Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Dorian Gray

I recently finished THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY by Oscar Wilde. It ends abruptly, which I found annoying. I suppose it’s rather unauthorly of me to not appreciate this or the tragic nature of the story and its poetic elements, but I’ll confess that I found the book tiresome. Mr. Wilde drones on for pages at times promoting anything from his hedonistic lifestyle to political views.

The book debuted in 1891, so I don’t hold this against it as wordiness seems to have been a selling point for that time period. I thought throughout that the author must have been a withered old man to capture the moanings of old age as he did. Nope, it seems Mr. Wilde was in his early forties. He clearly must have, however, spent a great deal of time in thought and in reckless living, reminding me of the Ecclesiastes’ author. If I had to guess, Mr. Wilde felt like he had done everything and that everything under the sun is old and in vain. At least, this is how his characters come across in the book.

The concept of young, innocent Dorian Gray making a rash promise and inadvertently tying his soul to a portrait intrigued me. This and that lovely, tidy 19th century dialogue sustained me. Mr. Wilde’s characters, especially the devilish Lord Henry, has a quick tongue and sharp wit. I suspect he embodies a great deal of how Mr. Wilde viewed himself.

Reflecting on what I learned from this classic – First, I vow to always give my readers a pleasing ending. Artsy ending aside, Mr. Wilde could have made a great end of DORIAN GRAY. It doesn’t have to be happy, but my endings will strive to at least equal the rest of the text. Does anyone enjoy these critically acclaimed endings? I’ll admit, it’s a great ending, just not an enjoyable one or one deserving enough for the story’s depth.

Second, I mentioned the dialogue earlier. It’s my other takeaway. Reading a poet like Oscar Wilde helps me view the world through an author’s eyes. He masterfully brings the mundane to life. I love how he describes people and objects in terms of flowers and jewels.

Ever since seeing the character in the movie, THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN some years ago, I wanted to read about this fascinating character, Dorian Gray. The book didn’t quite measure up to what I had hoped, so I’ll end by quoting a passage from chapter 7 of the book, “You used to stir my imagination. Now you don't even stir my curiosity. You simply produce no effect.” That sums up how I feel about Mr. Wilde’s only novel, THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY.

8 comments:

  1. You have made some very valid points and I can see where after GENTLEMEN this would be a disappointment. You are also right on target with the ending but I read the book first and then saw the old film both of which are among my favorites.

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  2. Hi David,
    I'm so glad to have found someone who has read it. It is a very charming book, but I still just can't get over the ending. As I read, all throughout, I just kept wondering how Mr. Wilde would tie out the portrait. Would Dorian be redeemed? Would Lord Henry discover the truth? These open-for-interpretation endings always get the better of me. Oh well, I guess it allows us each to use our imaginations. As smart as Lord Henry is, I'm going to assume that he does indeed piece things together and realize the truth. What do you think happens?

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  3. I won't be reading this one. But I have been meaning to see TLOEG for some time now.

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  4. I never read this book, but I feel the same way about endings. They don't have to be happy, but a good ending for me should have hope for the characters. If there's no hope, I feel like I wasted my time with the book or the movie.

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  5. It's been awhile since I saw TLOEG, PJ. I recall liking it but don't get your hopes too high for it's ending. Seems like it wasn't the greatest. The story has a great premise, though -- all the great fictional characters of the 1800's pull together on a team to save the world.

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  6. You expressed my sentiments exactly, Edie. I'm with you on the hope aspect of story endings.

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  7. Your take is probably mine but I will say you should check out the 40s flick. I think you may appreciate the book a little more.

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  8. I didn't know there was a 40s flick. I googled it just now, however. It seems to have been a huge hit that remains popular. I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

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