The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Rating: 5/5

“I never approve, or disapprove, of anything now. It is an absurd attitude to take towards life. We are not sent into the world to air our moral prejudices.”

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, a classic gothic novel, is set in the 1890s in London. It is a journey of a young, innocent and handsome boy to a morally corrupted man.

The novel starts with Basil Hallward painting a portrait of Dorian Gray, a man of absolute beauty and innocence. Slowly, Dorian begins to notice changes in the portrait- wicked and ugly changes. In short, the book deals with a painting that reveals the inner ugliness of the muse.

As the story suggests, the main theme of the book is the relationship between beauty and morality. Although the plot of the book is unique and incredible, the main reason behind the immaculate fame, success and fandom of this novel lies within the style of writing. Oscar Wilde has written characters in a way that has left us obsessing over the most hate-worthy.

The controversy that followed the release of this book is an unforgettable chapter in the history of literature. However, just as Oscar Wilde wrote, “The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame”.

I could not possibly stress enough on the beauty of this work of art. It is the most beautiful novel I’ve ever read and definitely my favourite classic ever. If I could rate this novel 100, I would.