I read the picture of Dorian Gray and loved it.  I adored Oscar Wilde.  I think what he meant by art being useless was that he meant it sarcastically because it’s practically not useful but aesthetically art is very useful. He just was speaking of its lack of practical application but a life without art is a life not worth living.  He was such a wit.

Oscar Wilde was not only controversial, but also contradictory, because if we accept that all the characters in his novel, plays, and short stories speak with the wit and the voice of Wilde, then he himself failed to conceal the artist, although he very much revealed Art.

This was so interesting! I haven't read much Wilde before (I really should change that), and this preface alone has so much to say. I also love 'The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.' I'll have to get to The Picture of Dorian Gray soon :)

Then there is the transcendent moment when one suddenly sees the beauty in the ugly.

“All art aspires to the condition of music.” I don’t think that means it aspires to be energetic and frenzied (although some do), but more that it aspires to flow like music: every word, sentence, paragraph, scene, chapter integrated in the right place and having their own part to play. A musical book flows very beautifully and makes you keep reading. The novella Hadji Murat by Tolstoy, for example (which he worked on for 8 years, I think), is perfectly ordered in a musical way, as is The Brothers Karamazov.

I just finished reading The Picture Of Dorian Grey. Seems like Oscar's crirtique of 19th century British Society was more important than the main story about a man who falls victim to his own vanity. Sometimes, the writing felt over the top and self indulgent; But then that was the whole point. It was as if he was using the book to  expose the superficialness of society and of man in general.  Dorian Grey in a lot of ways was like Rashkolnikov, even though he thought he had got awsy with his crimes, his  conscience would eventually punish him for his sins. Some of the writing went over my head, but it was so eloquent and poetic.  It's also the shortest book ive read this year, only 220 pages. But it packs a punch, definately.

I can see Dave Brubeck there “ Take Five “ 😍😍

Anything thought provoking is worthwhile.

Excellent video. I haven't read Wilde but I do want to. On the perfect use of an imperfect medium, you reminded me of this: “Perception of an object costs / Precise the Object's loss.”

Haven't read any Wilde, but I just love listening to you.

ahhh I'm so happy that you did a video on this! I just finished the Picture Of Dorian Gray and love how Wilde explores morality and the layers and dimensions which it posseses, it's so fascinating. This might sound a bit odd but it also reminded me of Frankenstein in the sense that it investigates how as humans we have the ability to construct morally problematic and destructive beings. For example, Victor Frankenstein builds a monster comparable to how Lord Henry (and to an extent Basil) evoke the monster within Dorian Gray through their influence. Not sure though, just a thought. What did you think of the novel? :)

Hard to find an artist who’s relaxed about cultural critics. I wonder why. Even the ones that are well aware of the perfection and high worth of their own work are deeply hurt when unfairly criticised by any unqualified nobody. This foreword though I think is a bit tactical, a cunning plea of defense in a truly dangerous situation. Cunning and witty. I can’t take it all at face value but certainly each sentence is thought provoking and so is each of your comments that your quick brain produced. I’m always wondering how Wilde could be so openly camp and different and not only been tolerated but adored by the society of London and also by the crude American miners of Leadville. The fearlessness and discipline to maintain the spell over the people of his time for so long. The “gross indecency” that brought him down finally was with him all the way but suddenly the benevolence had been withdrawn from him. Why that? Certainly not because of Bosie’s father, who wasn’t popular at all neither a big beast in society. Was Oscar tired of his success and role? Did he want the smashing finale? Or was the society tired of her generosity or of himself?
“The artist is the creator of beautiful things.” His first line. I agreed with you before you said what I thought. (Somehow Wildesque this, what?)
Or would have disagreed with the author had I believed him here. My spontaneous thought went to Pasolini, another gay artist, whose film “Saló” (1976)can not possibly be said to be beautiful. Art though of highest quality it is. It forces the spectator to mirror the cruel sadistic parts of oneself in it. Because it is seductive, immoral, sexy and next thing extremely repulsive. Half of the public would leave the cinema in the middle of the film each time I watched it. Not sure if they were disgusted by what they’d watched on the screen or what unknown territory of their own shadow they had been thrown into with no warning.

Thank you for the video, I’ll be reading it for the second time after 4 decades, the first time in its original language. I’d love if you continued to grant us  your company throughout.

Really insightful.  Thanks again. I’m working hard on writing, book reviews in particular for now. Your work is very helpful.

I loved this! The picture of Dorian Gray is the only classic that I have read and enjoyed to this day! And your thoughts on the preface were really interesting also how eloquent you are! I strive to be so clear and thoughtful with my reading and in life in general

You are  brillian i  was looking  for  someone   I could  understand  try other    channel  they talk  about  book  but  I was bored  listening  to  then  just  going  through  YouTube  and I found  you I say thank  god

Ugly paintings that elicit an emotional response are art, it does not have to be a beautiful thing, Goya and Picasso's response to war are not pretty, but they are definitely art. Slaughterhouse 5 and Catch 22 are not easy reads but Vonnegut and Heller were artists. I loved The Picture of Dorian Gray, it was like a morality play. It is in being selfish, underhanded and dishonest in relationship that etched his attic appearance. Being indulgent in drink and drugs may pickle one for a brief time but everyone pays the piper eventually. Laurence Sterne, there is someone you don't hear about, I liked Tristam Shandy, but the one about the journey, not so much.

This guys knows his books. I like how he pulls from all the classics

last yr, i made a goal to read novels especially classics before i reach 30 🤭🤭🤫 i never read but i've been challenging myself, i'm starting to read classics now with dorian gray... this video is a great help... 😅

Indeed, art should be useless. If art is practical then it's not really art.

Have you ever tried writing a short story?