The Picture of Dorian Gray – Audiobook

Oscar Wilde’s captivating novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, delves into the fantastical tale of a young man who trades his soul for eternal youth and beauty. Dorian, forever youthful and unchanged, remains petulant, hedonistic, vain, and amoral, while his portrait bears the weight of his transgressions, growing increasingly hideous with each passing year.

The narrative transports readers through the opulent drawing rooms of London, exploring the pinnacle of aestheticism and the depths of decadence. Beyond its captivating plot of moral corruption, The Picture of Dorian Gray offers a fascinating glimpse into Wilde’s fin-de-siècle world, championing the philosophy of “Art for Art’s Sake.”

Despite captivating audiences with his scintillating plays, Oscar Wilde shocked readers with his sole novel. Upon publication, Dorian Gray was met with harsh criticism, labeled as dangerous, poisonous, stupid, vulgar, and immoral. Wilde himself was dismissed as a “driveling pedant.” The novel was even used against Wilde in his highly publicized trials for “gross indecency,” leading to his imprisonment and exile on the European continent.

Despite the controversy, The Picture of Dorian Gray firmly established Wilde as a prominent voice of the Aesthetic Movement and remains a timeless classic, as enduring as its protagonist.