The Picture of Dorian Gray

About The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde’s classic, alluring novel of a man so obsessed with his appearance that he sacrifices his soul for eternal youth—with an introduction by Jeffrey Eugenides

Now a critically acclaimed Broadway play starring Sarah Snook!

Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read

Fascinated by his own beautiful portrait, Dorian Gray makes a Faustian pact to exchange his soul for perpetual youth and beauty. Guided by Lord Henry Wotton, he embarks on a life of corruption, satisfying his desires while still appearing as a respectable gentleman to society. Only Dorian’s portrait shows the signs of his moral decline.

An insightful depiction of a hidden life and a critique of the darker facets of late Victorian society, The Picture of Dorian Gray provides a chilling portrayal of a man confronting the reality of his soul. Shocking in its implications of forbidden transgressions, this novel was later used as evidence against Oscar Wilde during his 1895 trial for indecency.