The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde (b. 1854 in Dublin, d. 1900 in Paris) wrote just one novel, and this is it -- the rest were plays and essays. Wilde was famously jailed (1895-97, London) for "homosexual acts," and his only novel's theme is infatuation with the "beauty" of a man, Dorian Gray. In fact, there are undertones of misogyny in Wilde's descriptions of women -- as frivolous and unintelligent. Eg, he writes that Lord Harry took a wife who is described as caring only about buying new frocks, etc, and doesn't have a real thought in her head. This manner of description of women in this novel repeats throughout. 

We meet Dorian (abt age 20) when he is sitting for painter Basil Hallward. Hallward paints Dorian's portrait and gives it to him upon completion. Hallward is enthralled with Dorian, and feels he's reached a new height in his career. It's as though Dorian becomes Hallward's muse. 

Lord Henry ("Harry") enters Dorian's life and corrupts him with the idea that beauty and pleasure are the highest pursuits of mortal life. Harry influences young Dorian so much that Dorian is forever changed...for the worse. When Dorian sees the portrait, he focuses on his own beauty, and makes a wish/prayer that turns out to be a Faustian bargain. Dorian wishes that he could keep his beauty while the painting bears the brunt of age, time, and sins. Dorian gets his wish -- he stays young & fresh, while the painting bears his age and sins. Sins of malice and shallowness. He falls in love with a woman, then breaks her heart over a silly matter -- and in the painting Dorian's mouth curls in malice. Ultimately, the painting shows Dorian's soul in all its wickedness. 

This book has endless descriptions that are repetitious and boring. There are soliloquies of fluff that go on for a page & half. I began skimming about halfway through the book. That said, I'm glad to have read it. Wilde may have been the first writer to give mortal bodies to feelings.  Such as -- "Out of its secret hiding place crept his Soul,  and Desire had come to meet it on the way." Thus, Wilde writes about "Desire" as though it could walk around. Other writers have used this device (eg Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat Pray Love), but it may be original to Wilde. 

SPOILER ALERT. 

SPOILER ALERT. 

I'M ABOUT TO WRITE ABOUT THE ENDING. 

CLOSE OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY READ THE BOOK.

When Dorian finally decides to get rid of the painting by slashing it, he ends up killing himself. His butler finds the painting that is once again beautiful...and an old, disfigured man on the floor, dead, having been stabbed. There is a genius in this ending. Dorian set in motion the way of his life. He couldn't just cover up his sins. Instead, he should have truly repented. Ask forgiveness of those he hurt. Tell the truth to the media (about Sybil's suicide and the "missing" Basil Hallward), even if it meant he'd be hanged. In truth, true repentance and asking for forgiveness is the path.