A Literary Masterpiece
Dorian Gray, the new film out on the 9th September is bound to be a thrilling cinematic adaptation of the 19th century novel ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ by Oscar Wilde. However, like many films, never can you experience the pleasure of curling up with a book and really engaging with the characters first hand. ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ is, in my opinion, a literary masterpiece.
Wilde develops a gripping plot with twists and turns to rival any modern works of literature and the fact that it was chosen to develop into a film in the 21st century indicates its enormous adaptability and appeal to all audiences of all ages. Gray is an intriguing character; desperate to hold onto his beauty and youth he enters a world of greed and decadence; the plot follows Gray as he slips further and further into unspeakable sins, perhaps most notably homosexuality which is hinted at within the novel and caused great controversy during its time of publication. Although underlying, this theme provides an inquisitive enjoyment as the reader can delve into social, cultural and historic elements that are raised – a must read for anyone interested in the social conformities of Victorian London.
Interestingly, the novel was deemed to be one of the last ‘gothic horror fiction’ of that era, complementing the new film as its trailer shows a rather dark and sinister setting for the plot. For those interested in film, the 1945 adaptation shows of the novel at its most powerful (although I have yet to see the new movie so this view may change!), Hurd Hatfield as Dorian creates an eerie (and rather freaky) protagonist who any actor will have to challenge to succeed in order to gain my accreditation!