Picture of Dorian Gray

I know this is one of the classic Gothic novels and a classic in literature over all. I read the book as the follow-up to watching the 1945 screen adaptation with Angela Lansbury as the Sibyl Vane character. The movie very faithfully reproduces the book in most ways by the way. While I overall enjoyed it it is clear that a lot of this feels like Wilde's stream of consciousness playing around with ideas about immortality, morality, et cetera. That is not so much playing with the idea through character's actions but by long pontifications by the characters themselves. It can get a bit long winded as a consequence. I think it was also an effort by Wilde to show his depth and breadth of knowledge on myriad topics, especially in the chapter where he goes over all the hobbies Dorian indulged in over the decades. It was to a level of depth in each topic far beyond what is necessary to prove the point. He did it in smaller segments elsewhere, like listing tragic people of history and their lots. Overall it is an interesting premise though and an interesting insight into the morals and ideas of society of the time that Wilde is trying to critique.

This version is based on the manuscript, rediscovered in 2017, from before the magazine editors started chopping out all the scandalous bits. The censored short version that was used against Wilde at his trial was then censored more when it was expanded into a full novel.

So now we get to see Wilde's original baby! Despite the censored version still causing a scandal and being used to convict Wilde, this is of course still tame by modern day standards (alas, where is my purity!) but far more explicit when it comes to things like Basil's romantic affection for Dorian. It's certainly fascinating to see what was triggering the poor little editor (being far more concerned about illicit hetero affairs than the gay stuff!) and also the stylistic changes. But either way, like much of Wilde's writing, it can't go a page or two without a little monologue of his witticisms - something I always look forward to!