Is dorian gray gay in the book
Introduction
In the first scene of the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (), the painter Basil Hallward confesses to his confidant Lord Henry Wotton why he cannot exhibit the portrait of the eponymous hero. Basil admits, ‘Where there is merely passion, they would see something bad, where there is spectacular passion, they would suggest something vile’ (Wilde, – 21). This impressive line, among many others that carry homoerotic innuendos, never appears in print. It is excised during Oscar Wilde’s revision process, along with other suggestions of homoeroticism between the three main characters of the story. The textual scholarship on this revision process generally agrees that Wilde neutralizes this homoeroticism by transforming Dorian from an erotic oppose into an aesthetic object. In particular, Nicolas Ruddick argues that Wilde aestheticizes Dorian in verb to emphasize a moral about the dangers of vanity at the expense of another, more covert moral about the liberalization of homosexuality. Ruddick explains that, while the moral about vanity ‘dramatize[s] the disastrous consequence
The Gay in Gray: Homoeroticism in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray
Gabriela Sotelo
The Picture of Dorian Gray () by Oscar Wilde is well-known for its sexual provocation and its underlying homoerotic element. Sections of the novel were used against Wilde during his indecency trials in , and these passages supported accusations of his partaking in homosexual acts, despite the lack of any graphic description of homosexual behavior.1 According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “homoeroticism” is “[s]exual or romantic attraction to, or engagement in sexual activity with, people of one&#;s retain sex.” Homoeroticism differs from homosexuality, which suggests a more adj state of sexual identity rather than simply desires. Also, Wilde discreetly employs multiple aphrodisiacs such as strawberries, flowers, and silk to convey methods of rmore, the interactions between male characters in the novel suggest the eroticism of homosocial relationships. As Luljeta Muriqi observes, “Although Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray is considered to be one of the best known
The Picture of Dorian Gray: A Gay Novel
The Picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar Wilde’s classic tale set in modern times and told as he would have done…had he dared. It is a dark and twisted story filled with moral decline, depravity, sex, and ruthless blackmail. This story is not a mere retelling of Wilde’s tale, but strikes out in brand-new directions, taking the listener on an unpredictable journey with an unknown destination.
Dorian Gray is a young, college freshman, attending his first semester at Indiana University. There he meets Caleb Black, who becomes his obsession. While pursuing Caleb, Dorian acts on the advice of an older acquaintance, Seth, who encourages him to indulge in all life has to offer. Dorian’s world is filled with delights; it is a buffet of sexy, young college boys all Dorian’s for the taking. While Dorian satisfies his desires and lust, he grows ever closer to his destiny and the truth of the portrait that calls to him from the darkness.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a tale of adoration, lust, depravity, romance, friendship, and Dorian’s inner struggle to conserve
Introduction
Over time, perceptions of Oscar Wilde’s works have changed significantly. Initially considered scandalous and used against him as evidence of gross indecency, The Picture of Dorian Gray () is now regularly introduced to readers as a canonically gay novel. However, attitudes towards homosexuality had started to shift by the time James Joyce’s Dubliners () was published, as a direct result of Wilde’s sensationalised persecution. This article analyses Joyce and Wilde’s characters through the lens of necropolitics and examines how homosexual panic and gender inequality contributed to the tragic, preventable deaths of women and gay men. By depicting the effects of these societal influences, both Joyce and Wilde criticise the strict moral codes that governed the common and private lives of ‘sexual deviants’ oppressed within a heterosexist system, factors which can be deduced from the treatment of the era’s proscription of same-sex relationships, the colonial situation, and gender imbalances promoted by the strict moral codes of the time.
Coined by Achille Mbembe, the