt while he continues to appear fresh and innocent. After he kills a young woman, "as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife", Dorian Gray is surprised to find no difference in his vision or surroundings. "The roses are not less lovely for all that. The birds sing just as happily in my garden."As Hallward tries to make sense of his creation, his epigram-happy friend Lord Henry Wotton encourages Dorian in his sensual quest with any number of Wildean paradoxes, including the delightful "When we are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are not always happy." But despite its many languorous pleasures,The Picture of Dorian Grayis an imperfect work. Compared to the two (voyeuristic) older men, Dorian is a bore, and his search for ever new sensations far less fun than the novel's drawing-room discussions. Even more oddly, the moral message of the novel contradicts many of Wilde's supposed aims, not least "no artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style." Nonetheless, the glamour boy gets his just deserts. And Wilde, defending Dorian Gray, had it both ways: "All excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its own punishment."
Postage & Packaging:£2.75 Availability:Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the ... more
aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, his subject's frivolous wish that the picture change and he remain the same comes true. Dorian Gray's picture grows aged and corrupt while he continues to appear fresh and innocent. After he kills a young woman, "as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife", Dorian Gray is surprised to find no difference in his vision or surroundings. "The roses are not less lovely for all that. The birds sing just as happily in my garden." As Hallward tries to make sense of his creation, his epigram-happy friend Lord Henry Wotton encourages Dorian in his sensual quest with any number of Wildean paradoxes, including the delightful "When we are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are not always happy." But despite its many languorous pleasures, The Picture of Dorian Gray is an imperfect work. Compared to the two (voyeuristic) older men, Dorian is a bore, and his search for ever new sensations far less fun than the novel's drawing-room discussions. Even more oddly, the moral message of the novel contradicts many of Wilde's supposed aims, not least "no artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style." Nonetheless, the glamour boy gets his just deserts. And Wilde, defending Dorian Gray, had it both ways: "All excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its own punishment."
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A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the ... more
aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, his subject's frivolous wish that the picture change and he remain the same comes true. Dorian Gray's picture grows aged and corrupt while he continues to appear fresh and innocent. After he kills a young woman, "as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife", Dorian Gray is surprised to find no difference in his vision or surroundings. "The roses are not less lovely for all that. The birds sing just as happily in my garden." As Hallward tries to make sense of his creation, his epigram-happy friend Lord Henry Wotton encourages Dorian in his sensual quest with any number of Wildean paradoxes, including the delightful "When we are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are not always happy." But despite its many languorous pleasures, The Picture of Dorian Gray is an imperfect work. Compared to the two (voyeuristic) older men, Dorian is a bore, and his search for ever new sensations far less fun than the novel's drawing-room discussions. Even more oddly, the moral message of the novel contradicts many of Wilde's supposed aims, not least "no artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style." Nonetheless, the glamour boy gets his just deserts. And Wilde, defending Dorian Gray, had it both ways: "All excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its own punishment."
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Advantages: An exquisite adventure into description. Disadvantages: None.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is by far one of the best books that I have ever read. I am a writer, and the clever use of words in this books astounds me, as well as the way that Oscar Wilde weaves description with emotions that every human being experiences in their lives.
When I was younger, perhaps my understanding of the book was limited, although as I grow older and see the age lines start to appear, his writing makes great sense, ... ...instead of growing old himself, the portrait that he has commissioned of himself at an age when he is young and in his prime would age in his place.
The book begins with beautiful description of surroundings and Oscar Wilde cleverly pulls you in to the story as any good writer tries to. I am envious of his seemingly simple invitation to read on.
The story begins "The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, ... more
The Picture of Dorian Gray is by far one of the best books that I have ever read. I am a writer, and the clever use of words in this books astounds me, as well as the way that Oscar Wilde weaves description with emotions that every human being experiences in their lives.
When I was younger, perhaps my understanding of the book was limited, although as I grow older and see the age lines start to appear, his writing makes great sense, because it is a story about a man who wishes that instead of growing old himself, the portrait that he has commissioned of himself at an age when he is young and in his prime would age in his place.
The book begins with beautiful description of surroundings and Oscar Wilde cleverly pulls you in to the story as any good writer tries to. I am envious of his seemingly simple invitation to read on.
The story begins "The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn."
This is typical Wilde. Here he conjures up ideas of a time and a place, of scents and of seasons, and this book always startles me in its realism.
As the story unfolds, young Dorian Gray sees his finished portrait and the way in which Wilde desribes the feelings that the young man encounters are genius ! He recognises for the first time probably in his life how valuable this moment in time is, and that all that lies ahead is old age and wrinkles. He wishes with all his might and says that he would give his soul to stay as young as that portrait, painted on a June day, a portrait that will never grow old.
Dorian gets angry with the world, and says that his admiration is for beautiful things, and that he is envious of the portrait.
Describing people and scenery throughout the book is like Wilde is creating a tapestry set in Old England and his writing relates to a time that has gone, but in a way that you get pulled into imagining it in the here and now. His words, his wit are memorable, and little quotes from the book make me as a writer very envious of such a writing skill.
"My dear boy, no woman is a genius. Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly. Women represent the triumph of matter over mind, just as men represent the triumph of mind over morals."
Such clever conception all the way through the book. This is a readers paradise. Wilde knew just how to put thought into word and make it work, and if you have never read this book, then it is time to read it now, because it will astound you.
The story unfolds a love encounter between Dorian Gray and Sybil Vane and all the complexities that this causes both of them. It really is a complex mixture of emotions and thought that other writers fail to express in such a fluent manner.
Although there is a distance between the time in which this story is set, and now, all of the feelings and emotions that Wilde twists and turns in this story are still valid ones, and easily comprehended and felt by the reader.
Behind the facade of beauty, Sybil Vane evolves like any human being does when the initial facade of newness disappears and leaves space for the mundane. Within Wilde's words, he captures the essence of relationships perfectly, and that process between falling "in" love and then being in love. The two are miles apart and he captures the heart of the reader perfectly in his chapters that relate to relationships, and how simply they can falter.
I do not want to give away too much of what this story tells because it needs to be experienced. It needs to be marvelled at. This is a book that will always be a classic, a classic horror story perhaps, whilst a clever intepretation of the way that human beings see things in moments of their lives. Wilde's descriptive writing does the subject matter justice.
Suffice to say that the story is fluent, well written and has an amazing finale, and one that will never be forgotten by the reader. This is an all time classic. Library bound as any classic should be, this costs as little as £9.50 from Amazon books, and is a book that you will not part with, one that you will find yourself referring to throughout a lifetime, as I have, and one that stays within your soul forever.
Advantages: Beautifully written and still so important... Disadvantages: Bleak and sad and horrific...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“It is the spectator, and not life that art really mirrors”.
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In “The Picture of Dorian Gray” the wonderful fop Oscar Wilde paints a bleak picture of the repellent side of human nature as the beautiful hero Dorian Gray ages not one jot between lewd acts and malefaction but the sinister portrait of him hanging in the attic takes on all the pestilence, age and filth that ... ...is an iconoclastic image of the age: it matters little if you have ever read the book but I would be surprised if many English-speaking adults did not know at least the central theme of this most famous of short stories. The once pure “child” that is the early Dorian reveals all the stains on his blackened soul through the hidden picture.
There are many themes, if you chose to follow them, that bring a multi-layered offering to the reader, and it ...
Kirsty1 24.02.2003 (18.09.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
Advantages: Beautiful prose and wondering story-telling. Disadvantages: None
...you were to think of the classic horror stories of the nineteenth century, I am sure you would be in mind of…say, Dracula or Doctor Jeckle and Mr Hyde. You will think the names Poe and Lovecraft. Some of you might even think of Oscar Wilde and ‘The Picture of Dorian Grey.’ Grey by the way seems to be spelt both as Grey and Gray! This is the book that I had promised myself I would read at least five years ago, and now I have done just that. But was ... ...as being?
The first sketches to be put on the canvas that is ‘The Picture of Dorian Grey’ are an introduction to three main characters. Three friends, all of different personalities… to begin with anyway. We have the young, naïve Dorian of the title, sitting for a portrait by top artist Basil Hallward and we have Lord Henry Wotton. Basil has become quite fond of the young Mr Grey, and Lord Henry is curious of the gentleman. Dorian appears to him ...
Borg 25.03.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
...consider myself well-read, compared with the number of books on the market I feel I?m hardly literate. Rarely do I read a book a second time although I´ve got lots which would be worth it. Why have I decided to honour this novel with a second perusal? I read the German translation in my teens and since then Oscar Wilde has always been with me, so to speak. I´ve read his children´s stories, seen on the stage and read with my students The Importance ... ...Windermere´s Fan and have seen the film on Oscar Wilde starring Stephen Fry. What has always pleased me is Wilde´s use of the English language, his witty apercus and aphorisms. I like using those myself with the difference that I don´t invent many not being a genius ;-), luckily I´m able to pick them up, store them and use them when appropriate. The Picture Of Dorian Grey then. Wilde´s only novel created a scandal when it appeared in 1890, difficult ...
MALU 12.12.2004
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Advantages: easy to read Disadvantages: weak plot, confusing at times
...Extraordinary Gentleman" (which had the good fortune of starring Sean Connery), and was interested in the story. So having found it I settled in to read. Not having read much Oscar Wilde, I did not know what to expect, but I did expect a bit more than what I got.
Young Dorian Gray is a very beautiful youth, in whose looks his friend, Basil Hallward, finds the perfect muse for his painting. Due to Basil's flattery, he becomes very vain and very fond ... ...an oath, that he wished the painting could age while he kept his youthful looks.
They say be careful what you wish, for it might come true. In this case, of course, his wish comes true, otherwise the story would probably have fizzled out rather sooner. Influenced by Lord Henry, he begins to experience all the joys that life can offer him. In the course of experiencing these joys he breaks a girl's heart, which leads to her death. It is then that ...
Rebeccs 18.11.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
Advantages: Brilliantly horrific and satirical, written with a sense of the beauty words can construct that astounds, this is simply wonderful... Disadvantages: Age has not stolen it's power to disturb - this is no charming classic...
...just about every genre in the book, and in life he was both amused and pained that many thought this range suggested superficiality. That is one crime of which Wilde can never be justifiably accused. The content of 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', a work which is almost semi-autobiographical, works on a multitude of levels.
In short, this is the story of a man exposed, through literature given to him by one Lord Henry, to the darker side of life, the ... ...pleasures with vigour and enthusiasm, the once pure-hearted Dorian Gray becomes a black beast. He remains youthful, beautiful and saintly looking, while all the time the titular picture of him grows more and more repellent as it begins to display his true countenance - the stains on his soul, his age and inner ugliness. With this clean, neat metaphor, Wilde allows himself to explore several themes. Firstly, there is the hypocrisy of the individual, ...
RichardW 17.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
oscar + dehn
AnInstrumentOf Love ToTease.Arouse AndTantalise. ACooling E...
Product Information for "The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde" »
Product details
Type
Fiction
Genre
Classics
Title
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Author
Oscar Wilde
ISBN
1934169544
EAN
9781934169544
Manufacturer's product description
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is a masterpiece of aestheticism and a moral parable. Dorian Gray is a young man of impossible physical beauty whose portrait -- painted by the artist Basil Hallward -- becomes connected on an occult level with the workings of his soul. Drawn into a corrupt and sensual life by the dissolute Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian remains young and beautiful, while the painting ages in his stead, ultimately becoming a monstrosity. Interwoven throughout is the author's brilliant commentary on beauty, art, love, and always, stunning wit.
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