The Picture of Dorian Gray

Anyone who’s ever taken drugs (or drunk an energy drink) will know that the high always comes at a price: you are not being given new energy; you are just borrowing tomorrow’s energy, and you will pay for it later. 

This book tells the story of a man who lives a life of hedonistic depravity but sails through it all, apparently untouched by experience, his face as young and innocent-looking as ever. But all his guilt and fear show up on the face of the portrait of himself that he keeps in his attic. I can’t think of a more… show more.

I love the lush, dark vibes of this story. Personally, I appreciate exciting stories that also make me think deeply about things.

Dorian Gray is magical, philosophical, thrilling, and has a twist ending. A haunted portrait? Brilliant banter? Amazing. When I’m in the mood for something beautiful and angsty, this is the perfect book. It’s immersive—think gas lamps, chaise lounges, strawberry ice, strangers in the dark, and London high society. The dark side of Oscar Wilde is unbeatable. 

I regularly teach a first-year seminar that takes students in the fall from Homer to Dante and in the spring from Machiavelli to Trethewey. When I ask them what their favorite modern work is, they invariably name Dorian Gray, a beautifully written and witty novel, with moral ugliness at the center. 

What intrigues my students (and me) is not simply the tension between physical beauty and moral ugliness but also the work’s complexity. Is it moral or not? How are we to interpret the preface, the ending, the relation of the two?

When Dorian Gray realizes how beautiful he is, he offers his soul to stay forever young.

His wish is granted, and his portrait—lovingly painted by friend Basil Hallward—absorbs the ravages of time and bad behavior in his stead. With carte blanche to remain stainless, Dorian spends selfishly, corrupts his friends, and even commits murder.

The reason I recommend this book is the unspoken secret at the heart of it. In a line Wilde deleted from the original publication, Basil tells Dorian, “It is quite true I have worshipped you with far more romance of feeling than a man should ever… show more.

I read this book because I was going to see a dance production based on it. I hadn't read Oscar Wilde before, and it took me a while to get used to the style, but as with Conan Doyle’s writing (they were friends), I soon grasped the flow of the writing and the use of the terminology from the era. 

There is so much in this book, far more than the story of Dorian Gray, which in itself is a complex diatribe on vanity, aging, youth, and exploring what it is to push moral boundaries. Wilde uses this book as… show more.

This book is a fascinating look at how cruelty can turn you ugly on the inside.

It was scandalous at the time of its publication in 1890, because it is very clear that the male character Basil is romantically in love with the man he is painting, the title character Dorian Gray. Basil considers the portrait his best work, and Dorian makes a wish that he can stay as beautiful as the portrait forever.

As Dorian starts to act cruelly toward others, the painting changes but Dorian does not age. The painting acts as a picture of Dorian’s soul as… show more.

The only novel by Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was first published in 1890 but its gothic horror has never lost appeal.

Dorian is an extraordinarily beautiful young man being painted by artist Basil Hallward. The completed painting is hung in an attic and gradually ages as Dorian retains his youth, until the painting is destroyed. Basil’s infatuation with Dorian gives the novel a homoerotic frisson and places the novel in turn-of-the-century decadent arts.

All of us worry about growing old, losing our youthful appearance and the novel plays on these fears. The novel also teaches us not… show more.

Filled with hedonism and with a wonderful supernatural twist, The Picture Of Dorian Gray is one of the reasons Oscar Wilde has such a legendary reputation.

Despite the supernatural twist and hedonist perspective, there is just as much wit in this book as in the less Gothic stories and plays.

There are elements of Wilde present in the key characters, and Wilde himself said: "Basil Hallward is what I think I am; Lord Henry, what the world thinks me; Dorian is what I would like to be — in other ages, perhaps".

There are some great on-screen adaptations, but the… show more.

A clever account of vanity-gone wrong, I thought this novel was a great metaphor for how becoming obsessed with appearances (or just yourself in general) can have consequences. Dorian is so vain that he sells his soul in order to stay young and beautiful, all while his beautiful portrait ages and takes the brunt of his amoral lifestyle. What’s amazing about this story is not only does Dorian’s portrait suffer consequences – showing his true ugliness with each immoral act – but the characters around Dorian suffer as well, some of them terribly. It’s a very good reminder that not… show more.

The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde sits on my bookshelf like a literary Goliath and I dip into it from time to time for inspiration. Wilde is a master of prose and writes with incredible wit and agility. Replete with famous aphorisms, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a dark tale of art and life, of meaning and superficiality, of soul and conscience. What I love the most about this book is the constant references to art imitating life and vice-versa. This is a classic masterpiece, at times chilling, at times philosophical, and yet, as you can only expect from… show more.