The Picture of Dorian Gray

I've had Mr Wilde's novel in my collection for ages and have only just got around to reading it - I wish it hadn't taken me so long. Here's the dust jacket synopsis (because it's late and I'm lazy):

When the exquisitely handsome Dorian Gray sees his portrait he dreams of remaining young forever while his painted image grows old, and, in a sudden moment, he offers his soul for perpetual youth. While his beauty remains unblemished, the portrait begins to reflect the wildness and degradation of his soul as he surrenders to a worship of pleasure and infinite passion.

Of course, there's the moral of physical beauty being no compensation for an ugly soul and the emptiness of 'pleasure' for pleasure's sake, but the book also contains, in my opinion, some rather interesting discussions of art as well. Right at the start the painter, Basil Hallward, is explaining to Dorian that he will never allow his beautiful portrait to be exhibited because it gives away too much of his idolatry for his muse:

"My heart shall never be put under their microscope. There is too much of myself in the thing, Harry - too much of myself! ... An artist should create beautiful things but should put nothing of his own life into them."

There I have to disagree. I don't think you can create anything beautiful unless something of yourself goes with it. That doesn't mean that you'll eventually exhaust yourself, but there is nothing so beautiful as the surrender of a human soul to public exposure, whether it's through the love of another person or the creation of a work of art. There's something lovely in the humbleness of that step.

I like the idea in the book that every age has its own place. The beauty of youth is only beautiful in the young, if that makes sense. As Dorian grows older but doesn't appear to age his companions grow suspicious and distrustful of him, and by virtue of his appearance he seems to be trapped in the wayward behaviour of a young man. It's a really interesting read. I recommend it.