Theonlywaytogetridofatemptationistoyieldtoit.’WhenDorianGrayhashisportraitpainted,heiscaptivatedbyhisownbeauty.Temptedbyhisworld-weary,decadentfriendLordHenryWotton,hewishestostayforeveryoung,andpledgeshisverysoultokeephisgoodlooks.Setinfin-de-si�eLondon,thenoveltracesapathfromthestudioofpainterBasilHallwardtotheopiumdensoftheEastEnd.AsDorian’sslideintocrimeandcrueltyprogresseshestaysmagicallyyouthful,whilehisbeautifulportraitchanges,revealingthehideouscorruptionofmoraldecay.Eversinceitsfirstpublicationin1890Wilde’sonlynovelhasremainedthesubjectofcriticalcontroversy.Acclaimedbysomeasaninstructivemoraltale,ithasbeendenouncedbyothersforitsimplicitimmorality.Combiningelementsofthesupernatural,aestheticism,andtheGothic,ThePictureofDorianGrayisanunclassifiableanduniquelyunsettlingworkoffiction.