Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde`s first novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, published in 1891, ignited significant controversy and criticism. This provocative story closely mirrored Wilde`s own life, capturing his pursuit of aestheticism and decadent indulgence. As a prominent figure in the Aesthetic Movement, Wilde`s flamboyant lifestyle and affairs scandalized Victorian society. Captivated by his own portrait`s enduring beauty and youth, Dorian Gray leads a life of excess and vice, while his portrait grotesquely reflects his moral decay. Wilde`s eventual imprisonment for "gross indecency" highlighted the peril of living purely for beauty and pleasure, much like Dorian`s tragic end. The Dover Bookshelf presents Wilde`s incisive wit and rich prose in a splendid hardcover collectible, illuminating the dangers of vanity, hedonism, and the quest for eternal youth--a profound critique of societal values and the dualities within human nature.