I don't agree that Wilde is just putting his beliefs into this books as obviously as that. He said: "Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry is what the world thinks me: Dorian is what I would like to be—in other ages, perhaps". Many people assume Lord Henry's witticisms reflect Wilde's views, but their resounding hollowness in the final chapters surely rebukes this interpretation. IMO Wilde is presenting a complex interpretation of decadent philosophy and what's socially acceptable.
in french the book lord henry gives him is called A rebours it is a novel about somebody who lives a very strange with a lot of passions and it is written in the style of chapeter eleven. in english the title is 'against nature''. if you read this book or a summary of it ( it is boring ) you will understand.
Hey Vivien! I'm reading the book now, and I have a different version than yours, mine is from the penguin classics, so just wondering, wich chapter number you're talking about? I'd like to pay attention to it when I read it.(btw this version has a whole explanation on why Oscar Wilde wrote the book and what was behind a few quotes in it and how he changed some chapters 2 hide evidence about some gay references, because it was very controversial @ the time and that sort of thing,it's pretty good)
I'm pretty sure I skipped over a lot of that chapter too. That is, I remember skipping over a very long hard-to-follow chapter and I imagine that is the one you're talking about.
I definitely liked the book, but I already knew what was going to happen throughout the whole thing because I made the fatal mistake of watching the movie before reading the book
Thanks for the review, I'm about 1/2 way through it right now... and I can't wait to find out what happens that actually made you freak out lol. I'll see you the next time.
[spoilers]Well at least you got what I meant about it being a repository for Wilde's wit. Have you read much Poe, Hawthrone, James, or other 1800s writers? They all tend towards allegory and people end up dying. The picture is his mortality, so to die the picture needs to "die." He hates the picture, so what do you do with something you hate when you've always gotten your way? Destroy it. That's why I saw the ending coming. It's like Rappaccini's Daughter, you remove the imperfection and die.
(sorry for the length) As for the book, I think you were to take it as Lord Henry in book form. It was just one book from which Henry got his ideas, the ideas which corrupt the naive Dorian. The book is intentionally titleless and undiscussed for the same reason that the ways in which Dorian corrupts everyone are undiscussed: propriety/censorship and to leave it to your imagination. I don't recall the other chapter you skipped, I don't own a copy.
Lol. If you were interested, you should probably read it anyways, most of the fun (for me at least) is in the quotes by Lord Henry, and there are plenty of other twists that I didn't give away. And, despite my negativity towards it, it's been called "one of the modern classics of Western literature." So take it all with a grain of salt I guess.
I don't agree that Wilde is just putting his beliefs into this books as obviously as that. He said: "Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry is what the world thinks me: Dorian is what I would like to be—in other ages, perhaps". Many people assume Lord Henry's witticisms reflect Wilde's views, but their resounding hollowness in the final chapters surely rebukes this interpretation. IMO Wilde is presenting a complex interpretation of decadent philosophy and what's socially acceptable.
bloodbuddy7 1 year ago
you can find an explanation here on you tube when you use ''against nature'' and ''huysmans''
as key words.
missmarpleful 2 years ago
a very strange life, chapter ( it's my first reaction here i'm sorry )
missmarpleful 2 years ago
in french the book lord henry gives him is called A rebours it is a novel about somebody who lives a very strange with a lot of passions and it is written in the style of chapeter eleven. in english the title is 'against nature''. if you read this book or a summary of it ( it is boring ) you will understand.
missmarpleful 2 years ago
I'm pretty sure you're talking about chapter 11 when it just rambles on and books he read and the plots and it last forever!
margarita120 2 years ago
Hey Vivien! I'm reading the book now, and I have a different version than yours, mine is from the penguin classics, so just wondering, wich chapter number you're talking about? I'd like to pay attention to it when I read it.(btw this version has a whole explanation on why Oscar Wilde wrote the book and what was behind a few quotes in it and how he changed some chapters 2 hide evidence about some gay references, because it was very controversial @ the time and that sort of thing,it's pretty good)
drawinontrainwindows 3 years ago
yea I totally didn't pay attention to that chapter either
Crazy4Dorian 3 years ago
Dorian Gray is a HORRIBLE book!!!! i HATE it!!!!
x0oPirate 3 years ago
I'm pretty sure I skipped over a lot of that chapter too. That is, I remember skipping over a very long hard-to-follow chapter and I imagine that is the one you're talking about.
I definitely liked the book, but I already knew what was going to happen throughout the whole thing because I made the fatal mistake of watching the movie before reading the book
TobiSkye 3 years ago
What's the quote on your wall?
xiamrobot 3 years ago
strawberry fields forever.
embemz 3 years ago
Thanks for the review, I'm about 1/2 way through it right now... and I can't wait to find out what happens that actually made you freak out lol. I'll see you the next time.
-Max
jsmxwll 3 years ago
[spoilers]Well at least you got what I meant about it being a repository for Wilde's wit. Have you read much Poe, Hawthrone, James, or other 1800s writers? They all tend towards allegory and people end up dying. The picture is his mortality, so to die the picture needs to "die." He hates the picture, so what do you do with something you hate when you've always gotten your way? Destroy it. That's why I saw the ending coming. It's like Rappaccini's Daughter, you remove the imperfection and die.
frumpyframpton 3 years ago
(sorry for the length) As for the book, I think you were to take it as Lord Henry in book form. It was just one book from which Henry got his ideas, the ideas which corrupt the naive Dorian. The book is intentionally titleless and undiscussed for the same reason that the ways in which Dorian corrupts everyone are undiscussed: propriety/censorship and to leave it to your imagination. I don't recall the other chapter you skipped, I don't own a copy.
frumpyframpton 3 years ago
OMG! I wish I didn't read your comment :P you did say it had spoilers... so my bad! but arrrghhhh... yeah...
drawinontrainwindows 3 years ago
Lol. If you were interested, you should probably read it anyways, most of the fun (for me at least) is in the quotes by Lord Henry, and there are plenty of other twists that I didn't give away. And, despite my negativity towards it, it's been called "one of the modern classics of Western literature." So take it all with a grain of salt I guess.
frumpyframpton 3 years ago
yay! i liked the change of scenery/use of quotes/honesty/& seeing your face parts the best.
singmesilence 3 years ago