Thursday, April 7, 2011

Picture of Dorian Gray

I just finished the Picture of Dorian Gray, which is a mythic fantasy-like novel by Oscar Wilde. It is a really interesting take on the corruption of the aesthetic ideal. What is so fascinating about the novel is that Wilde satirizes himself, particularly his well known reputation for being a dandy. Reading Dorian Gray is a tremendously sad experience, when knowing the facts of Wilde's life (He was put on trial for being gay, and sent to a jail that physically broke him. He died shortly after his release from prison). Wilde's writing, I think, should be the starting point for gay science fiction aesthetics, as he is a brilliant artistic theorist. His work has spawned more re-interpretations than any gay sci-fi\fantasy artist, with the exception of Samuel Delany. So please, check Dorian Gray out.

1 comment:

  1. I have not read this yet, hope to get around to it. It is on my kindle.

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