En cours de chargement...
The ideals and opinions of Lord Henry Wotton, who believes that the only purpose of life is the pursuit of beauty, greatly affect the young, handsome Dorian Gray. Lamenting that one day his own good looks will diminish, Dorian offers to sell his soul if a beautiful painting of ages instead of his physical self. As Dorian pursues a hedonistic and reckless lifestyle, he soon realizes that his offer has been accepted, and with every sin he commits, the painting becomes more and more hideous.
The Picture of Dorian Gray was British author Oscar Wilde's only novel. It was originally rejected by publishers for its scandalous content, and has been censored many times over the life of its publication. Since the twentieth century, The Picture of Dorian Gray has been praised as a masterpiece, and has been adapted for film and television numerous times. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms.
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Everlasting beauty has its price...
The story happens during the Victorian era, around the figure of the young and very handsome lad Dorian Gray. After becoming the model and muse of Basil Hallward, a sensitive painter, Gray is so enthralled by his portrait that he implicitly makes a deal with the devil ; he wished for the picture to grow old in his place so he can remain untouched by the marks of time. But every pact has a catch... Influenced by his mentor Lord Henry and his hedonistic world view, Dorian basks in a decadent lifestyle for years while his picture takes all the blames and gets uglier... to a point of no-return.
By portraying a cruel, narcissistic and amoral character, Wilde offers his readers a still contemporary critique of hedonistic behaviors and the superficiality and blindness of those who adopt this way of living.