Read: Jan 1 - Jan 8
Format: audio, Overdrive, 7.5 hours, 456 page equivalent
Source: public library
Narrator: Michael Paige
Subject: art, bargain with the devil
Setting: England
Category: Surprise: Books I want to read
Challenges: 101020, SYLL, 75 Book, Audio
Stars: 3
Dorian Gray was a young man that had his portrait painted by Basil Hallward. Basil had a "crush" on Dorian and felt that the Dorian's "beauty" and his association with young man was the reason for Basil's new success. While at Basil's, Dorian is introduced to Lord Henry Wotton and is fascinated by the philosophies which embrace hedonism professing the pursuit of beauty and sensory satisfaction are the primary reasons for existence. This leads to Dorian's "bargain with the devil" to have his portrait absorb the ravages of age rather than his own visage.
Art seems to be key in this book - the portrait is mandatory to the plot, but then there is the character of Sybil Vane, whom Dorian Gray "loves" except that what he loves is not the girl but the characters that she represents on the stage. When he no longer worships her art, he no longer loves her.
Dorian Gray's debauchery is cataloged throughout and the activities that he engages are made apparent by the ravages to the portrait.
Knowing to a certain degree what the story was about, the beginning was hard for me to get into. But once the story proceeded to the details, it was more entertaining.
No comments:
Post a Comment