The Picture of Dorian Gray
| The Picture of Dorian Gray | |
|---|---|
 Cover of the first edition |
|
| Author | Oscar Wilde |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Gothic fiction |
| Publisher | Lippincott's Monthly Magazine |
| Release date | 1890 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-14-143957-2 (Modern paperback edition) |
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published book written by Oscar Wilde. It was first published in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine on June 20, 1890. Later, Wilde edited this version, and it was published again in April 1891.[1] The story is often incorrectly called The Portrait of Dorian Gray.
Plot [change]
The Picture of Dorian Gray is about a young man named Dorian Gray who has a portrait painted of himself. The artist, Basil Hallward, thinks that Dorian Gray is very beautiful, and becomes obsessed with him. One day in Basil's garden, Dorian Gray meets a man named Lord Henry Wotton. Lord Henry Wotton makes Dorian Gray believe that the only thing important in life is beauty. However, he realizes that as he grows older, he will become less beautiful. He wishes that the portrait Basil painted would become old in his place. Dorian then sells his soul so that he can be beautiful forever.
Dorian's wish comes true. However, every time he does something bad, mean, or selfish, his picture ages. For 18 years, Dorian does not age. He does many bad things, and his portrait becomes more and more aged. However, one day he decides to stop doing bad things. He hopes that this will make his portrait become beautiful again, but it only makes it worse. Dorian thinks that only a full confession will make the portrait become beautiful again. However, he does not feel guilty for anything he has done. So Dorian picks up a knife and stabs the portrait.
When his servants hear a scream come from Dorian's room, they call the police. The police find Dorian's body on the floor with a stab wound in his heart. His body has become very aged. However, the portrait has returned to the way it was when it was first painted.
References [change]
