The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it."

In the smoky, decadent atmosphere of Victorian London, the artist Basil Hallward paints a portrait of the breathtakingly beautiful young Dorian Gray. Under the corrupting influence of Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian creates a faustian pact: he wishes that the picture would age and bear the burden of his sins, while he remains eternally young and untouched by time.

As Dorian descends into a life of scandalous hedonism and moral decay, his portrait transforms into a hideous reflection of his soul. Oscar Wilde's only novel is a glittering, dark examination of vanity, morality, and the pursuit of pleasure. Initially censored for its perceived immorality, it is now recognized as a masterpiece of Aestheticism that remains shockingly modern in its critique of superficiality.