How The Picture of Dorian

Gray Became a Classic

Part 1. Revision &
Censorship;
or How The Novel Was
Painted Over, cont…
What are the 1890 (First edition:
differences Lippincott’s)
between these
three editions of
PDG? 1891 (Second edition:
Ward, Lock)

2011 (Third edition:

Uncensored Typescript)
 Uncensored Typescript (third edition)

“You know how I love secrecy. It is the only thing that

can make modern life wonderful or mysterious to us.
The commonest thing is delightful if one only hides it.
. . . I suppose you think me awfully foolish about it?”
Not at all, “answered Lord Henry, laying his hand upon
his shoulder, “not at all, my dear Basil.”
Differences
between the 1891 (second edition)
typescript and “I have grown to love secrecy. It seems to be the only
the second thing that can make modern life mysterious or
marvellous to us. The commonest thing is delightful if
edition (1891) | one only hides it. . . . I suppose you think me awfully
foolish about it?”
example 1
“Not at all,” answered Lord Henry, “not at all, my dear
Basil”.
 Uncensored Typescript (third edition)
“I see you did. Don’t speak. Wait till you hear what I have to say. It is
quite true that I have worshipped you with far more romance of feeling
than a man usually gives to a friend. Somehow, I had never loved a
woman. I suppose I never had time. Perhaps, as Harry says, a really
‘grande passion’ is the privilege of those who have nothing to do, and
that is the use of the idle classes in a country. Well, from the moment I
met you, your personality had the most extraordinary influence over
me. I quite admit that I adored you madly, extravagantly, absurdly. I
grew jealous of every one to whom you spoke. I wanted to have you all
to myself. I was only happy when I was with you....”
Differences (1890 text is basically the same, except: “I was jealous” instead of “I
between the grew jealous”)

typescript and 1891 (second edition)

the second “I see you did. Don’t speak. Wait till you hear what I have to say. Dorian,
from the moment I met you, your personality had the most
edition (1891) | extraordinary influence over me. I was dominated, soul, brain, and
power by you. You became to me the visible incarnation of that unseen
example 2 ideal whose memory haunts us artists like an exquisite dream. I
worshipped you. I grew jealous of every one to whom you spoke. I
wanted to have you all to myself. I was only happy when I was with
you....” (89).
 Uncensored Typescript (third edition)
“Where he went to, he hardly knew. He remembered wandering
through dimly-lit streets with gaunt black-shadowed archways
and evil-looking houses. Women with hoarse voices and harsh
laughter had called after him. Drunkards had reeled by cursing,
and chattering to themselves like monstrous apes. A man with
curious eyes had suddenly peered into his face, and then dogged
him with stealthy footsteps, passing and repassing him many
times. He had seen grotesque children huddled upon door-steps,
and had heard shrieks and oaths from gloomy courts.”
Differences
between the 1890 (first edition)
typescript and the “Where he went to, he hardly knew. He remembered wandering
through dimly-lit streets, past gaunt black-shadowed archways
first edition (1890) and evil-looking houses. Women with hoarse voices and harsh
| example 3 laughter had called after him. Drunkards had reeled by cursing,
and chattering to themselves like monstrous apes. He had seen
grotesque children huddled upon doorsteps, and had heard
shrieks and oaths from gloomy courts.”
All versions of PDG were
written and rewritten
under a code of silence
and censorship related
to morality and sexuality.

What was lost and what

was gained with these
revisions?
What was lost?

• Frank representation of relationships and

sexual culture
• Open expressions of sexuality and queer love
• Narrative coherence
James Joyce, letter to his brother from August 16, 1906, on an Italian
translation of PDG that he was reading:
I have just finished reading Dorian Grey (sic). Some chapters are
like Huysmans, catalogued atrocities, lots of perfumes and
instruments. The central idea is fantastic. Dorian is exquisitely
beautiful and becomes awfully wicked: but never ages. I can
imagine the capital which Wilde’s prosecuting counsel made out
of certain parts of it. It is not very difficult to read between the
lines. Wilde seems to have had some good intentions in writing
it—some wish to put himself before the world—but the book is
rather crowded with lies and epigrams. If he had had the courage
to develop the allusions in the book it might have been better. I
suspect he has done this in some privately-printed books.
But, what might have also been gained?

Ø The constraints that forced Wilde to censor his novel

allowed him to experiment creatively with writing
about repressed aspects of culture and sexuality.
But, what might have also been gained?

Ø These experiments generated an influential style of

writing, representation, and reading.

Ø We read for subtext, or for the suggestive allusion, or

for the aesthetic style, for example.

Ø As Joyce noted, ‘It is not very difficult to read

between the lines.’
All the Uncensored
Typescript
1890 text

texts of
PDG Published in Sometimes
2011 republished

1891 text Manuscript

The text for Republished in

the standard 2018
edition
So, how did the revision history and censorship
impact the novel’s early reception and uptake?

Ø They created controversy and scandal that generated enormous

interest in the novel. It was a « succès de scandale. »
Ø They led people to talk and think about what was being silenced.
Ø As evidenced by the different editions that circulated; and
Ø As theorised by Judith Butler: “One might argue that language is
compelled to repeat what it seeks to constrain, and so invariably
reproduces and restages the very text that it seeks to silence” (Judith
Butler, “Ruled Out: Vocabularies of the Censor” 249)

Ø And they were central to Wilde’s cross-examination during the 1895

libel trial that grabbed worldwide media attention.
How The Picture of Dorian
Gray Became a Classic
Part 2. The Book on Trial
1895
Oscar Wilde’s 1895 Trials

• The Marquess of Queensberry left Wilde his calling card

at his club with an offensive slur on it.
• Wilde takes Q. to court on charges of libel.
• The libel trial at the Old Bailey lasts 3 days (April 3-5,
1895)
• During the trial, Wilde is called to the stand.
• Q’s lawyer examines him about The Picture of Dorian
Gray.
• The lawyer seeks to show that the novel demonstrates
that Wilde has ‘posed’ as the type of person Q.
described him as in his calling card.
Cross-examination
of Oscar Wilde
~
Carson tries to show that
Wilde promotes immoral
books.
*
Wilde tries to show that he
does not believe in moral
or immoral books.
Cross-examination
of Oscar Wilde
~
Carson tries to show that
Wilde’s revisions to the
novel indicate that he was
aware he promoted an
immoral book.
*
Wilde denies that he
purged the novel
extensively, focusing
instead on the additions he
made.
Cross-examination
of Oscar Wilde
~
Carson reads out a passage
from the 1890 magazine
version of the novel, when
Basil confesses his love for
Dorian, to show that Wilde
wrote about queer themes.
*
Wilde dismisses his
interpretation and also his
suggestion that he himself
has had such feelings for
other men.
What Was the Outcome
of the 1895 Trials?

Ø Wilde withdrew the libel case.

Ø He was then almost immediately
charged with ‘gross indecency.’
Ø He was convicted on May 25th.
Ø He was sentenced to two years
in prison with hard labour.
Ø In 2017, the UK issued a pardon
to those, like Wilde, convicted A newspaper

under historical legislation that illustration of

Wilde
walking the
criminalised homosexual acts. prison
treadmill, Le
Quotidien
illustré
June 6 1895
And, What Was the Outcome for The
Picture of Dorian Gray?