The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Author Oscar Wilde
- Narrator Simon Vance
- Publisher Craig Black
- Publish Date 1 February 2008
- Run Time 7 hours and 44 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Classic fiction, Fiction: general and literary, Horror and supernatural fiction.
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What to expect
Dorian Gray, a handsome and narcissistic young man, lives thoughtlessly for his own pleasure—an attitude encouraged by the company he keeps. One day, after having his portrait painted, Dorian makes a frivolous Faustian wish: that he should always remain as young and beautiful as he is in that painting, while the portrait grows old in his stead.
The wish comes true, and Dorian soon finds that none of his wicked actions have visible consequences. Realizing that he will appear fresh and unspoiled no matter what kind of life he lives, Dorian becomes increasingly corrupt, unchecked by public opinion. Only the portrait grows degenerate and ugly, a powerful symbol of Dorian’s internal ruin.
Wilde’s dreamlike exploration of life without limits scandalized its late-Victorian audience and has haunted readers’ imaginations for more than a hundred years.
Critics Review
u201cSimon Vanceu2019s portrayal of each character is spot-on. His Lord Henry is casual, dismissive, and haughty. His Basil Hallward, the artist infatuated with Dorian, comes across as timid and pitiful but always endearing. Best of all, Vanceu2019s Dorian Gray exudes youth and impetuousness at the beginning but quickly darkens once the characteru2019s madness takes holdu2026Vanceu2026finds the essence of each character, making Wildeu2019s work a delightfully creepy listen.u201d
u201cThe book seems more modern than one would imagine. Rather than merely a potboiler from two centuries back, Wildeu2019s genius imbues the story with a strange and haunting immediacy, and a cautionary tale for us all: Be careful what you wish for.u201d
nu201cWildeu2019s only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, seemsu2014in an age devoted to youthu2014unsettlingly modern.u201d
nu201cMore than a century after its publication, Oscar Wildeu2019s novella The Picture of Dorian Gray is recognized as one of the classics of English literature, a masterpiece of fin-de-siu00e8cle aestheticism and in many respects a harbinger of the Modernist movement.u201du00a0
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