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The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray

"Basil Hallward is what I think I am; Lord Henry what the world thinks of me; Dorian what I would like to be." (Oscar Wilde)

Oscar Wilde (16 October 1854,Dublin – 30 November 1900,Paris) Poet Dramatist Novelist Essayist Critic of literature and society

Life: His parents were both prominent citizens He proved to be an outstanding classicist. He was the defender of Aesthetic Movement He became the spokesperson for the school of “art for art’s sake“ in America and Canada. He had a homosexual relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas. He was sentenced two years hard labor for “gross indecency “ He died of meningitis and now rests in Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde’s only novel classic gothic horror fiction with a strong Faustian theme comedy of manners treatise on the relationship between art and morality

Context The first edition appeared in the summer of 1890 in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine Wilde revised the novel in 1891, adding a preface and six new chapters The preface:”Art is quite usseless” This attitude was revolutionary in Victorian England

Plot overview

Conclusion While some propose that Wilde included no morality in Dorian Gray, there is a clearly moral message: “Hedonism and narcissism lead to the worst decay of the soul .”