Summary of The Picture of Dorian Gray
In “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, the artist Basil Hallward paints the portrait of his friend Dorian Gray – a strikingly handsome, wealthy, yet vain young man. Under the influence of the hedonistic Lord Henry Wotton, young Dorian laments that his beauty will inevitably fade while the portrait will remain unchanged, and he wishes for the opposite. After breaking off his engagement with the actress Sybil Vane, Dorian discovers a sinister change in the painting and realises that his wish has come true. Over the next eighteen years, he plunges into a life of excess, vice, and moral corruption, retaining his youth and beauty while the portrait grows hideous with the weight of his sins.
Reasons to read The Picture of Dorian Gray
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is Oscar Wilde’s only novel. When it was first published in 1890, it caused a scandal – not only for its decadent protagonist, but also for its homoerotic undertones. The book combines Gothic horror with social satire, exposing the superficiality of Victorian high society. Its themes – the obsession with beauty, youth and indulgence – remain relevant today. The novel has inspired countless stage and screen adaptations. Oscar Wilde was a brilliant Irish poet, novelist and playwright, celebrated for his literary output (including this novel and his play “The Importance of Being Earnest”) and controversial for his dandyism and homosexuality.
Setting: London (England, UK)
Original title: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Year of publication: 1890
Nr of pages: 252
