The Picture of Dorian Gray (Wordsworth Classics) Paperback – 5 May 1992

Good

In my opinion, Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is a truly wonderful book, well worth reading- several times if possible. Although some readers, critics, and reviewers here have claimed sections to be tedious and irrelevant, I cannot disagree more. The novel reflects Dorian Gray's psyche, and as such the possibly felt tedious feeling felt upon reading some of the middle sections (which make up no more than an eighth of the novel at most!) are far outweighed by the fact that these feelings are presented as being likewise felt by Dorian Gray. Surely it is a good thing- nay, a truly remarkable thing, that Oscar Wilde has written the novel such that the very emotions and feelings felt while reading the novel are in fact first hand for some sections, rather than vicarious or second-hand (which is the case for all emotions in most other novels!).At any rate, even if the perhaps-overly-lengthy descriptions towards the middle of the novel, and witty dialogues are seen as negative points (which I strongly disagree with! In my opinion they can only be seen as positive points), then they are far outweighed by the rest of the novel. After all, only about a fifth of the novel is composed of sections where the descriptions become quite lengthy, and the dialogues perhaps unrealistic in their wit.As far as I was concerned, every moment reading it was a pleasure. As I drew towards the end of the novel, I could already feel myself wanting to read it again, and although I could not call the novel gripping- as an action-novel would be described- I think the very beauty and poetry of the words used by Wilde make the pages turn far better than any amount of action could.For buying the novel, I would strongly suggest the cloth-bound, 2008, penguin edition hard-cover, with introduction and notes by Robert Mighall (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Picture-Dorian-Gray-Clothbound-Classics/dp/0141442468/ref=tmm_hrd_title_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338842947&sr=1-1). There are three reasons for this:Firstly, it is the revised edition from 1891, and therefore has the additional chapters.Secondly, the notes contain the original 1890 wordings for more important sections, as well as highlighting some of the double meanings, and explaining some of the more obscure points.Thirdly, it's a quite nice edition in my opinion... Its the one I used for my A2 English Literature coursework, and was absolutely perfect for it. The notes proved to be invaluable, and the novel took quite a rough beating (several times it was thrown about in my rugby kit bag, or pressed in all directions amongst my other books etcetera, and... I'm quite happy to say it is still in near-perfect condition. Beyond a slight fading of the pattern on the front of the cover (which did, quite funnily, coat my rugby kit in glitter), it could almost be new. Considering most books aren't put through quite so much punishment, I think under normal circumstances, this edition would last a life-time of reading and still be in relatively good condition by the end of it.

Never saw the film so the book was the next best thing bit heavy going the preface but the story was good

How many people in 21st C UK have actually read The Picture of Dorian Gray, as opposed to watching or listening? To my shame, I hadn’t, and the reason I’m going to attempt a brief review of Wilde’s dark gothic novella is that when I eventually read it I got a shock.I expected something which would appear to our 21st sensibilities as rather quaint. It is not quaint. Unsurprisingly, for one used to writing plays, the narrative is in classic three act form, but the writing structure – if you like – is in two decisive parts. The parts are separated by a whole Chapter (no. 11) which serves to mark the passing of years in Dorian’s life. It comes after Dorian has received – from his friend Lord Henry – the gift of a book – something hinted at as being in the vein of The Yellow Book illustrated by Aubrey Beardsley - within which is concealed a lascivious and corrupting view of the world. Wilde’s Chap 11 is written in morbidly intense style, a description of a parade of ideas of desire; ancient civilizations, precious drooled-over jewels, regimes of vast richness, cruelty, religious objects of obsession, life and death. The chapter acts like a kind of screen, a sinister tapestry between the two parts, and works as a mechanism to hide one part from another. Metaphorically it bears an uncanny reference to the real-life purple hanging which Dorian uses to hide the fearful portrait of him from the world. Most of what goes on before Chap 11 is superficial, acerbic drawing room wit; my goodness - and plenty of it, it’s comic – three laughs a page, at least! Everything that happens after Chap 11 is dark and desperate. Even the apparently polite time spent with the ‘pretty Duchess’, has an impish implication that she herself isn’t beyond inviting an element of corruption and contamination. No wonder the book got Wilde in to trouble, and weighed big against him at his trial!You may disagree intensely with me, but I don’t believe that the public hatred of Wilde at the time was because of the nature of his relationship with Lord Douglas. I think that the answer to that is in this book. Even then, it’s not about the corrupting and the corrupted, its about telling the truth. The book is packed with excruciating home truths, and the smashings of popular myths. I think that’s what did it. There’s nothing the public fears more than reading the truth about itself and having its precious myths smashed.So, if you want to be a writer who is respected in his/her own time, then i) never tell the truth, and ii) leave those myths intact!