The Picture of Dorian Gray

What would you give for your soul? What would you give to be forever young? In Wilde’s book, Dorian Gray is painted, the painting is a beautiful representation youth, when Dorian finally sees the painting he realises that unlike the painting, he will change, the youthful looks, will disappear, wrinkles along with grey hair will take their place. It’s a pretty frightening realisation for Dorian, and in a moment; he does offer his soul, in exchange for remaining youthful:

“How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will always remaining young … If only it was the other way! If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that – for that – I would give everything, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give, I would give my soul for that”
[pg 38]

That, is the secret we long for above all else, the secret that allows us to have youth, is eternal youth the only thing worth having.

For those of you who don’t know the story, what happens next is exactly that, the painting ages, and reflects the disintegration of Dorian’s soul, while Dorian himself remains as he was the day he was painted, youthful in appearance.

We see it begin through the relationship of Sybil Vane, and Dorian. Sybil is an actress, and Dorian is completely taken by her, her likewise taken by him, taken to the point where see is no longer able to act, for the loves and passions of the characters she plays are shallow compare to the reality of the love she has for Dorian. Interestingly Dorian the opposite is true for he can no longer continue the relationship as it is, for he fell in love, with the characters portrayed rather than the actress.

The ending of their relationship; a whirlwind romance, lead to Sybil’s suicide; and one of many interesting dialogues in the book, Basil, the man who originally painted Dorian, comes to console him after hearing that Sybil had died, and Dorian says;

A man who is the master of himself can get rid of an emotion. A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use then, to enjoy them, and to dominate them. [pg 127-8]

And from this point Dorian’s soul gradually decays, ending in his action in murdering a friend. [Basil]. Basil is murdered as Dorian reveals to him the extent of the his decay. I found it interesting at this point Dorian is assured by Basil that though his sins be as scarlet, they could be made as white as snow; and it is not possible to move outside the possibility of forgiveness. [181-182]

Thinking back a little about the book, I think it is not simply the corruption of Dorian’s soul that I found to be disturbing, but perhaps more Dorians fascination with it, Dorian’s choosing to walk down that path [perhaps in part this is the truth of the human condition]:

The portrait would be to him the most magical of mirrors. As it had revealed to him his own body, so it would reveal to him his own soul [pg 125]

The book is as much about influence as it is about the appeal of youth. For it is in part the influence of Henry in the book, which sends Dorian down the path travelled. Henry sends Dorian a book; and it is this book that traps Dorian, he seeks to live by it, and he buys multiple copies of it.

Hmm, and this is something that also intrigues me, that as entranced as Dorian was in this book, as this book shaped the direction and course of his life, our lives are likewise shaped by the Author of another Book. Our lives direction is mapped out by the Word of God, the Word that is living and active [Hebrews]. Yet in another sense, every word has the power to be alive, to bring life, or to bring death [see James 2, various Psalms, and Proverbs]. The preface itself, is worth a close look too, it talks of another theme of the book, about the nature of art.

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Deborah's also posted a very interesting excerpt. Seemed a very interesting idea. Going to have a look for the book.