The Picture of Dorian Gray: Popular Penguins
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The Picture of Dorian Gray: Popular Penguins
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The Picture of Dorian Gray: Popular Penguins
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.
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
Collections
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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