The Picture of Dorian Gray

Author:

Oscar Wilde was a very well-known Irish writer who was very much a part of high society in London in the late 1800s. He mostly wrote poems and plays but his one novel The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of his most known works, although it wasn’t very well-received at the time due to its homoerotic references. Eventually, Wilde was imprisoned from 1895 to 1897 after what could be considered one of the first celebrity trials. He died on November 30, 1900 at the age of 46. While the cause isn’t confirmed, some speculate that it was due to complications from an injury he sustained in prison. Wilde is buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery, the largest in Paris.

Learn More about Oscar Wilde

Three words to describe this read:

Suggestive- It didn’t surprise me at all to find out that Oscar Wilde was sentenced to jail based on his homosexual relationships. The book was highly suggestive of romantic thoughts between the main characters. While there were never sexual scenes, the narration involving the three male characters heavily implied that they often had romantic thoughts about each other.

Periodic- If you ever wonder what high society in London was like in the 1890s, this book is a great representation. Endless parties and dinners and nights at the theater and the club seemed to take up most of the characters’ time. Each had butlers and servants and didn’t seem to do much on their own besides getting themselves from one place to another, usually with the help of a coachman.

Dramatic- There were several twists in the story that I wasn’t expecting which made it all the more entertaining. Every plot point held the added pressure of high society.

Quote:

“Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you! Let nothing be lost upon you.”

While I don’t particularly agree with the context in which this quote was written, I like this line out of context. It’s just a reminder from almost 135 years ago that we should live our lives to the fullest.