dear-dorian-gray

[dear-dorian-gray]

honestly, my favourite way of seeing the picture of dorian gray is a sick love triangle.

- basil loves dorian with all of his soul and he lets it devour him. henry loves basil in a sick “you’re my only equal” type of way, and dorian is completely submissive to lord henry.

basil’s love for dorian is the emotional centre of the picture of dorian gray - he’s completely consumed and lost in the tragedy of unrequited love and he feels it so much - that same love ends up killing him. the entire time with basil, his love is prominent. no, it isn’t just adoration and obsession. he worships him, but also loves him. he is constantly warning dorian and he never pushed him to do anything, he always looked out for dorian and wanted him to be happy, leading to his death. he was devoured by him. completely. he couldn’t paint without him, he couldn’t look at dorian without trembling. basil’s emotional character believed loving dorian was worth the pain. and that ends up murdering him.

henry’s love for basil is the most interesting to me. lord henry seems to crave influence over others around him, and all are influenced by him, all but basil. basil argues, disagrees, and even when henry mocks him, he still listens. he still cares for basil even through a twisted way. he cares for him because basil is the only person who wasn’t influenced. his only equal. the only one he can rely on arguing back and standing against him. basil is a long-term friend and unlike most of henry’s phases with friendships, they seem to still be close and constantly close. as soon as basil starts describing dorian and his obsession with him, henry doesn’t seem pleased and is eager to change dorian. and he does just that. he pushes basil’s buttons constantly because he knows basil cares and will react with emotion, unlike dorian who becomes increasingly detached. henry wants emotion because he lacks it. he needs someone who is devoured and powered by emotion because he cannot feel emotions anymore. he needs someone to contrast him. he enjoys seeing the emotional reaction over dorian’s. if he was ever able to be emotionally honest and vulnerable, he would do it with the one man he knows will be honest and emotional with him. he enjoys basil because basil is the reality. he’s there, he thinks what he thinks and he won’t be shaped by henry. dorian is the muse. easily shaped and formed. the tragedy is that he unfortunately prefers control - not connection. that’s why he picks dorian. he knows he’s better with control and he prefers the control because of it. basil forces a connection, he doesn’t like being controlled and won’t let henry control him.

dorian is young, naïve and doesn’t think for himself. henry steps into his life, and he immediately changes - when henry didn’t actually need to do much. dorian seems to submit to henry easily and very quickly. he was seduced and deeply influenced. he quotes henry constantly, he acts independent while also submitting to henry and obeying him. henry’s voice is constantly leading him - even when henry is spewing a thousand lies that even he doesn’t believe.

this makes the triangle so beautiful. none of the love is balanced. no one is giving back what they’re given. it’s unbalanced, it’s bound to fall apart and it’s dangerous. dorian kills the one man who loved him, dorian falls for lies, henry forgets about the one person who cared, henry gets lost in control when he could’ve had vulnerability, basil is killed by the person he adored with all of his soul and that same person he loved was influenced by one of the people basil cared about the most. tragic, but oscar wilde knows how to write a brilliant dynamic.

[dear-dorian-gray]

Omg yesss. Dorian as a blogger sounds so fun and hilarious 😭 I'm down for whatever you decide! But I will say that I really loved the letter format this blog has had going on :)

Omg good point, the letter thing 😭 yeah I love it too!! I really loved it when I first came up with it, it's so on theme. I'll for sure be giving it more thought in a week or two but hopefully I'll be able to keep up with letter asks no matter what.

[dear-dorian-gray]

In relation to people answering with the third option, I don't know how it would work if I would choose to do it but I have a few thoughts. Options could be:

• a fic where Dorian just IS a blogger and has this blog and therefore can have reactions to the stuff you guys say in the fic

• a fic where you guys decide how characters respond. I could create a character for the readers, or you could decide what Dorian does, or you could decide what Basil or Alan does or something. Personally I think this could be a fun choice??

Those are what I'm thinking right now. If you guys have preferences let me know?? I am interested in going forward with this as long as people would actually be interacting with it. I would probably do the choices by continuing to have polls on here, but I could also make a Discord server or something.

[dear-dorian-gray]

AHHH YOU'RE BACK!!! i'm so glad!! Also interactive fics seem so cool but like you decide! It's your acc after all:)

Thank you!! They do sound really cool, I have done stuff like that before but it can be weirdly complicated. If I figure it out it could be fun and exciting, pretty niche but as long as there's a few people having fun with it, it could work :)) got my final assignment for uni in less than two weeks!! Then I can put some thought into this blog.

[dear-dorian-gray]

Yay! I'm glad you're alright, mod :)

Absolutely tyt with uni, I know how stressful that can be 😭 plus the difficulty in focusing sksk

But yeah! I would honestly really love to see where you take this blog. You play Dorian really well hehe.

Thank you! I love Dorian so much, he'll always be one of my favourite literature characters. There's so much to do with him 😭 I'll definitely always be in and out of this blog!

[dear-dorian-gray]

Hey mod you alright? You left without a trace and I've been wondering what was up. Hope everything's ok with you!

Hiya! Everything's great with me, I've just been swamped with uni tbh 😅 also I'm one of those people who can never focus, I have a lot of writing projects and stuff I like to do and they always distract me. I feel like I'm always disappearing from this blog for months then returning, which is a terrible habit I should kick myself out of 🙏🏻 thank you for asking!!

It's summer soon though so I might focus more on this blog! I generally only use it for asks which makes it difficult to build a presence up after I leave, because obviously people don't know I'm back to ask me anything 😭 I should find some stuff to do that doesn't rely on asks maybe, or I should be consistent in the first place 😂

[dear-dorian-gray]

My dear Dorian,

I apologize for having wounded you, but I do not lie when I say I expected Basil to have told you already. He gets more secretive every month.

Basil and I quarreled about a subject that goes back to a few years ago. After I met you, he told me he could never forgive me for having "taken you away from him", which is absurd, since you are the one who decided to spend more time with me. He is awfully possessive of you.

And so, even after this, he continued to act normally enough, but you know how he is. He is never quite normal. It is a trait I appreciate about him. Though recently, something happened that caused this jealousy to spring back into him with renewed force:

He saw that letter you sent me. You know the one. I don't know how he managed to read it, I am quite certain I never left it in view, but he must have found it when I left him unsupervised in my home. I didn't expect him to be so intrusive. I am very sorry, Dorian. But I assure you that he is only angry with me — he could never be angry with you.

I can explain this better when I see you in person.

— Harry

My dearest Harry,

I am sorry to have taken so long to respond to this letter. I cannot wait to tell you about yesterday! Oh, Harry, how strange it was! I was busy indeed.

As for Basil—he has been possessive a long time, hasn't he? I have always felt it. He used to hate it if I said I wanted more friends, other than him. He took it very personally. I cannot understand it, Harry! Of course I care about him despite, but he cannot see it. I wasn't aware, though, that it extended so much to my relationship with you. If he saw my letter, at least he has not responded by betraying us, but I am sorry it has caused you to fall out. He had best get over it.

I will speak to him for you, Harry. I'm certain that he can be reasoned with.

All my love,

Dorian Gray ♡

[dear-dorian-gray]

When Dorian says to Henry "your voice and the voice of Sibyl Vane are two things I shall never forget. When I close my eyes, I hear them, and each of them says something different", it's a very flowery way of announcing yourself to be bisexual.

[dear-dorian-gray]

My dearest Harry,

Have you ever tried pink lemonade? It is delightful. I have just sampled some from a young lady named Ruth who supposedly makes it herself and who I am going to take to bed. She is beautiful, Harry, you would hardly believe it! Her hair is so red it hardly looks natural. She has a little country accent. How charming she is, in her ragged blue-toned clothes!

Would you like me to bring you some of the lemonade?

All my love,

Dorian Gray ♡

(OOC: Hope you don't mind me sending letters to you also OP!)

My dear Dorian,

I am sure this pink lemonade is not the only delightful thing this young lady has to offer. You will have to tell me about it later, but only once you get tired of her. It is much more interesting to hear a story when the person telling it is not in the midst of it anymore. You have the most endearing habit of describing every girl you sleep with as the most beautiful you have ever seen.

I would love to try this lemonade you speak of. I suppose it has strawberries in it? A strawberry is a very deceiving fruit; the ones that look the nicest are often the ones that taste the worst, and vice versa. I quite like them because of it.

Enjoy yourself, my darling,

— Harry

(ooc: Au contraire, I crave epistolary exchange!)

[dear-dorian-gray]

My dear Dorian,

You like everything which flatters you, and the market is the perfect space for that. There isn't one vendor who wouldn't want to grab the attention of a young, rich and good looking boy such as yourself. You look like the perfect target to swindle.

Do you have any news of our dear Basil, by the way? He has acted very coldly with me recently and I was wondering if he told you anything of the matter? Or perhaps you have grown tired of him already. I don't wish to talk to you about it before he does, but I am quite horrible at keeping secrets... So I do hope he beat me to it.

Let us see eachother soon, darling,

— Harry

My dearest Harry,

I suppose you are quite right about that. All the vendors calling to me, telling me to take a look at their fine jewels and fake gold... I do find it all rather charming. It is the perfect place to be noticed.

As of Basil, I haven't heard from him, but that is hardly unusual. I am sorry to hear that you aren't getting on, but how you disagree about everything! He will cool down, I'm sure. I will tell you if I hear from him, Harry. But of which secrets do you speak? I don't know of any, Harry! You know how I hate to be left out! I can't believe the two of you are keeping things from me! You hurt me. You must tell me what it is.

All my love,

Dorian Gray ♡

P.S. We should go the club and then to the opera, Harry! I would so love to do that with you.

[dear-dorian-gray]

My dear Dorian,

I have found something which might very well interest you.

You know how much I despise going to the market. Though, on occasion, it is the most wonderful place to watch people. There is no better way to know what people are truly like than to see them try to haggle. Materialism rules the human race, as we both know. So, last Sunday, I went down to an old flea market and found this collection of pinned butterflies. Their beauty is forever immortalized. They made me think of you.

I hope it will stir many delightful and uncomfortable thoughts in you.

— Harry

(Indeed, the letter came along with a box containing 9 different specimens of butterflies. They are all very beautiful and colorful.)

My dearest Harry,

Oh! The market! I don't understand how you hate it so much when there are so many interesting artefacts that one can find. Where else could we get so many of our amazing things? I hate to think what I would do without all of those exotic shopkeepers, enticing me to their stalls, to look upon their wonders and their horrors? And the haggling! It is so much fun to see! One cannot help but pity the failures, wouldn't you agree, Harry? Turned away, not enough funds, not convincing or dedicated enough... a tragic story! I always like to go and immediately purchase whatever somebody failed to buy, regardless of what it is.

As for your story about the butterflies, Harry, what a thing to say! I don't know what to do with you some of the time. I am a pinned, immortalised butterfly? And you purchased then for me? I do so love your gifts. I feel that this one will intrigue me always.

I will keep them on show in my parlour, and only we will know why they are there, Harry.

All my love,

Dorian ♡

[dear-dorian-gray]

*there is a letter, a messily written address on it with a heart drawn next to it*

To Mr. Dorian Gray

Oh! Seems like i forgot to share my address in the last letter! How unkind of me, I apologize with my whole heart Mr. Gray.

If you ever want to meet me, then you can come to my house if wanted , i am free most days-- (and i would appreciate the company of someone with an actual personality. People these days are so... i don't know how to describe them!)

Mysterious, you say? Oh i know that term extremely well! People associate it with me alot, hehe... I truly hope it doesn't bother you though.

With love,

Austin Carlton

(OOC: Austin is the type of guy to just share his address with strangers and not care lololol)

Dear Austin Carlton,

Thank you for giving your address. I will be sure to stop by when I am in the area. I am quite fascinated to meet you.

As for what you say about people—how true it is! Like Des Esseintes, sometimes I find myself quite fancying the solace of a peaceful home where nobody in modern society could possibly find me. I am afraid I would miss the pleasures of the flesh too much.

As for your mysteriousness, it doesn't bother me at all, Mr Carlton. Instead I rather like it about you.

Best wishes,

Dorian Gray

[dear-dorian-gray]

Reading Dorian Gray, on chapter four currently, but why is this the queerest thing I've ever read. He's been called good boy twice and the description of him being a flower blossomed in winter has been in my mind for a long while. Playing him like a violin and being amused how he reacts to everything? This is crazy. I wonder when it'll go wrong. I thought this was a book about the Devil not Dorian having game.

[dear-dorian-gray]

*there is a letter with a lily tied on it*

To Mr. Dorian Gray

Ah! Mr. Gray, i am glad my letter arrived in good conditions! Extremely glad actually!

Hahaha, seems like we have common friends don't we? Also yes i did hear of Singleton, maybe we travel around the same circles? Who knows!

My name rings a bell? Well i am slightly surprised by that, i must admit.

Mhhh, maybe we should meet face to face instead of writing to eachother, of course if that is fine by you!

With love,

Austin Carlton

Dear Austin Carlton,

It does seem that way, but then I do know an awful lot of people from all walks of life. I hear about so much of what's going on in London through all these people, from the upper classes to eavesdropping in Whitechapel.

As for meeting with you, Mr Carlton—where would find you? I've no idea of the circles in which you walk. Thus far you have been mysterious.

Best wishes,

Dorian Gray

[dear-dorian-gray]

My dear Dorian,

My shell is not cracking, as you say, but I sometimes fear yours is.

But I shouldn't worry, you are quite admirable and I know that you can take on levels of excess that even I cannot afford. I would never say that you have surpassed me, of course, for that would require a level of judgement which I have neither the wisdom nor the energy for, but I must say you impress me more everyday.

Speaking of impressing, you seem to be very fond of Gladys. I cannot help but find it all very amusing; she reminds me of myself to an extent where I cannot bear to speak to her for longer than it takes to finish a cigarette.

Does she remind you of me, my dear? Apart from her views on women, that is...

– Harry

Dearest Harry,

You are kind to me. I am not so admirable. Not nearly as much as you, with your fascinating words, your brilliant stories. From the moment I met you I only wanted to be more like you.

As Gladys—indeed, I am fond of her! At the moment, at least. She is rather like you. I suppose that is what drew me to her. Her conversation is riveting, I'm comparison to the other members of our society. How boring they are! I need my mind to be stimulated, Harry. She stimulates it, and once I am done with her, I always have you, don't I?

With love,

Dorian Gray

[dear-dorian-gray]

My dear Dorian,

Are you quite alright? After you fainted that day and told me you "must not be alone", I couldn't help but worry a bit. You are too beautiful to let anguish spoil your features.

You really mustn't be so secretive, my dear boy, I am sure it is nothing I would find very shocking. Nothing shocks me anymore, except for the extent of some people's dullness and that horrid frock that Lady Brandon wore last Friday...

You would tell me if there was something amiss, wouldn't you?

– Harry

My dearest Harry,

I am surprised and pleased to hear that you worry about me! Is your hard shell cracking in your old age? I can hardly remember what it was I said to you. Some days are a blur. Perhaps I had taken too much opium. I do prefer company to loneliness, and your company is the best of all.

As for secrets, well Harry, I am sure that there is no secret I would ever keep from you. You are my dearest friend and confidant. You wouldn't ever betray me. I know that, Harry, I do.

On another matter—Lady Brandon's dress truly was horrid! What was she thinking?! I cannot believe she thought she could pull off such a colour! Of course I complimented her, as some people must live in delusion, but I was really quite aghast.

But yes, Harry. I will tell you everything, always. It was opium, it must have been. How such substances cause the memory to fail! Thank you for worrying about me ♡

With love,

Dorian

[dear-dorian-gray]

Dear mr gray,

Obviously you’ve met basil hallward,he honestly doesn’t shut up about you he just chatters on and on like an adolescent duchess with a crush on a man in a book or in a fantasy in her head. I don’t mind his blabbering about you it’s rather good sound while doing something else in the same room,it saves me from sitting in silence. Mr hallward is quite the painter,he’s quite good at it! though I prefer just sketching things as I can’t get much of a handle on oil paints myself, I can’t mix colours for the life of me. Mr hallward reminds me of a poppy, he’s beautiful sure but he’ll end up falling apart when put under too much pressure. I had debated with him the other day on what flower you’d be if you were one, he thought of you as lavender I’d wonder why but it’s basil I’m writing about, I think of you as a lily and I feel it makes sense.

Your friend,

M.Dalton

Dear M. Dalton,

I am indeed aware of how much Basil speaks about me. In fact, he does it too much to my face! There is only so much flattery one can take before the boredom seeps in. I cannot talk about my own face for hours. I see enough of it already. But I understand the desire to not simply sit in silence. It drives me insane how, when he is painting, he will not talk at all.

I would also like to agree with his talent for painting—spectacularly lifelike! His dedication knows no bounds, it must be said. He is clearly very invested or else he wouldn't be spending so much time in such a penniless profession.

As for comparing him to a poppy—is he beautiful? If he is I haven't noticed, I'm afraid. But he does crack under pressure. I am not surprised he compared me to a lavender. They symbolise purity, devotion and grace. I don't know why he sees me this way. I was pure, once, and he seems incapable of forgetting about it, and accepting the ways in which I've changed and grown.

However, your lily is quite similar in terms of associstion with purity. The Madonna Lily comes to mind, but then so does Italy. The rebirth that they symbolise, however, the changing, the awakening from death, is what I can most connect to. I feel like I have died and rose again many times in my life.

Best wishes,

Dorian Gray