"There is a moral in Dorian Gray-a moral which the prurient will not be able to find in it, but which will be revealed to all whose minds are healthy. Is this an error? I fear it is. It is the only error in the book." -Oscar Wilde, St. James' Gazette
"Before Lady Gaga, Madonna, Prince, David Bowie, Salvador Dali, or Liberace, there was Oscar Wilde, the archetype of the artist poseur....Oscar Wilde's career established a cult of artistic spectacle and personal scandal inspiring provocateurs in every generation since." -From Marcus Schwager's Introduction
Lord Henry Wotton devotes himself to convincing Dorian Gray that physical beauty is the only thing in life worth pursuing. The younger man falls entirely under Wotton's alluring influence, and Dorian eventually gets the aesthete's sole desire: his appearance never changes, no matter what he does to his own body. Instead it is a portrait of himself that is increasingly ravaged by time and his mistreatment of himself and others. Dorian's pursuit of pleasure-beautiful and sensually perfect on the outside-is shadowed more and more closely by his own hideous portrait. Oscar Wilde's dark tale feels so real because it paints a picture of human nature not only in Dorian's gullible innocence but also in Wotton's corrupting influence.
This Canon Classic shocked its original readers with its portrayal of sin, even as it displayed the unavoidable consequences. The Canon Classics series presents the most definitive works of Western literature in a colorful, well-crafted, and affordable way. Unlike many other thrift editions, our classics are printed on thicker text stock and feature individualized designs that prioritize readability by means of proper margins, leading, characters per line, font, trim size, etc. Each book's materials and layout combine to make the classics a simple and striking addition to classrooms and homes, ideal for introducing the best of literary culture and human experience to the next generation.
This Worldview Edition features an introduction divided into sections on The World Around, About the Author, What Other Notables Said, Setting, Characters, & Plot Summary, Worldview Analysis, and 21 Discussion Questions & Answers.
Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854. A brilliant poet, playwright, and wit, Wilde was a phenomenon in 19th century England, advocating the importance of style in life and art. Wilde studied at Oxford University then left for America where his flamboyant personality and air of sophistication and eccentricity caused a media sensation. He was immortalised by the stories he wrote for children such as The Happy Prince and his supernatural masterpiece,
The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Judith John (Glossary) is a writer and editor specializing in literature and history. A former secondary school English Language and Literature teacher, she has subsequently worked as an editor on major educational projects, including English A: Literature for the Pearson International Baccalaureate series. Judith's major research interests include Romantic and Gothic literature, and Renaissance drama.
