The Picture of Dorian Gray
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
“If it was I who was to be forever young and the picture that was to grow old! There is nothing in the world I would not give – I would give my soul for that”
Oscar Wilde’s classic The Picture of Dorian Gray, reinvented in this striking graphic novel, is the story of a man who, exhilarated by his own beauty, pledges his very soul in a desperate bid for eternal youth. His wish is magically granted: a portrait of Dorian, painted by his friend Basil, begins to age in his place. Dorian’s naivety soon turns into narcissism and a dangerous sense of invulnerability. Influenced by the decadent aristocrat Lord Henry, he embarks upon a career of selfish hedonism and depravity, ruining several lives on the way. Ultimately, Dorian learns that, although you can try to escape your conscience, it always catches up with you in the end. In this dark tale, writer Ian Edginton and artist I.N.J. Culbard skilfully adapt Oscar Wilde’s morally ambiguous take on the Gothic thriller, with artistic flair.
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.
