Oscar. Wilde

Jeffrey Eugenides

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Hawaii

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.”

The Picture of Dorian Gray

aec6ede6-3da7-4f7b-aabb-cbc219972b4b-1

Oscar Wilde

PangoBooks readers find the book captivating yet complex, showcasing brilliant writing and iconic characters. Many appreciate its compelling exploration of themes like class, privilege, and the nuances of romantic love, particularly in a same-sex context. While some feel the latter half of the book drags, the first half is widely praised for its intrigue. It’s frequently described as dark, beautiful, haunting, and thought-provoking, fitting well within the dark academia genre. Overall, it's celebrated for its classic status, rich prose, and deep, troubling narrative on the corruption of the soul.

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

California

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a Gothic and philosophical novel by Oscar Wilde, first published complete in the July 1890 issue of Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. Fearing the story was indecent, the magazine's editor deleted roughly five hundred words before publication without Wilde's knowledge. Despite that censorship, The Picture of Dorian Gray offended the moral sensibilities of British book reviewers, some of whom said that Oscar Wilde merited prosecution for violating the laws guarding public morality. In response, Wilde aggressively defended his novel and art in correspondence with the British press, although he personally made excisions of some of the most controversial material when revising and lengthening the story for book publication the following year. The longer and revised version of The Picture of Dorian Gray published in book form in 1891 featured an aphoristic preface--a defence of the artist's rights and of art for art's sake--based in part on his press defences of the novel the previous year. The content, style, and presentation of the preface made it famous in its own right, as a literary and artistic manifesto. In April 1891, the publishing firm of Ward, Lock and Company, who had distributed the shorter, more inflammatory, magazine version in England the previous year, published the revised version of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Source: Wikipedia

First published in 1890, The Picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of a young man named Dorian Gray, who is the subject of a portrait painted by artist Basil Hallward. Upon seeing the finished portrait, Dorian wishes that he could remain young and beautiful forever while the portrait ages instead of him. As Dorian indulges in a hedonistic lifestyle, his outward appearance remains unblemished while the portrait reflects his moral and physical degradation. The novel explores themes of vanity, morality, and the consequences of living a life without consequences.

More copies of this book

This copy is sold, but you can find more here!

Category - Fiction / Classics

Format - Paperback

Condition - New

Listed - A year ago

Views - 101

Wishes - 16

Ships From - Hawaii

Est. Publication Date - Jun 1998

The Picture of Dorian Gray

ISBN: 9780375751516

Publisher Description

What readers are saying about this book

The Picture of Dorian Gray

By:

$8.00

Meet the seller

Discover more

The Picture of Dorian Gray

By: Oscar Wilde

Pango Buyer Protection

More from this seller

Additional titles by Oscar Wilde

'The Picture of Dorian Gray' readers also enjoyed:

Recently Viewed

Browse by categories

More copies of this book

This copy is sold, but you can find more here!

Category - Fiction / Classics

Format - Paperback

Condition - New

Listed - A year ago

Views - 101

Wishes - 16

Ships From - Hawaii

Est. Publication Date - Jun 1998

The Picture of Dorian Gray

ISBN: 9780375751516

Publisher Description

What readers are saying about this book

The Picture of Dorian Gray

By:

$8.00

Meet the seller

Discover more

The Picture of Dorian Gray

By: Oscar Wilde

Pango Buyer Protection

More from this seller

Additional titles by Oscar Wilde

'The Picture of Dorian Gray' readers also enjoyed:

Recently Viewed