The Picture of Dorian Gray

Writing in the height of the aesthetic movement in Europe, Oscar Wilde rose to the pinnacle of popular society on both the strength of his writing’s biting social commentary and his glittering public persona. The Picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar Wilde’s first and only novel. Originally published in 1890, it tells the story of a handsome young man who becomes so alarmed by the transitory nature of youth that he makes a wish to stay young forever, while a picture of him ages instead. When he realizes that his dearest wish has come true, young Dorian begins a treacherous pursuit of fleeting pleasure. This classic cautionary tale explores the nature of art, beauty, and morality.