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Apr 14, 2024 · The Picture of Dorian Gray, moral fantasy novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde, published first in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine in 1890 and as a book in 1891. It is an archetypal tale of a young man who purchases eternal youth at the expense of his soul and a romantic exposition of Wilde’s own Aestheticism.
Overview. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, published in 1890, stands as a classic exploration of morality and the consequences of unchecked desires. Set in late 19th-century London, the novel follows the life of Dorian Gray, a young man enthralled by the hedonistic ideals of of a man called Lord Henry.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is, at bottom, a novel of surfaces and appearance. We say ‘at bottom’, but that is precisely the point: the novel is, as many critics have commented, all surface. Lord Henry is so taken by the beauty of Dorian Gray that he sets about being a bad influence on him.
The story revolves around a portrait of Dorian Gray painted by Basil Hallward, a friend of Dorian's and an artist infatuated with Dorian's beauty. Through Basil, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton and is soon enthralled by the aristocrat's hedonistic worldview: that beauty and sensual fulfillment are the only things worth pursuing in life.
Setting: Late nineteenth century in London, England. Main Characters: Dorian Gray, Basil Hallward, Lord Henry Wotton, Sibyl Vane. Protagonist: Dorian Gray. Antagonist: Dorian Gray; James Vane. Major Thematic Elements: Art’s purpose; youth and beauty as vehicles of influence; superficiality of society; the dangers of social influence.
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel by Oscar Wilde in which a man's portrait ages rather than his body. Basil Hallward, an artist, paints a portrait of Dorian Gray. Unbeknownst to Basil,...
The Picture of Dorian Gray Summary. Dorian Gray meets Lord Henry Wotton at the studio of Basil Hallward, who is using Dorian as a model for his latest painting. Lord Henry tells Dorian about his epicurean views on life, and convinces him of the value of beauty above all other things.