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The Picture of Dorian Gray: Popular Penguins

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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
The Picture of Dorian Gray: Popular Penguins by Oscar Wilde tells the story of a young man named Dorian Gray, who is the subject of a painting by artist Basil Hallward. Under the influence of the hedonistic Lord Henry, Dorian wishes his portrait would age instead of him, leading to a life of moral degradation while his appearance remains youthful and unspoiled. This captivating novel explores themes of vanity, morality, and the nature of beauty.
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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?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate a gripping narrative exploring themes of beauty, morality, and the consequences of a hedonistic lifestyle, all intertwined with Wilde's signature wit and elegance.

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The Picture of Dorian Gray: Popular Penguins

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 Picture of Dorian Gray: Popular Penguins by Oscar Wilde is a haunting exploration of vanity, moral corruption, and the quest for eternal youth. Set against the backdrop of Victorian London, the novel tells the story of a handsome young man, Dorian Gray, who becomes the muse of the painter Basil Hallward. Captivated by Dorian's beauty, Basil creates a magnificent portrait of him, capturing his youth and allure.

When Dorian meets the charismatic Lord Henry Wotton, he is introduced to a hedonistic worldview that takes on a chilling reality. Under Lord Henry's influence, Dorian makes a Faustian pact: he will remain forever young and unspoiled, while his portrait ages and bears the physical traces of his every sin. As Dorian engages in a life of debauchery and depravity, the painting becomes a grotesque reflection of his corrupted soul.

Characterised by Wilde’s sharp wit and sparkling dialogue, The Picture of Dorian Gray is both beautiful and terrifying. It delves into philosophical themes of aestheticism, moral duplicity, and the relationship between the seen and unseen, challenging traditional Victorian values. Wilde deftly critiques society's obsession with appearance and the superficial, revealing the dark consequences of living a life unbound by ethics and responsibility.

First published in 1890, The Picture of Dorian Gray was initially met with controversy due to its moral nuances and suggestive content. However, over time, it has earned a place as a cornerstone of gothic literature, lauded for its brilliant prose and thought-provoking exploration of human nature.

This edition in the Popular Penguins series invites new and returning readers alike to experience Wilde’s only novel in an accessible format. A masterpiece of Gothic horror, it remains a timeless reflection on the treacherous temptation of eternal youth and the inevitable decay that lies beneath the surface.

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?

The Picture of Dorian Gray: Popular Penguins by Oscar Wilde receives acclaim for its captivating narrative and thought-provoking themes. Reviewers praise Wilde's eloquent writing style and compelling exploration of vanity and moral corruption. Many find the story both haunting and timeless, making it a must-read classic.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141037684

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 September 2008

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 112.0mm

Height: 180.0mm

Weight: 172g

Pages: 300

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About the Author

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854, the son of an eminent eye-surgeon and a nationalist poetess who wrote under the pseudonym of 'Speranza'. He went to Trinity College, Dublin and then to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he began to propagandize the new Aesthetic (or 'Art for Art's Sake') Movement. Despite winning a first and the Newdigate Prize for Poetry, Wilde failed to obtain an Oxford scholarship, and was forced to earn a living by lecturing and writing for periodicals. He published a largely unsuccessful volume of poems in 1881 and in the next year undertook a lecture-tour of the United States in order to promote the D'Oyle Carte production of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera, Patience. After his marriage to Constance Lloyd in 1884, he tried to establish himself as a writer, but with little initial success. However, his three volumes of short fiction, The Happy Prince (1888), Lord Arthur Savile's Crime (1891) and A House of Pomegranates (1891), together with his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), gradually won him a reputation as a modern writer with an original talent, a reputation confirmed and enhanced by the phenomenal success of his Society Comedies - Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest, all performed on the West End stage between 1892 and 1895. Success, however, was short-lived. In 1891 Wilde had met and fallen extravagantly in love with Lord Alfred Douglas. In 1895, when his success as a dramatist was at its height, Wilde brought an unsuccessful libel action against Douglas's father, the Marquess of Queensberry. Wilde lost the case and two trials later was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for acts of gross indecency. As a result of this experience he wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol. He was released from prison in 1897 and went into an immediate self-imposed exile on the Continent. He died in Paris in ignominy in 1900.

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