Sunday, July 1, 1990

Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray published 100 years ago this month

First posted 7/6/2020.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde

First Publication: July 1890


Category: philosophy/novel


Sales: ?

Accolades (click on badges to see full lists):

About the Book:

The only novel by Oscar Wilde was “first published complete in…Lippincott's Monthly Magazine…[It] offended the moral sensibilities of British book reviewers, some of whom said that Oscar Wilde merited prosecution for violating the laws guarding the public morality.” WK When the longer, revised version of the book was published in 1891, it featured a preface defending “the artist’s rights and of art for art’s sake…It [became] famous in its own right as a literary and artistic manifesto.” WK

The Picture of Dorian Gray “pivots on a gothic plot device with strong themes interpreted from FaustWK another work featured in this book. “Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England. Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world.” AZ

“For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde’s most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind.” AZ


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