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Now a revered gothic classic, when this novel was first published it was said to be poisonous and, "heavy with the mephitic odours of moral and spiritual putrefaction - a gloating study of the mental and physical corruption of a fresh, fair and golden youth . . ."
Dorian Gray is granted eternal youth and good looks, but under the influence of a cold and calculating older gentleman, he dedicates his life to sensual pleasure. While he descends ever deeper into the world of sex, drugs, and crime, the image in his portrait preserves the record of every sin, growing more and more hideous as the years go by. Can Dorian continue to keep his dreadful secret, or will it destroy him?
Keynote Classics(TM) unabridged classic literature feature a no-spoiler Introductory Key, explanatory footnotes, and wide margins for note-taking to help readers get more from their reading experience, and remember, discuss, or write more confidently about classic literature.
Annotated Keynote Classics(TM) begin with an Introductory Key to the work with hints about what to look for to find deeper meaning. Unlike other literature study guides, they contain no spoilers and don't specify themes, motifs, and symbols found in the novel. Instead, they point out general ideas and things to pay attention to that help you find your own interpretations. Footnotes help foster understanding, and historical context about the author and the prevailing culture provides important perspective. Questions are provided at the end to help inspire discussion or essay topics. Teachers recommend that you read actively and engage with the text to help you draw on your own knowledge and experience to get more out of a novel. Keynote Classics(TM) paperbacks provide more space in the margins for writing down thoughts, connections, and interpretations as you read.
About the author
Oscar Wilde, renowned Irish poet, playwright, and novelist, was born in 1854 and had gained a wide following for his aesthetic style, knowledge, and humor by the 1890s. At the height of his career, his reputation was destroyed when he was convicted and sentenced to two years in prison for homosexual acts of "gross indecency." In addition to this novel, he is best known for his witty quips and his play, "The Importance of Being Earnest."
