The Picture of Dorian Gray
-
- R$ 34,90
-
- R$ 34,90
Descrição da editora
Oscar Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray was published in 1890 and is a masterpiece of literature that deserves its place among the greatest classics in history.
Dorian is a man who delights in the hedonistic worldview of aristocrat Henry Wotton, who considers beauty and sexual satisfaction to be the only things that matter in life. He wants to sell his soul so that only an oil-painted portrait of him will age and disappear, and he will keep his youth forever. Like Faust, Dorian has his wish granted and lives a libertine and amoral life.
Aesthetic obsession and the life of appearances are central themes of The Portrait of Dorian Gray, an unparalleled narrative about moral decay in exchange for worldly pleasures.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
First published in 1890 in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine and the following year in novel form, The Picture of Dorian Gray categorically changed Victorian Britain and the landscape of literature. An ostentatious, self-confessed aesthete, known for his wit and intellect, Wilde not only had to endure his prose being labeled "poisonous" and "vulgar," but also suffer its use as evidence in the ensuing trial, resulting in his eventual imprisonment for crimes of "gross indecency." Frankel's introduction provides a deft preliminary analysis of the novel itself exploring etymology and extensive editorial alterations (both accidental and deliberate) and offers valuable insight into the socio-cultural juxtaposition of aristocratic Victorian society and the London underworld. The original typescript provides the unique opportunity to examine what was considered acceptable in both the US and UK at the time. Intriguing annotations allude to Wilde's influences and enterprising range of reference, incorporating art, poetry, literature, Greek mythology, philosophy, and fashion (certain to inspire further reading; an appendix is provided). Comparisons are drawn between Dorian Gray and Wilde's other literary output, as well as to the work of Walter Pater. Numerous illustrations subtly compliment Frankel s inferences. A fine contextualization of a major work of fiction profoundly interpreted, ultimately riveting.
