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The Picture of Dorian Gray

By Oscar Wilde
Series: Oxford World's Classics
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
When Dorian Gray, a strikingly handsome young man, has his portrait painted, he becomes mesmerised by his own beauty. Influenced by the cynical and seductive Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian wishes to remain forever youthful, exchanging his soul to ensure his looks never fade. Set against the backdrop of fin-de-siècle London, the novel chronicles his descent into moral corruption and cruelty. While Dorian's appearance remains unspoiled, his portrait darkens, revealing the true cost of his hedonistic and criminal lifestyle. Combining supernatural elements with Gothic and aesthetic themes, this classic explores the consequences of vanity and moral decay.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This novel is suited for readers interested in classic literature, Gothic fiction, and philosophical explorations of morality and beauty. It appeals to those who appreciate richly layered, thought-provoking narratives.

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Dorian Gray gives his soul for eternal youth. While his portrait changes hideously, reflecting his crimes and corruption, he remains outwardly flawless. This new edition uses the 1891 expanded text and shows how Wilde transformed his many sources.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.

When Dorian Gray has his portrait painted, he is captivated by his own beauty. Tempted by his world-weary, decadent friend Lord Henry Wotton, he wishes to stay forever young and pledges his very soul to keep his good looks. Set in fin-de-siècle London, the novel traces a path from the studio of painter Basil Hallward to the opium dens of the East End. As Dorian's slide into crime and cruelty progresses, he stays magically youthful, while his beautiful portrait changes, revealing the hideous corruption of moral decay.

Ever since its first publication in 1890, Wilde's only novel has remained the subject of critical controversy. Acclaimed by some as an instructive moral tale, it has been denounced by others for its implicit immorality. Combining elements of the supernatural, aestheticism, and the Gothic, The Picture of Dorian Gray is an unclassifiable and uniquely unsettling work of fiction.

ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics have praised the Oxford World's Classics edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray for its superb explanatory notes and an introduction that is both succinct and informative, enhancing the reading experience significantly.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780199535989

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 April 2008

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Oxford University Press

Contributors:

  • Edited by Joseph Bristow

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 195.0mm

Weight: 193g

Pages: 272

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Oscar Wilde Series: Oxford World's Classics

About the Author

Joseph Bristow is editor of the Oxford English Texts edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Cambridge Companion to Victorian Poetry and Olive Schreiner's African Farm for OWC. He is the author of The Fin-de-Siécle Poem: English Culture and the 1890s (Ohio UP, 2005).

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