The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is a philosophical and Gothic novel about a young man who remains eternally youthful while his hidden portrait ages, reflecting the corruption of his soul. Influenced by Lord Henry’s hedonistic ideals, Dorian indulges in a life of pleasure and moral decay, believing beauty and sensation are life’s only truths. As his sins accumulate, the painting grows grotesque, symbolizing the cost of vanity and unchecked desire. Wilde’s only novel is a sharp critique of aestheticism, hypocrisy, and the duality of human nature.