The Picture of Dorian GrayRandom House Publishing Group, 1998 M06 1 - 304 pages Introduction by Jeffrey Eugenides • Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read Written in his distinctively dazzling manner, Oscar Wilde’s story of a fashionable young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty is the author’s most popular work. The tale of Dorian Gray’s moral disintegration caused a scandal when it first appeared in 1890, but though Wilde was attacked for the novel’s corrupting influence, he responded that there is, in fact, “a terrible moral in Dorian Gray.” Just a few years later, the book and the aesthetic/moral dilemma it presented became issues in the trials occasioned by Wilde’s homosexual liaisons, which resulted in his imprisonment. Of Dorian Gray’s relationship to autobiography, Wilde noted in a letter, “Basil Hallward is what I think I am: Lord Henry what the world thinks me: Dorian what I would like to be—in other ages, perhaps.” |
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afraid Alan Alan Campbell answered Lord Henry artist asked Basil Hallward beauty Campbell canvas colour curious dead dear boy dear fellow delightful door dreadful dress duchess Euston Road everything exquisite eyes face fancy fascinating fatal portrait feel felt Ferrol forget girl gold Grosvenor Square hair hand Harry hideous horrible ian Gray knew Lady Narborough laughed lips live looked Lord Henry Wotton marriage married monstrous mother murmured never night once one's orphreys OSCAR WILDE painted painter passed passion picture play pleasure portrait Prince Charming rage of Caliban round secret seemed Selby sense shook Sibyl Vane sighed smile sorry soul stirred stood strange suddenly talk tell terrible thing thought to-night told turned voice walked watched wild woman women wonderful young youth