Publisher's Synopsis
Annotations This book is unique because it contains a literary criticism that was made by Juan AcevedoDorian Gray is a very attractive young aristocrat who, after having spent a solitary adolescence in the country, returns to London, where he has inherited a mansion. Attracted by the nightlife, he immersed himself in it by the hand of Lord Henry Wottom, who leads him to the most remote and sordid dens of the city. The young man is fascinated by Wotton's decadent and amoral lifestyle. On the other hand, his obsession to reach eternal youth impels him to make a diabolic pact: he will always remain young, but the traces of the passage of time and his terrible crimes, that is, his physical and moral degradation will be reflected in a portrait that his painter Basil Hallward has made for him.Review: When contemplating the delicate beauty of the narcissus, it is impossible not to think about the legend that gave rise to its name. That young man of great beauty who, after making fun of the love that the nymph Eco felt towards him and rejecting it cruelly, is cursed by Nemesis, goddess of revenge. Without knowing it, Narciso is doomed to fall in love with someone he can never have. When he leans to drink from a fountain, he feels captivated by his reflection and when he decides to submerge to reach it, he dies drowned. The legend says that on the shore where he died, a flower grew that was baptized with his name, as a reminder of the fatal outcome of the handsome young man, condemned for his beauty.This review of the myth collected in Ovid's "Metamorphosis" serves to introduce the main theme of "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" which is, precisely, narcissism. Jealous of the beauty and youth that reflects his portrait, he becomes obsessed with the immortality of that image and expresses his desire to exchange with her, regardless of the price required to see it fulfilled. Oscar Wilde himself said it: "Be careful what you want, it can become reality"From that moment, we witness the corruption of the spirit of Dorian, who is influenced by Lord Henry Wotton and his hedonistic vision of life. The philosophy of this character is summarized in idolizing beauty and satisfying the senses. No desire should be repressed, for the dissatisfaction of the body is the origin of all the evils of the spirit.
