andave's place

Wilde: satire involves pointing out moral depravity through humor, and though Wilde (because he almost exclusively uses humor to hide his true self) would counter this statement, he fully meant to appall his readers with Dorian. His whole point was to demonstrate the macrochasm between external beauty and internal beauty, and to show what occurs when external beauty reigns at the extent of the soul. If you read his children's stories (which are more serious in nature) you will find what Wilde really believes.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Lord Henry is the devil. Just like Satan, his brilliance sends Dorian (like Eve) wandering in the wrong direction, and why? So he can study the effects on Dorian. He did it to amuse himself; nothing more. That is what makes it so horrible. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Wilde himself was an oxymoron, a paradox. In his works you can detect the undergirding of morality which is glossed over with a thick coat of superficiality. Oscar was multifaceted, and I could prove that some part of him understood and was appalled at the very morality he jested about. Put it this way: if you take Wilde at face value, you'll be disgusted. If you examine what trembles below the surface, you'll be fascinated. I'm late for work - but if you want, I'll be glad to share with you more as I write my paper. Perhaps in my blog.

I would absolutely love that! I want to like Wilde just for his style of writing. As I was reading him, I thought of you a lot. Dorian's not flighty, it's just that he's so deep not many people understand how exactly to deal with him and feed his soul. Someone like Dorian should only worry about beauty and books and music.

I was aware of Dorian Gray for years. There is an excellent production produced by Dan Curtis that was shown on TV years ago that was superb. I always thought Lord Henry was perfectly depicted as a 'man of the times'--almost a perfect hedonist -- frightening to the Christian because much of what he says--in fact MOST of what he says is true--if you keep it purely on the level of what today would be instant gratification and why not now? Never thinks about the effetc on the soul and I think he had a glimmer towards the end watching Gray who never quite comes off as enjoying himself. The war of the flesh and spirt with the spirit sucker punched right and left and the flesh never being satisfied. Horrible way to live ultimately--dreams crack and break and the sould dies daily. Still a great read though.

Counter this with The Importance of Being Earnest and you have a talnet that was like a meteor. Wilde was ahead of his times but may have drowned in this decadent age in comparison --after all he was an artist.