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The Picture of Dorian Gray
ISBN: 9780141439570
About This Book
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde is a timeless classic that has captivated readers for over a century. This haunting and thought-provoking novel explores themes of beauty, morality, and the corrupting influence of society. It's a must-read for anyone interested in literature, philosophy, and the human condition.
Who Uses It?
Primarily, this book is used by students and educators in literature and philosophy classes at the high school and college levels. It's also a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of Victorian literature and the psychological insights it offers.
History and Editions
First published to scandalized protest in 1890, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was widely condemned by Wilde's contemporaries as an affront to morality. Despite this, the book has become a staple of literary education, with its themes and characters continuing to resonate with readers today. The Penguin Classics edition, which you can find with ISBN 9780141439570, has been updated to provide a clear and accessible reading experience.
Author and Other Works
Oscar Wilde was a renowned Irish author, playwright, and poet known for his wit and intellectual curiosity. In addition to "The Picture of Dorian Gray," some of his notable works include "The Importance of Being Earnest," "An Ideal Husband," and "The Happy Prince and Other Tales." Wilde's writing often explores the intersection of aesthetics and ethics, making him a fascinating figure in literary history.
Key Features
ISBNs and Formats
Publication Details
Other Editions and Formats
Related ISBNs:
This detailed information section provides a quick reference for all the available formats and sources for "The Picture of Dorian Gray," making it easier to find and access the book in the preferred format.
| Introduction | p. vii |
| Note on the Text | p. xvii |
| Select Bibliography | p. xix |
| A Chronology of Oscar Wilde | p. xxi |
| The Preface | p. xxiii |
| p. 1 | |
| p. 12 | |
| p. 25 | |
| p. 36 | |
| p. 49 | |
| p. 59 | |
| p. 66 | |
| p. 76 | |
| p. 88 | |
| p. 96 | |
| p. 104 | |
| p. 120 | |
| p. 126 | |
| p. 132 | |
| p. 143 | |
| p. 151 | |
| p. 158 | |
| p. 164 | |
| p. 172 | |
| p. 180 | |
| Explanatory Notes | p. 185 |
| Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved. |
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Dorian made no answer, but passed listlessly in front of his picture and turned towards it. When he saw it he drew back, and his cheeks flushed for a moment with pleasure. A look of joy came into his eyes, as if he had recognized himself for the first time. He stood there motionless and in wonder, dimly conscious that Hallward was speaking to him, but not catching the meaning of his words. The sense of his own beauty came on him like a revelation. He had never felt it before. Basil Hallwards's compliments has seemed to him to be merely the charming exaggerations of friendship. He had listened to them, laughed at them, forgotten them. They had not influenced his nature. Then had come Lord Henry Wotton with his strange panegyric on youth, his terrible warning of its brevity. That had stirred him at the time, and now, as he stood gazing at the shadow of his own loveliness, the full reality of the description flashed across him. Yes, there would be a day when his face would be wrinkled and wizen, his eyes dim and colourless, the grace of his figure broken and deformed. The scarlet would pass away from his lips, and the gold steal from his hair. The life that was to make his soul would mar his body. He would become dreadful, hideous, and uncouth.
As he thought of it, a sharp pang of pain struck though him like a knife, and made each delicate fibre of his nature quiver. His eyes deepened into amethyst, and across them came a mist of tears. He felt as is a hand of ice had been laid upon his heart.
'Don't you like it?' cried Hallward at last, stung a little by the lad's silence, not understanding what it meant.
'Of course he likes it,' said Lord Henry. 'Who wouldn't like it? It is one of the greatest things in modern art. I will give you anything you like to ask for it. I must have it.'
'It is not my property, Harry.'
'Whose property is it?'
'Dorian's, of course,' answered the painter.
'He's a very lucky fellow.'
'How sad it is!' murmured Dorian Gary, with his eyes still fixed upon his own portrait. 'How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. It will never be older than this particular day of June...If it were only the other way!
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