Introduction
This piece of writing is developed as a reflection on LGBT literature; where a book is chosen and analyzed to identify with some of the most fundamental aspects that classify LGBT pieces with distinction. The chosen book is Oscar Wilde’s 1891 classic: The Picture of Dorian Gray; a story carefully fashioned to affirm the tilt youths have toward beauty, and the extent most could go to retain that unique time in individuals’ lives – but in the author’s words, he had only attempted to express his image in three varying forms using major characters in the book. Oscar said, “Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry is what the world thinks me: Dorian is what I would like to be—in other ages, perhaps” (Rivas, 2010, p.73). In the dazzling manner of a classic writer, wild captures the complete epigram and shrewd observation of the society as at his time – through Dorian’s moral devaluation.
Wilde is long gone away from the surface of the earth, so has the society of his time – and perhaps, Dorian may have not truly lived. But one thing is certain: human desire remains the same throughout all ages. In our present society, like any past one, Individuals have continued to express their desire to create a feeling of fulfillment in varying ways – one that stands out against all forms of prejudice is the desire to be hermaphrodites; through which same gander sex is pronounced.
A Brief review/ analysis of The Picture of Dorian Gray
The novel captures a 19th-century aestheticism of literature through a finely displayed morbidity and ethical sympathy which follows a plot on beauty as displayed by Dorian – at first, almost a naïve young man; but later strongly influenced into extreme ambitiousness by painter Hallward through Lord Henry. Hallward captures Dorian in a piece that fascinates the youth; where subsequently Dorian barters his soul with the piece of art – wherefore, it ages in his stead. But not for always, disaster strikes when the young beauty loves!
Arguments about the Characters/Subject, the Plot/Setting, and Facts
Characters and subject
The piece of work has three major characters that are built around a certain youth by the name of Dorian Gray. The subject is built around romance and the self-desire of humans to pursue it to endless wildness.
Style & Setting
On reading the piece of dramatic fiction, a reader is certain to find Wilde’s style of writing intriguing and quite inclined towards a dramatic form that lacks in several other celebrated novels. Although the writer is not an extreme with descriptive powers and obsession, particularly as it is known of novelists, he is certainly constructive and easy to understand and seems to possess a kind of brevity that exhumes the warmth and witty character for fine writing. The epigram through which Lord Henry is projected rather fashions a humble satire of the various faces our societies have where reasons for human existence are often manipulated or misconnected.
This particular character, Lord Henry, makes a strange personality as he seems to have all the persuasive influences, yet almost indifferent to envy. However, strangely, the writer has not relied completely on the use of words to project one’s impression of the character – but this is a credit to fine writing skills, rather. Instead, Wilde makes a description of scenes through a choice of words that are capable of evoking articulated images in the mind of a reader. It appears that the author’s poetic genius stands taller in his interpretation with Dorian, as the boy gallivants through the filthy ways of his life in obtrusion to his beauty while bearing all challenges that appear to come with existence.
The writer presents Dorian as the nucleus of the story upon which every plot is developed. The character continues to express a strong sexual drive despite the confrontations that emerge again and again around him.
As it is with this story, the writer seems to avoid the usage of populated characters. The reason is based on a deliberate attempt to retain clarity, the articulated definition of a single story, and retention of the arbor.
Facts
The story by Wilde may specifically be said to have several themes, including a basic appeal by humans for beauty. The writer makes a deliberate effort to reveal how tender individuals tend to value self-love; and the extend individuals could be willing to go to define and reserve this selfish aspect. The message that Wilde may have conveyed is not how weak our beauty could always render us, but rather the message would be that being too conscious of our self beauty has boundless potentials of pushing us to a point where we could perish.
The novel has also addressed several other issues that are related to how individuals perceive their image and attempt to portray themselves. Relating the piece of writing to other LGBT literature, this piece is slightly different from most which dwells more intensively on transgender and same-gender sex. But this is well understood as the author intends to express his image in three varying forms using major characters in the book rather than to emphasize promiscuity. And then, the story deliberately connects an individual’s emotional responses to reflection on self-perception.
On the whole, there may be too much presumption in terms of concluding that the book presents a work developed on beauty without a clear morally defined purpose. The writer was not known to be moral, and perhaps his book does not try to emphasize any behavioral conducts- but in its entirety, the novel has not failed to depict morality as a lesson.
Conclusion
Without any arguments, the piece of work reviewed and analyzed here has a great influence on society in terms of its high potential and expression of cruelty, vanity, and hedonistic selfishness. The writer has a magical capability of presenting LGBT literature and identifying with some of the most fundamental aspects that classify LGBT, literally.
The extent to which the writer displays societal cynicism and human misconceptions of self-identity is quite staggering. And irrespective of the dark projection of the literal work, it is certain to engage, compel, and influence a reader genuinely. In the dazzling manner of a classic writer, wild captures the complete epigram and shrewd observation of the society as at his time – through Dorian’s moral devaluation. The most strong message from (though he is long gone away from the surface of the earth, so has the society of his time – and perhaps, Dorian may have not truly lived) is that individual should not be completely carried away with beauty and vanity.
Reference
Rivas, L. (2010). A review of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Cambridge: University Press.