Oxford World's Classics: The Picture of Dorian Gray - Softcover

Wilde, Oscar

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192833650 ISBN 13: 9780192833655

Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks, 1998

Synopsis

The tale of a youth whose features, year after year, retain the same appearance of innocent beauty while the shame of his abhorrent vices becomes mirrored on the features of his portrait.

About this title

Review:

A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man's portrait, his subject's frivolous wish that the picture change and he remain the same comes true. Dorian Gray's picture grows aged and corrupt while he continues to appear fresh and innocent. After he kills a young woman, "as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife", Dorian Gray is surprised to find no difference in his vision or surroundings. "The roses are not less lovely for all that. The birds sing just as happily in my garden."

As Hallward tries to make sense of his creation, his epigram-happy friend Lord Henry Wotton encourages Dorian in his sensual quest with any number of Wildean paradoxes, including the delightful "When we are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are not always happy." But despite its many languorous pleasures, The Picture of Dorian Gray is an imperfect work. Compared to the two (voyeuristic) older men, Dorian is a bore, and his search for ever new sensations far less fun than the novel's drawing-room discussions. Even more oddly, the moral message of the novel contradicts many of Wilde's supposed aims, not least "no artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style." Nonetheless, the glamour boy gets his just deserts. And Wilde, defending Dorian Gray, had it both ways: "All excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its own punishment."

Review:

"Isobel Murray's gifted editing makes this easily the finest edition available."--Dr. A.G. Hunter, Curry College "Very helpful editor's introduction and footnote. This was, for most students, the first exposure to a scholarly edition. It went over very well."--Thomas E. Blair, Chabot College "I've been using the Penguin Modern Classics version which lacks an introduction, chronology, and notes. Yours is more complete."--Robert O'Connor, North Dakota State University "Best quality at the lowest cost, excellent for my introduction to Literature course--students of all ages and backgrounds react strongly and positively to this unique book."--Paul Pellikka, The Univ. of Texas "A fine edition which would work quite well in an English Lit. survey, especially one in the waning years of the twentieth century, given this novel's focus."--Laura Dabundo, Kennesaw State College "Superbly annotated and excellent for introducing students to the wealth of critical and secondary sources available to the Victorian scholar."--Dr. Jonathan F. Alexander, University of Southern Colorado "Another useful addition to the series."--John Wilson, Dakota Wesleyan University "Just what I need to supplement reading in [my] course. Will use...as a text."--S.I. Bellman, Cal Poly Pomona "Isobel Murray's gifted editing makes this easily the finest edition available."--Dr. A.G. Hunter, Curry College "Very helpful editor's introduction and footnote. This was, for most students, the first exposure to a scholarly edition. It went over very well."--Thomas E. Blair, Chabot College "I've been using the Penguin Modern Classics version which lacks an introduction, chronology, and notes. Yours is more complete."--Robert O'Connor, North Dakota State University "Best quality at the lowest cost, excellent for my introduction to Literature course--students of all ages and backgrounds react strongly and positively to this unique book."--Paul Pellikka, The Univ. of Texas "A fine edition which would work quite well in an English Lit. survey, especially one in the waning years of the twentieth century, given this novel's focus."--Laura Dabundo, Kennesaw State College "Superbly annotated and excellent for introducing students to the wealth of critical and secondary sources available to the Victorian scholar."--Dr. Jonathan F. Alexander, University of Southern Colorado "Another useful addition to the series."--John Wilson, Dakota Wesleyan University "Just what I need to supplement reading in [my] course. Will use...as a text."--S.I. Bellman, Cal Poly Pomona "Isobel Murray's gifted editing makes this easily the finest edition available."--Dr. A.G. Hunter, Curry College "Very helpful editor's introduction and footnote. This was, for most students, the first exposure to a scholarly edition. It went over very well."--Thomas E. Blair, Chabot College "I've been using the Penguin Modern Classics version which lacks an introduction, chronology, and notes. Yours is more complete."--Robert O'Connor, North Dakota State University "Best quality at the lowest cost, excellent for my introduction to Literature course--students of all ages and backgrounds react strongly and positively to this unique book."--Paul Pellikka, The Univ. of Texas "A fine edition which would work quite well in an English Lit. survey, especially one in the waning years of the twentieth century, given this novel's focus."--Laura Dabundo, Kennesaw State College "Superbly annotated and excellent for introducing students to the wealth of critical and secondary sources available to the Victorian scholar."--Dr. Jonathan F. Alexander, University of Southern Colorado "Another useful addition to the series."--John Wilson, Dakota Wesleyan University "Just what I need to supplement reading in [my] course. Will use...as a text."--S.I. Bellman, Cal Poly Pomona "Isobel Murray's gifted editing makes this easily the finest edition available."--Dr. A.G. Hunter, Curry College "Very helpful editor's introduction and footnote. This was, for most students, the first exposure to a scholarly edition. It went over very well."--Thomas E. Blair, Chabot College "I've been using the Penguin Modern Classics version which lacks an introduction, chronology, and notes. Yours is more complete."--Robert O'Connor, North Dakota State University "Best quality at the lowest cost, excellent for my introduction to Literature course--students of all ages and backgrounds react strongly and positively to this unique book."--Paul Pellikka, The Univ. of Texas "A fine edition which would work quite well in an English Lit. survey, especially one in the waning years of the twentieth century, given this novel's focus."--Laura Dabundo, Kennesaw State College "Superbly annotated and excellent for introducing students to the wealth of critical and secondary sources available to the Victorian scholar."--Dr. Jonathan F. Alexander, University of Southern Colorado "Another useful addition to the series."--John Wilson, Dakota Wesleyan University "Just what I need to supplement reading in [my] course. Will use...as a text."--S.I. Bellman, Cal Poly Pomona "Very helpful editor's introduction and footnote. This was, for most students, the first exposure to a scholarly edition. It went over very well."--Thomas E. Blair, Chabot College "Isobel Murray's gifted editing makes this easily the finest edition available."--Dr. A.G. Hunter, Curry College "I've been using the Penguin Modern Classics version which lacks an introduction, chronology, and notes. Yours is more complete."--Robert O'Connor, North Dakota State University "Best quality at the lowest cost, excellent for my introduction to Literature course--students of all ages and backgrounds react strongly and positively to this unique book."--Paul Pellikka, The Univ. of Texas "A fine edition which would work quite well in an English Lit. survey, especially one in the waning years of the twentieth century, given this novel's focus."--Laura Dabundo, Kennesaw State College "Superbly annotated and excellent for introducing students to the wealth of critical and secondary sources available to the Victorian scholar."--Dr. Jonathan F. Alexander, University of Southern Colorado "Another useful addition to the series."--John Wilson, Dakota Wesleyan University "Just what I need to supplement reading in [my] course. Will use . . . as a text."--S.I. Bellman, Cal Poly Pomona

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0192833650
• ISBN 13: 9780192833655
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 219
• Editor: Murray Isobel