While he only wrote one novel in his lifetime, Oscar Wilde made every line count in "The Picture of Dorian Gray" with one of the most elegantly written explorations of vanity and death. Every line is treated as one of the most important things ever done, and in doing so not only captures the characters' high sense of self, but reflects a dark romanticization that Wilde has with life itself. As an artist, he can't help but look at this story through several media, whether it be art or performance, and understand their functions within our lives. With an opening chapter that centers around deconstructing the concept of criticism, this is a highly intellectual experience that still allows for emotions to strike fiercely when necessary. For a man who knew how to provoke, his balance of humor and tragedy here makes for one of the most satisfying 20th century reads one can have.
One of the great cruxes of the novel is that Dorian Gray isn't a typical or necessarily likable protagonist. He is very narcissistic, high on vanity with a sense of difficulty finding love from too many people in his life. His search for happiness is tragic, desperately trying to find a way to satisfy that emptiness. When offered the chance to live forever, he is gifted a self-portrait that comes with one of literary history's most inspired twists. He will be eternally youthful, but this artwork will continue to age, reflecting his internal appearance. As one can guess, the shame that comes with having a portrait that conveys such damning insecurities doesn't sit well with him and in some ways, the remaining story is a race against reality and mortality. He will continue to look and feel youthful, but at what cost?
Wilde understands that even if Gray is an obnoxious protagonist who is full of himself, there is still sympathy for him. There is that sense that he wants to break free of his limitations while feeling like his best years have passed him by. As a homosexual author, Wilde also plants a lot of clear subtexts that would suggest that Gray is gay and has struggled to feel love in a society that has rejected him time and time again. His inability to feel conventional romance suddenly begins to feel more wearisome and the threat that he is to live the rest of his life attractive and alone while watching the few he loves fade into old age is painful. His self-loathing becomes something more universal, more aware of these ideas that affect anyone who has grown into adulthood with some concerns about feeling different. The insecurities are given such great literary skill that it's difficult to find a better existential crisis.
In its brisk running, the whole story manages to feel like a ticking clock that rides on a paranoid wave while highlighting the things that should be important. The few things that give this story excitement are worth holding onto, but with a portrait hiding, will the fear of exposing your true self to someone new make them reject you? Wilde's focus on the psychological weight this carries is not outdone by his poetic skills, finding ways to atone and try to live somewhat more sensibly. But then again, would Gray ever stand a chance of being "normal," especially as he finds thrills outside of conventional society? There is a strong emotional weight and the allegory soon becomes so much stronger. Maybe he wasn't a narcissist, but just someone who never felt like he belonged to a world that didn't understand him.
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" is one of the finest novels of the 20th century that takes such a simple premise and explores the theme through brilliant interiority. Wilde wouldn't have time to write much more, which is a shame given that what he wrote felt personal, layered, and provided subtle clues to what it must've felt like to be gay during his era. The effort to connect is difficult and at a point hiding one's true self may prove to be too wearisome. What does one do then? Over very few words, Wilde manages to capataure a story that appeals to the lust for life that all of us carry and the question of whether it's better to hide our secrets or be more proud of who we are. It's not a simple answer, but that's what makes the youthful beauty so attractive. It has its perks, but Wilde understands that it's not just about the looks. It's about the emotional satisfaction that lives inside all of us.
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