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The Picture of Dorian Gray: Penguin Clothbound Classics by Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray: Penguin Clothbound Classics by Oscar Wilde
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The Picture of Dorian Gray: Penguin Clothbound Classics
by Oscar Wilde | Design by Coralie Bickford-Smith
"A succès de scandale that remains the definitive portrait of aestheticism and moral decay."
🎨 COLLECTIBLE CRAFTSMANSHIP & LITERARY BRILLIANCE
This exquisite hardcover edition, part of the award-winning Penguin Clothbound Classics series, features high-quality tactile cloth and foil stamping. It is the authoritative copy for scholars and collectors alike.
Extended Synopsis
In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde explores the terrifying boundaries of vanity and hedonism. The story follows Dorian Gray, a young man of extraordinary beauty who, after seeing his own portrait, makes a Faustian bargain to remain eternally youthful while the canvas bears the physical and moral burdens of his actions. Under the influence of the cynical Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian descends into a life of secret debauchery and corruption.
While Dorian remains a respected gentleman in the eyes of Victorian polite society, his portrait—hidden away in an attic—transforms into a grotesque record of his sins. Wilde’s only novel is a masterful critique of the "New Hedonism" and the superficiality of social appearances. Its themes were so provocative that the text was infamously used as evidence against Wilde during his trial at the Old Bailey in 1895. This edition preserves the power of Wilde’s wit and his haunting observation of the human soul.
Author Profile
Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was an Irish poet and playwright whose wit and flamboyant style made him one of the most successful writers of late Victorian London. A leading proponent of the Aesthetic Movement, his works—including The Importance of Being Earnest—challenged contemporary social and moral norms. Despite his professional success, his life was marked by legal turmoil and imprisonment, cementing his legacy as a tragic figure of literary rebellion.
Reader Targeting & Academic Utility
- Victorian Literature Scholars: A foundational text for the study of 19th-century aestheticism, decadence, and social morality.
- Bibliophiles & Collectors: An essential addition for those curating the complete Coralie Bickford-Smith Penguin Clothbound set.
- Queer Theory Students: A critical narrative for analyzing subtextual themes of identity and societal repression in the Victorian era.
Accolades & Historic Significance
- Succès de scandale: Infamously controversial upon its 1890 release.
- Primary evidence in the 1895 trial of Oscar Wilde.
- Features the iconic Coralie Bickford-Smith cover design.
Product Specifications
| ISBN-13: | 9780141442464 |
| ISBN-10: | 0141442468 |
| Publisher: | Penguin Classics |
| Binding: | Hardcover (Clothbound) |
| Publication Date: | 2009-10-27 |
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Classic Gothic Horror Novel set in Victorian England. Oscar Wilde brilliantly highlights the social problems of his time, specifically as it relates to the duality between the upper and lower classes and the rigid morality which leads to its counter manifestation: debauchery. What hides beneath the gloss and shine in Victorian England is its darkness.