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Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray. (Lernmaterialien) by Oscar Wilde, F. H. Cornish ISBN: 3-19-002512-6 Publisher: Max Hueber Verlag Pub. Date: 01 January, 1996 Format: Paperback

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Average Customer Rating: 4.15 (168 reviews)

Rating: 4
Summary: Interesting concepts
Comment: Oscar Wilde's strange and intriguing mind is apparent in this book, which is full of interesting concepts and bizarre happenings. Dorian Gray, a young man who is obsessed with his own good looks, befriends an English Lord and a struggling painter. After Basil, the painter, finishes Dorian's portrait, they are stunned by its magnificence and how lifelike it appears. Seeing this, Dorian is angered when he realizes that the portrait will live forever and retain its beauty while he himself is left to age. Dorian decides to trade his soul for everlasting youth, and to always retain his beauty, just like the portrait.

Since Dorian believes himself to be immortal, he dabbles into various sinful acts. He carelessly pursues a relationship with Sibyl Vane, an actress, constantly letting her down and breaking her heart. Dorian is involved in several mysterious deaths, and he even explores the London underground opium scene. Even though Dorian does all of these things, somehow he remains young, to the surprise of his peers. In the end, however, Dorian receives the punishment he deserves through a series of bizarre events. The "what goes around comes around" theme is strongly emphasized in the conclusion of the novel, which serves as a fitting end for Dorian's struggle with sin.

This classic literary work is frequently exciting, but can sometimes delve into the monotony of 19th century British affairs (which may be a little tedious.) All in all, the novel is a wonderful concept which is given life by the genius of Oscar Wilde. It is a perfect research topic as well because it contains many themes which can be applied to anything from English rhetoric to the Original Sin. I myself wrote a term paper on the book and it was very easy to express my ideas because Wilde is so straight forward in his literary agendas. So, whether you pick it for required reading or just for pleasure, The Picture of Dorian Gray is definitely a good choice.

Rating: 5
Summary: A Masterpiece of Words
Comment: Oscar Wilde was shunned by the public after publishing The Picture of Dorian Gray. It is a beautifully written book and is as much a work of art as an elegantly painted portrait.

Centered around the vain and young Dorian Gray, it tells the price one pays for eternal youth and gives a new dimension to the human soul. As Dorian succumbs to the tempting dark underworld of London, and he lives by night in wicked ways, the beautiful portrait painted of him becomes like a journal of his soul, becoming ever more twisted and deformed. It begins to haunt Dorian continuously, day and night, consuming his every thought. Then a shadow from his young past creeps back into his life and makes Dorian's life even more frightening

Oscar Wilde's novel is a magnificent read and explores the issue and thoughts surrounding man's soul. How tarnished it becomes if we live a bad life, etcetera.

I recommended anyone to read this Wilde masterpiece. You do not have to like horror to enjoy it. Any lover of a well written book would also fall for this.

Rating: 4
Summary: The material soul
Comment: This book offers its readers a chance to understand the meaning of true beauty and the reason why time passes the way that it does. If you enjoy really good quotes that make you think, this is a great book for you. It made me think of ideas and concepts that I had never thought about before. Some reviews of novels say they could "never put the book down." But what happens when the book is over and it goes on the shelf? I would like to hope that, with this book, the wheels in my head will keep turning, and I will continue to think about the concepts it brought up, and apply it to my own life. I think you will do the same if you read this novel by Oscar Wilde