Dorian Gray Preface Quotes

There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Preface. Wilde’s novel when first published in 1890 was criticized as scandalous and immoral. The review in London’s Daily Chronicle blasted it as "a poisonous book, the atmosphere of which is heavy with the mephitic odours of moral and spiritual putrefaction." In the preface, which was added to a revised edition of the novel in 1891, Wilde argued that books were neither moral nor immoral, but well or badly written. In other words, art does not instruct and has no effect, other than aesthetic, on people or society.

The nineteenth century dislike of Realism is the rage of Caliban seeing his own face in a glass. The nineteenth century dislike of Romanticism is the rage of Caliban not seeing his own face in a glass.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Preface. Here Wilde says that 19th century people do not like realistic art, because it shows them uncomfortable truths about themselves. And they don’t like romantic art because it shows them visions of what humanity might be, and they are unable to relate to it.

All art is quite useless.

– Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Preface. This quote means that art doesn’t express anything but itself. It has no function beyond being viewed and enjoyed. In 1890, a university student named Bernulf Clegg wrote Wilde asking him to expand on this line in the preface. Wilde replied: "Art is useless because its aim is simply to create a mood. It is not meant to instruct, or to influence action in any way. It is superbly sterile, and the note of its pleasure is sterility."
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