#raoul as dorian

[doomed-patch-of-ink]

If he would recite poetry to a lover on a lazy spring Sunday afternoon, then I'm adding them to the list of my favorite characters, no questions asked

#gothic literature #let's see #henry clerval #basil hallward #dorian gray #raoul de chagny #(he might i think he'd try so i'm putting him there)

[thegothiclitcoffeeshop]

Loving the new profile picture! How are you guys doing with the upcoming winter holidays rush? As a fellow customer service worker, I would gather the stress is through the roof...?

Oh, I'm glad you like it! So do I~

...Raoul, Henry C, Alyosha, and Dorian have made a tent under one of the tables. They haven't left the café since last Thursday.

Oh, right! They say it's too cold to go back outside. And Raoul switched his obsession from pumpkin spice to peppermint.

I worry a network of similar tents is going to spring up.

Probably! Good idea.

Yves...

What? This way we'll have no holiday rush at all!

I'm going to put my head in the blender.

I'm going to unplug the blender, then. And you will look very silly.

Awwwww! The boys made room for Adam to come in the tent too!

#welcome to chauncey's #yves ausclair #clarence renfald #raoul de chagny #henry clerval #alyosha karamazov #dorian gray #adam frankenstein

[dippydots]

Third wheels

(And introducing our newest character Catherine Linton, Jr of Wuthering Heights)

#gothic gang #mystic mysfits #gg henry jekyll #gg lisa jekyll #gg edward hyde #gg lucy hargreaves #gg henri clerval #gg victor frankenstein #gg adam frankenstein #mm edith jekyll #mm edmund jekyll #mm robin diaz griffin #gg christine daae #gg raoul de chagney #gg erik diaz #gg cathy linton jr #gg jack griffin #gg dorian gray #thats a lot of tags #if you reblog you don’t have to put them all in

[niightravcns]

Careful the wish you make Wishes are children Careful the path they take Wishes comes true Not free

Careful the spell you cast Not just on children Sometime the spell may last Past what you can see And turn against you

Careful the tale you tell That is the spell Children will listen

#💎 playlist 💎 #💎 dorian ashengrotto 💎 #💎 raoul hagen 💎 #💎 samuel orion 💎 #💎 steven orion 💎

[sanguinaryrot]

writing a resume like special talents include identifying different covers of the picture of Dorian gray even if the title is covered or obscured

#i think everyone who reads this book at a formative age #ends up collecting more than one copy #am i wrong about this? like it’s in the book as well. Dorian reads that book about the hero #(Raoul in the uncensored copy ‘the hero’ in the censored copy) #and has the book rebound into various colors to suit his moods #so i think. insane gay 16 year olds are like oh shit me too #but I’ve spent so much time just. looking at covers #i don’t feel the need to pick up every copy i see these days #but. i still do secretly crave picking up the more beautiful ones #and that one copy that is just the handwritten manuscript #it’s 240 dollars and I’m just in a constant state of having like $12 in my bank account lol #but. Dorian i still think of you. i doubt there will ever be a time when i dont

[dross-the-fish]

What do you think the Montely crew vs team Dracula would do on Valentinas day? Who will have a date? Who is going to use this day as an excuse to eat lots of chocolate? Who will drawn their sorrow and wallow in self-pity?

Quincey and Larry will go out on a date together. likely to the park or a zoo and then dinner. Sherlock and Watson will probably also go out, though they won't actively acknowledge it's any kind of date.

Jekyll/Hyde is aromantic and doesn't really care about the holiday but he is sending flowers to any prominent or favored lady (and gentlemen) friends that he particularly likes. I see him considering sending chocolates but ending up eating them himself.

Selma is using the holiday as an excuse to bake heart shaped sweets for everyone. She'll pester Henry/Edward into helping her and he'll grumble but secretly enjoy himself.

Erik will be a little bitter, he can't stop wondering what Raoul and Christine are up to and while he hopes they're happy he's still going to feel kind of alone watching other couples. He will be drinking wine and listening to sad music until the holiday is over. Theo will hang out with him since she's doing pretty much the same thing. Though her vampirism is under control she still doesn't trust herself enough to try and date or hang out with anyone outside of the crew.

Adam may pick flowers and leave them for his friends, he'd busy himself with helping set up any festivities. If he is lucky enough to have a date of some kind he's going to do his best to dress up and let Watson instruct him on how to be a proper gentleman.

.... Dracula is indifferent to valentines day. He might find a fresh infant for his brides.

Carmilla and Laura are having a romantic evening in, there will be dancing and candlelight.

Griffin is gorging himself on chocolate he stole. He's not really concerned about dating but he has a bit of a sweet tooth so he's indulging. I can also see him enjoying the atmosphere and festivities.

Dorian Gray is waiting for love letters, wine, roses and candy to come flooding in. He may send a few gifts to some people who's favor he's trying to gain or he'll send gifts to one admirer for the sole purpose of making another jealous. Valentines day is for creating and basking in drama.

Dr Moreau will give his beast folk flowers and candy, not because he actually cares but because he understands that sometimes he needs to make them feel cared for or they might turn on him. Doesn't actually concern himself with Valentines day on a personal level.

Imhotep is a 3000 year old mummy, he predates Valentines day. But seeing everyone being romantic will make him feel a little sentimental and sad. He'll use it as an excuse to take a day off and work at his alchemy.

[rose-tea-and-strawberries]

Trey: *Trying to explain Riddle is that way because of his mom*

Me: Give me a minute as I pull up my ‘Trauma Doesn’t Excuse Sh*t Behavior’ PowerPoint.

Say it with me, everyone: an explanation is not an excuse 😊

You know, the other day I was watching one of Ryan George's Pitch Meetings and when Producer Guy asked Writer Guy how the audience would root for the villain of the franchise and the response was "he's handsome" which basically explains most people's reactions to fictional men.

Prepare for incoming rant that has little to do with the ask

This probably might come as a shock because one of the main appeal of twst would be the whole villainous aspect/Disney Villain fanbase but I don't really like villains that much, at least, not romantically. Like don't get me wrong, I think that they're incredible characters and it would be so fun to sit down with one and have a conversation with one. Villain songs are so fun (I was literally singing ‘This Day Aria’ to myself the other day I haven’t heard that song in like a decade) and you can tell that that characters like Scar or Hades or Shere Khan or Jafar or Maleficent are having so much fun being deliciously evil and even the more serious, complex ones like Loki or Frollo are fun to pick apart so yeah I understand the hype. I just always rooted for the heroes and I guess heroic characters have always been more my type.

My mother absolutely loves Erik Destler and is forever salty that Christine chose Raoul (despite my many many attempts at arguing why Raoulstine is the superior couple - smol primary school me could not understand why my mum liked the chandelier dropper and was deeply concerned), my best friend has been in love with Heathcliffe since we were eleven, and my little sister has literally told me that her type of fictional men are the toxic red flags (not exactly word for word but she did explain why she likes bad boys over good boys when I was complaining about how my type (wholesome soft boys) always get sidelined for the arrogant, snarky bad boys - we're also very diametrically opposed on our views of friends to lovers (my s++ tier all time favourite and her loathing) vs enemies to lovers (I can't really stand it - Pride and Prejudice is the only exception - and that's literally all she consumes) so that might also be a reason).

Like, I understand the appeal of a Byronic hero (Mr Darcy has far too much power) - a closed off, broody man that hates everything but you? And will burn down the world to keep you warm? I can respect that there are people who dig that. But their not really for me.

The mild bout of insanity thirteen year old me had where I spent two months attracted to Edward Rochester is an outlier and should not have been counted (though that was during my wattpad phase so...)

But I can admit that I have yet to shake off my feelings for Dr Henry Jekyll, Victor Frankenstein and Dorian Gray (though to be fair, Mr Gabriel John Utterson the lawyer and cinnamon roll artist boy Basil Hallward do own my heart). And yes, Jeremy Jordan did make me question my morality as he did make my feelings for Light Yagami be too positive to be sane for a brief moment (Touta Matsuda is still my man, don't worry). But apart from them, literally all of my faves are what you'd call your traditional, morally upright heroes.

Basically what I'm saying is that my perception might be skewed because I've never had the whole 'villains are cooler' mindset when it came to stories. Yes, I love the villains as characters but I always liked their heroic foils more (goodness is just so attractive to me). You get lots of amazing heroic protagonists that have horribly tragic backstories and they're the ones I always fall for because the idea of being a kind sweetheart despite the world being anything but is just *chef's kiss* that's a kind of strength that's so swoon-worthy.

I guess that's why it's harder for me to look past the characters' actions in twst is because, well, they chose to do everything they did. They made a conscious choice to be terrible, despite understanding the consequences. Riddle may have been brainwashed into becoming a tyrant by his mother but he still admitted that he knew he was being horrible - he understands the concept of morality, of good and bad, and he willingly and deliberately did everything he did.

I suppose this text post I found on Pinterest would explain my point better:

#twisted wonderland #twst #asks

[sleepless-in-starbucks]

on (best) friendship

happy birthday starlight <3

saintzacharie, confidants / raoul fernandes, by way of explanation / derivakat, blue moon / sharon cummings, never alone / amazing devil, the rockrose and the thistle / phoenix wright: ace attorney / death cab for cutie, when we drive / oscar wilde, the picture of dorian gray / chxrlotte, come with me / amal el-mohtar, this is how you lose the time war / hagen renaker figurines / discord emojis / supergiant games, hades / wendy cope, the orange (art by mary sheehan) / danez smith, acknowledgements / bakwaaas

@jzixuans

#the cryptid speaks #blink #web weaving #ive had this in the works for a bit #what can i say i love associating #hope u like it blink :)

[most-pathetic-gothlit]

Hello, and welcome to the 2023 Most Pathetic Gothlit Meow Meow showdown! Inspired by @gothlit-sexywoman-contest and @gothlit-sexyman-contest. I know we’ve been campaigning for the SEXIEST Gothlit character, but where it’s really at is who is the most pathetic. The most sopping wet. The saddest.

Here are this year’s matchups!

ROUND ONE MATCHUPS

Griffin (The Invisible Man) versus Lord Henry Wotton (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

Dorian Gray (The Picture of Dorian Gray) versus Adam, the Creature (Frankenstein)

Carmilla (Carmilla) versus Ernest Frankenstein (Frankenstein)

Henry Jekyll (The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) versus Thomas Marvel (The Invisible Man)

Raoul de Chagny (The Phantom of the Opera) versus Victor Frankenstein (Frankenstein)

Gregor Samsa (The Metamorphosis) versus Robert Walton (Frankenstein)

Jack Seward (Dracula) versus Erik, The Phantom (The Phantom of the Opera)

Sydney Carton (A Tale of Two Cities) versus Basil Hallward (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

Voting will begin March 1st, 12 AM (CST). Asks will be open if you have any questions!

Best of luck to all of the meow meows!

#gothlit meow meow contest #round one #polls #bracket #pathetic meow meow #jekyll and hyde #Frankenstein #dorian gray #Dracula #the invisible man #the metamorphosis #a tale of two cities #the phantom of the opera

[madreemeritus]

POTO adaptations analysis — Part 3 — The Phantom of the Paradise (1974), directed by Brian de Palma, starring Paul Willians, William Finley and Jessica Harper

this movie is a mix of Faust, The Phantom of the Opera and The Picture as a gothic/horror/comedy glamrock so you already know what to expect (and it was directed by Brian de Palma, the same dude who directed 1976's "Carrie")

Positive aspects (trying to not put the whole movie here):

– WHAT A FUCKING PHOTOGRAPHY, it barely looks like a 1970s movie fr

– WHAT A FUCKING SOUNDTRACK, no matter what genre plays during the movie it's so fucking iconic i love it 🥹

– Winslow Leach my beloved, aside from Erik Destler (Robert Englund) he's the best remade of original Erik we have, a little unhinged yet still pathetic and lovable

– Beef is ✨ICONIC✨ he SLAYS in gay 💅

– the figurine 🥹 omg what a fucking amazing techno-goth figurine

– the clips are so well made, the scene where Winslow rewrites his song for Phoenix while the red candle melts is probably my favorite

– Phoenix (our Christine/Marguerite) is so perfect and babygirl and girlboss iconic wonderful diva 💞

– AND, she and Winslow share the best platonic chemestry. I love them

– the mixt of tension, glamrock, comedy and tragedy are simpley perfect

– idk what's the meaning of this, but the characters are strangely related to birds: Swan, Phoenix and Winslow's mask

– speaking of mask, his design is PERFECT and it inspired Darth Vader's design (yes, Brian de Palma and George Lucas were friends and the POTP came out 2 years before Star Wars)

– as I said before, the movie mixes POTO, Faust and The Picture of Dorian Gray, in a perfect way ✨💅

– the movie also criticizes the music industry, with both Phoenix and other objectified women and the injustice that happens with Winslow Leach

– Swan is a hateful villain, but in a good way, he's also iconic and very well written (and acted)

– how the plot explores the paralels with Faust is so fantastic

– the scene where Winslow brings Phoenix to the rooftop looks like a reference to the 1925s POTO, where Erik as Red Death spies on Raoul and Christine

– Winslow's deformity is AWESOME

– the ending, tho tragic, gives Phoenix and Winslow the scene i wanted to see with Christine and Erik

Negative aspects:

– the scene where Winslow discovers the supernatural true about Swan and the deal he signed is kinda... convenient? Like, a hidden recording that explains the plot-twist? That's kinda of a scritp cheat

– i wish Phoenix had more scenes tho (she still slays)

Movie score: 9/10 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

#the phantom of the opera #poto #phantom of the paradise #brian de palma #poto adaptations #winslow leach

[carnivorousyandeere]

FUCK I’m so torn over this… you all have such good suggestions 😭 so here’s going to be the Three Choices…

#poll #yandere patron of the arts #my thoughts #yandere #yandere oc #yandere imagines #yandere scenarios #yandere x darling #yandere x reader #yandere x you #yandere cw

[spookycathymorshaw]

#polls #gothic lit #gothic literature #frankenstein #dracula #jane eyre #wuthering heights #the yellow wallpaper #the picture of dorian gray #the phantom of the opera #le fantôme de l'opéra #the hunchback of notre dame #nddp #carmilla #rebecca

[villainsletter]

Characters/Personagens

Characters that I write about. This list can update from time to time.

Personagens que eu escrevo, a lista pode atualizar de vez em quando.

Fandom List/Lista de Fandom

Request rules and blog rules/ Regras de pedidos e regras do blog

Playlist

Animation/Animação

Castelvania

Alucard Carmilla Drácula Hector Isaac Sypha Belnades Trevor Belmont

Anime/Manga

Boku no Hero Academia

Atsuhiro Sako/ Mr. Compress Aizawa Shouta/Eraserhead Mirai Sasaki/Sir Nighteye Nemuri Kayama/Midnight Rumi  Usagiyama/Mirko Sekijiro Kan/Vlad King

Bungou Stray Dogs

Akiko Yosano Ango Sakaguchi Arthur Rimbaud Chuya Nakahara Doppo Kunikida Edgar Alan Poe F. Scott Fitzgerald Fyodor Dostoevsky Howard Lovecraft Ivan Goncharov Katai Tayama Koyo Ozaki Louisa May Alcott Mark Twain Nathaniel Hawthorne Nikolai Gogol Osamu Dazai Ranpo Edogawa Sakunosuke Oda Sigma T.J. Eckleburg Tatsuhiko Shibusawa

Death Note

L Light Yagami Misa Amane Naomi Misora Raye Penber Touta Matsuda

Haikyuu

Asahi Azumane (Time Skip) Daichi Sawamura (Time Skip) Ittetsu Takeda Keishin Ukai Manabu Naoi Taoki Anabara

 Hellsing

Alucard Seras Victoria Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing

Hunter X Hunter

Chrollo Lucifer Franklin Bordeau Feitan Portor Illumi Zoldyck Jed Kastro Kite Knov Kurapika Kurta Leorio Paradinight Machi Komacine Omokage Pakunoda Pariston Hill Phinks Magcub Sadaso Sedokan Shaiapouf Shalnark Shizuku Murasaki Shura Uvogin Wing

JoJo's Bizarre Advetures  

Part 1

Bruford Dio Brando Erina Pendleton Jonathan Joestar Robert E.O. Speedwagon Straizo

Part 2

Caesar A. Zeppeli Esidisi Joseph Joestar Kars Lisa Lisa Suzi Q. Wammu

 Part 3

DIO Hol Horse Holy Kujo Jean Pierre Polnareff Mariah Muhammad Avdol Steely Dan Telence T. D’ Arby  

Part 4

Akira Otoishi Jotaro Kujo Kira Yoshikage Mikitaka Hazekura Rohan Kishibe Shinobu Kawajiri Terunosuke Miyamoto Tomoko Higashikata Tonio Trussardi

Part 5

Bruno Bucciarati Diavolo Formaggio Ghiaccio Guido Mista Illuso Leone Abbachio Melone Prosciutto Risotto Nero Scolippi Vinegar Doppio

Part 6

Enrico Pucci Ermes Costello Gwess Johngalli A. Jolyne Kujo Narciso Anasui Weather Report

Naruto

Asuma Sarutobi Chojuro Deidara Ebisu Genma Shiranui Hidan Iruka Umino Kabuto Yakushi Kakashi Hatake Kimimaru  Konan Mizuki Naruto Uzumaki  (Boruto Era) Orochimaru Sasuke Uchiha Tsunade Zetsu

Sailor Moon

Souichi Tomoe

Shingeki no Kyojin

Armin Arlet Bertholdt  Hoover Erwin Smith Hange Zoë Jean Kirschtein Levi Ackerman Marco Bodt Miche”Mike” Zacharius Sasha Braus 

Soul Eater

Franken Stein

Books/Livros

Carmilla

Carmilla

Drácula

Count  Drácula Jonathan Harker  Lucy Westenra Mina Harker

Frankstein

Victor Frankstein

Fallen Saga

Ariane Alter Cameron Briel Daniel Grigori Roland Sparks

The Phantom of The Opera

Christine Daaé

Erik

Visconde Raoul de Chagny

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Basil Hallward

Dorian Gray

The Scarlet Letter

Arthur Dimmesdale

Hester Prynne

The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde

Beatrix Emery

Dr. Henry Jekyll

Edward Hyde

Twilight Saga

Alice Cullen

Caius

Dr. Carlisle Cullen

Jasper Hale

Comics/ HQ

DC Universe

Bane Bruce Wayne/ The Batman Clark Kent/ Superman Corinthian Death Desire Dick Grayson/ Nightwing Edward Nygma/ Nashton/ Riddler Harleen Quinzel/ Harley Quinn Jason Todd/ Red Hood Jervis Tetch/  Mad Hatter Johanna Constantine John Constantine Jonathan Crane/ Scarecrow Kate Kane/ Batwoman Koriand’r/ Starfire Lucifer Morningstar Morpheus/ Dream Oswald Cobblepot/ Penguin Pamela Isley/ Poison Ivy Selina Kyle/ Catwoman Victor Fries/ Mr.Freeze Zatanna Zatara  

Marvel Comics Universe

Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier Bruce Banner/ Hulk Carol Danvers/Capitan Marvel Charles Xavier/ Professor Xavier Clint Barton/ Hawkeye Durig Eddie Brock Elektra Eric Brooks/ Blade Erik Killmonger Erik Magnus/ Magneto Gamora Hella Odinsdottir Jake/Steven/Mark Grant/Moon Knight Jane Foster/Lady Thor Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk Kang Karen Page Kate Bishop/Hawkeye Kürt Wagner/ Nightcrawler Layla El-Faouly Logan/ Wolverine Loki Laufeyson Makkari Mantis Matt Murdock/ Daredevil Maya Lopez/ Echo Monica Rambeau / Spectrum Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow Neena Thurman/ Domino Ororo Munroe/ Storm Peter Parker/Spider-man Peter Parker/Spider- Noir Peter Quill Pietro Maximoff Raven Darkholme/ Mystique Remy LeBieau/ Gambit Sam Wilson/ Capitain America Scott Lang/ Ant-Man Shang-Chi Steve Rogers/ Capitan America Stephen Strange/Doctor Strange Sylvie Laufeydottir Thena Thor Odinson Tony Stark / Iron-man Valkyrie Venom Vision Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch Wade Wilson/ Deadpool  

Movies/Filmes

Bram Stoker's Drácula

Count Dracula Jonathan Harker Lucy Westenra Mina Harker  

Scream

Ghostface Sidney Prescot

The Boy

Brahms Heelshire

Greta Evans

The Phantom of the Opera

Christine Daaé Erik Visconde Raoul de Chagny

 Underworld

Amelia

Karven

Lucian

Scott Speedman

Selene

Van Helsing

Anna Valerious Aleera Count Drácula Gabriel Van Helsing  

Series

Doctor Who

Doctor (9th-12th ) Rose Tyler

Midnight Mass

Erin Greene Father Paul Hill Riley Flynn Sheriff Hassan

Sherlock (BBC)

James Moriarty John Watson Mary Morstan Sherlock Holmes

Supernatural

Arcanjo Gabriel Castiel Charlie Bradbury Crowley Dean Winchester Lucifer Sam Winchester

The Boys

Annie January/ Starlight Billy Butcher Earving/Black Noir Frenchie/Serge Hughie Campbell Kimiko Margaret Shaw/Queen Maeve Mother’s Milk/ MM 

Tumblr Sexyman

You can ask me any Tumblr sexy Person

Video Games

Detroit Become Human

Connor Gavin Reed Hank Anderson Kara Luther Markus RK900  

Five Nights At Freddy's

Phone Guy

Purple Guy

Genshin Impact

Albedo Arataki Itto Baizhu Beidou Capitano Cyno Diluc Dottore Eula Jean Kaeya Kamisato Ayato Kequing Kujou Sara Lisa Ningguang Pantalone Rosaria Sangonomiya Kokomi Shenhe Shogun Raiden Tartaglia Tighnari Thoma Xiao Yae Miko Yelan Zhongli

John Doe

John Doe

Persona 5 Royal

Dr. Takuto Maruki Goro Akechi

Resident Evil

Ada Wong Alcina Dimitrescu Carlos Oliveira Karl Heisenberg Leon S. Kennedy

Twisted Wonderland

Carter Diamond Dire Crowley Divus Crewel Idia Shroud Leona Kingscholar Rook Hunt Sam Trey Clover Vil Shoenheit

Thank You Very Very Much!

#castelvania #boku no academia #BNHA #bungou stray dogs #BSD #Death Note #haikyuu!! #Hellsing #hunter x hunter #HXH #jojos bizarre adventure #jojo no kimyou na bouken #JJBA #naruto #sailor moon #Shingeki no Kyojin #Soul Eater #carmilla karnstein #Dracula #Fallen saga #The phantom of the opera #the picture of dorian gray #the scarlet letter #the strange case of dr jekyll and mr hyde #twilight saga #dc comics #DCEU #marvel #Marvel comics #MCU

[the-queer-classic-lit-ship-ever]

the round hath roundeth 4 times now no way

... i don't know what i was doing with that. anyways

(losers bracket noms open until main bracket ends)

matchups below woo!

les amis de l'abc (les miserables) vs dorian gray/basil hallward/henry wotton (the picture of dorian gray)

rosencrantz/guildenstern (hamlet and ragad) vs antonio/sebastian (twelfth night and/or the tempest)

buttercup/westley (the princess bride) vs elizabeth bennett/fitzwilliam darcy (pride and prejudice)

henry clerval/victor frankenstein (frankenstein) vs ishmael/queequeg (moby dick)

nick carraway/jay gatsby (the great gatsby) vs benedick/beatrice (much ado about nothing)

samwise gamgee/frodo baggins (lord of the rings) vs erik/raoul de chagny/christine daae (the phantom of the opera)

mina harker/lucy westenra (dracula) vs lancelot/arthur/guinevere (arthurian legend)

hamlet/horatio (hamlet) vs jack seward/quincey morris (dracula)

#tournament #round 4 #queer classic lit ship tourney #woo! #so proud of r and g actually

[hergan416]

Ok last bit about Chapter 8 I swear.

The book finally arrived!

I didn't pay as much attention to the yellow book that finalizes Dorian Gray's corruption the first time as I did this time, so I really can't say if anything was changed between the Lippencott's manuscript and the 1891 book. What I can say is that there is definitely more to the description than I saw the first time.

The annotations are doing things like describing the Décadent movement and what real books that Wilde might have modeled Le Secret de Raoul, par Catulle Sarrazin off of. I don't think that the real life analogies are really that important. Sure it is nice to know that he had a genre in mind, but the book's textual description gives you that also, between its cover, the mash up of names belonging to Décadent authors (ok so the annotations are a little helpful), and the description of the book's content.

Really it is the content that sheds the most light. And not just the statement that it "is a poisonous book" -- a really interesting statement considering Wilde's general stance separating art from morality (Although again the annotations indicate this was a little more nuanced than I am making it. Wilde also claimed he was once poisoned by a book, assumed to be Pater's The Renaissance, see my reactions to the introduction for more information.)

Anyway, "it seemed to him that in exquisite raiment, and to the delicate sound of flutes, the sins of the world were passing in dumb-show before him. Things he had dimly dreamed of were suddenly made real to him. Things of which he had never dreamed were gradually revealed."

The book is highly contradictory. It speaks of soft, decadent things, of beauty, things one might find good, simultaneously with sin. The book has no plot, but then Wilde has a nearly paragraph long sentence describing the plot, which spans across the entire bredth of human experience. It contains "metaphors as monstrous as orchids," a flower known "during the Victorian era in England [...] as symbols of beauty, harmony, elegance, and luxury" as symbols of fertility in Ancient Greek culture and as symbols of "celebration, rebirth, and prosperity" in Ancient Roman culture (source), none of which seem exceptionally monstrous. (I listed the Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman meanings also because Wilde has a propensity for double meaning in reference to the Classical Era.)

Despite not clearly being good or bad, Dorian Gray emerges from the book, late to dinner, and as cynical as Lord Henry.

"I didn't say I liked it Harry. I said it fascinated me. There is a great difference."

"Ah, if you have discovered that, you have discovered a great deal."

I sort of view this transition as willful on Dorian Gray's part.

I remember something a little different (which might be coming still) in the 1891 book, in which Dorian's experience reading the book is more deeply described, especially in terms of the book's affect on his soul. I'll have to see if that eventually happens, or if that was something added to appease the censors.

#liveblogging the uncesnored picture of dorian gray #yes the book is overdue #you will see more of it im sure

[tma293uploads]

Online Response #5

11/28/22

Similarities between I am Not Your Negro and Paris is Burning

Despite each documentary covering distinctly separate topics, I am Not Your Negro (a social critique film directed by Raoul Peck, using James Baldwin’s words as a framework/commentary to support the film’s organization and narrative), and Paris is Burning (a chronicle of NYC ball culture and the African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender communities involved in it) share an obvious similarity in that they both seek to provide insight, and perhaps even empowerment, for marginalized groups. Beyond the surface analysis of minorities in America, however, the two films also share some similarities in narrative structure and their nuanced portrayals of imagined communities.

I am not your Negro takes a video-essay approach: it explores the history of racism in the US through a series of “chapters,” following Baldwin’s recollections of civil rights leaders Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr, as well as his personal observations of American History. Paris is Burning is far from an essay–but it also provides structure by following the development of involved characters (in this case Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey, Angie Xtravaganza, and Willi Ninja, to name a few) while also separating scenes by vocabulary topics (e.g, voguing, houses, “mother,” “shade,” reading,” “legendary”).

Both films are portrayals of imagined communities. While Benedict Anderson uses the term “imagined communities” to discuss the spread of nationalism, this concept can be applied to communities of any size or self-identification. He describes nations as “imagined communities” because it allows us to identify with others in the nation-community, despite not ever knowing these other people as individuals. In I am not your Negro, Raoul Peck is speaking to African-Americans currently living in the United States. In Paris is Burning, Livingston observes, in particular, the ball culture of NYC—but in doing so, also provides insights on the larger US LGBT community as a whole. 

Each film director is also deliberate in their nuanced portrayal of the communities at hand. The directors advocate for the better treatment of each marginalized group, while also showing each community's internal challenges and controversies. They highlight human dignity, rather than choosing to pedestal or make their subjects “model minorities.” For example, in I am Not Your Negro, Baldwin takes no stance on which civil rights leaders had the “best” or “right” approach to eventual black liberation. In Paris is Burning, Livingston doesn’t shy away from the differing views on gender reassignment surgery, as well as the commonality (and consequences) of shoplifting and sex work within ball culture. 

Additionally, each film highlights the history and ongoing struggles of each group, while also acknowledging the relative, ever-changing structure of these communities. In Paris is Burning, Both Pepper and Dorian, long-time “legends” of the ball scene, comment on how ball culture has experienced significant changes during their involvement, and will continue to change as time progresses. In I am Not Your Negro, Baldwin talks about race as a social construct, and how the distinction of a “Negro”, in opposition to the “white” race, in itself will always be a barrier to full equality (e.g.: “What white people have to do is try to find out in their own hearts why it was necessary to have a ‘nigger’ in the first place. Because I am not a nigger, I am a man! But if you think I’m a nigger, it means you need him. [...] I am not the nigger here, and you the white people invented him, then you’ve got to find out why.”)

At the end of the day, any imagined community is well, imagined. Our social structures are only as objective and real as the people who collectively say they are so. However, as each film shows, the effects that imagined communities can have on the people involved in them—a sense of belonging, empowerment, and kinship—are undeniably real.