The Picture of Dorian Gray as an Imitation of Aestheticism

The Picture of Dorian Gray, the only full-length novel ever written by the legendary playwright Oscar Wilde, is one of the most notorious books of the 19th century. With its overtones of supernaturalism, its refusal to satisfy popular morality, and its portrayal of homoerotic culture, The Picture of Dorian Gray was met with harsh criticism when it was first published in 1890. Many considered the novel dangerously influential, with one offended critic calling it "a poisonous …

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