Sexuality And Sexual Identity In A Picture Of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde

One dominant theme in Wilde’s works was sexuality and sexual identity. Wilde was torn about his own. He was sexually interested in both genders and wanted to dwell in his unique identity without being defined by it, persecuted for it, or judged. He didn’t want his self to define his works or have people view his works through the lenses of his choices and inclinations. He also did not like the clean-cut identifications the people of his time had toward orientation. He felt like he did not fit in within any non-fluid category. Although many purely attribute the end of his marriage to his bi-sexual nature, it may have been a lot more than just that. It could have been about a lot more than just sex (and surely not just with men) although that …show more content…
Reading A Picture of Dorian Gray was very moving. I really enjoyed the writing and literary style; it is very similar to classical pieces and has a lot of detail, wonderful imagery, and refreshing vocabulary choices. It also has a very mystical sense to it, so real yet so unreal, hyperbolic even. The book is filled with many external and internal conversations that result in many internal ones within the reader. It was very different from anything I had ever read and continues to remain very distinguished and inimitable. It seems to be Wilde’s attempt at challenging convention and rebelling against many prevalent Victorian ideals. It could have also been a means by which Wilde attempted to liberate himself and express his true self through his characters’ experiences, thoughts, and …show more content…
The subject of their conversation is Basil’s newest painting subject, Dorian, described as perfect and innocent and beautiful. Lord Henry desperately hopes to meet Dorian because he is mesmerized at how such beauty can exist and Basil worries about the prospect of their introduction. Coincidentally, Dorian does show up and Lord Henry is pleased to challenge his naïve mind. He speaks about youth and beauty and manages to alter Dorian’s views on life and the world and the pursuit of pleasure in that one rich, comprehensive sitting. Dorian is enthralled by Lord Henry’s brilliance, confidence, and eloquence and begins to believe that satisfying one’s desires is the goal and that ideas of “goodness” and “badness” are not a part of the significant picture. A memorable philosophy of Henry’s is that “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it,” otherwise, it will nag and build-up and the frustration will cause more harm. Dorian returns to his home with his newly-completed portrait and becomes fascinated with his own beauty. He makes a wish that his real figure would stay youthful forever so that he could enjoy the pleasures of life while any aging that is meant for him manifests in the portrait instead. He also manages to remain in touch with Lord Henry while averting the influence of