Oscar Wilde claimed that most people believed he was most similar to Lord Henry Wotton (clever, humorous, and controlling), however, the author personally believed he was actually more similar to Basil (a creative artist who was considerably less secure than what was publicly perceived). However, the author actually yearned to be more like Dorian Gray, as he admired both youth and beauty.
Oscar Wilde---------->
I'm not surprised Wilde wanted to be more like Dorian; it's hard to write a book about something which you are not passionate. And who doesn't love youth and beauty? It is what is prized in our society. It fosters natural selection: the prettier things attract mates, and the young ones are stronger and better able to survive. Being close to death is not valued/attractive, thus neither is being old.
ReplyDeleteI understand why Wilde admittingly wanted to be more like Dorian in some aspects, obviously everyone would enjoy the comforts and privleges of being greatly attractive... However, on the other hand, I was surprised he was so eager to compare himself to a man so vain that he proudly sells his soul to the devil. Dorian was such a devastating character, for anyone to accept the tortures Dorian had purely for beauty is insane to me- i believe i'd rather be ugly than Dorian. Wilde obviously did not believe that it was your soul that made you beautiful or ugly, which is what I like to think.
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