The Picture of Dorian Gray

by Oscar Wilde (1890)




REACTION: ★★★★ (Loved)

Biting and cynical yes and oh so entertaining! Not to mention insightful and thought-provoking. The concept of one living for experience itself rather than the fruit of one's experience personified in Dorian Gray because he literally can't suffer the consequences of his actions. I find it interesting in terms of power play how Lord Henry knowingly seeks to dominate Dorian as Dorian unknowingly and effortlessly dominates Basil, both men of course objectifying Dorian as they dominate or are dominated by him. Dorian also hilariously refers to Basil as a "thing" too. The dichotomy of the "plain" and "painted" women Lord Henry went on about very much reflects society's madonna vs. whore tendency of viewing and depicting women rather than delving into the complexities of who they are. I heart Lord Henry, for his quotability alone. Amuses me to no end that he dismisses someone accidentally shooting a man as having no psychological value but would totally find the same person interesting if he had done it on purpose. I also appreciate the irony that the knife used to kill the painter was also the one used to kill the painting/subject of painting.


QUOTES:

"Young men want to be faithful, and are not; old men want to be faithless, and cannot." (Lord Henry)

"Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic."

"Experience was of no ethical value. It was merely the name men gave to their mistakes."

"There was pity in her eyes that became laughter on her lips." (Sibyl)

"The moment was lost in vulgar details"

"Unselfish people are colourless. They lack individuality." (Lord Henry)

"We think that we are being generous because we credit our neighbour with the possession of those virtues that are likely to be a benefit to us." (Lord Henry)

"Society--civilised society, at least--is never very ready to believe anything to the detriment of those who are both rich and fascinating."

"I like men who have a future, and women who have a past." (Lord Henry)

"When they make up their ledger, they balance stupidity by wealth, and vice by hypocrisy." (Lord Henry)

"I believe in the race." (Duchess)
"It represents the survival of the pushing." (Lord Henry)
"It has development." (Duchess)
"Decay fascinates me more." (Lord Henry)
"What of art?" (Duchess)
"It is a malady." (Lord Henry)
"Love?" (Duchess)
"An illusion." (Lord Henry)
"Religion?" (Duchess)
"The fashionable substitute for belief." (Lord Henry)
"You are a sceptic." (Duchess)
"Never! Scepticism is the beginning of faith." (Lord Henry)
"What are you?" (Duchess)
"To define is to limit." (Lord Henry)

"To be popular one must be a mediocrity." (Lord Henry)

"Shallow sorrows and shallow loves live on. The loves and sorrows that are great are destroyed by their own plentitude."

"He had no curiosity. It was his chief defect." (Lord Henry, about Basil)

"It's absurd to talk of the ignorance of youth. The only people to whose opinions I listen now with any respect are people much younger than myself. They seem in front of me. Life has revealed to them her latest wonder." (Lord Henry)