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    The Picture of Dorian Gray
    The Picture of Dorian Gray
    The Picture of Dorian Gray
    Audiobook1 hour

    The Picture of Dorian Gray

    Written by Oscar Wilde and Paul Edwards

    Narrated by Steve Juergens and Full Cast

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    A full cast dramatization of one of the great classics of contemporary Western literature. Dorian Gray, an effete young gentleman, is the subject of a striking portrait by the artist Basil Hallward. Gray’s narcissism is awakened, and he embraces a lifestyle of hedonism and casual cruelties. Increasingly consumed by his own vanity, he is forced to confront his true inner-self, in a manner that is as shocking as it is terrifying.

    An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Steve Juergens, Jim Ortlieb, Colleen Crimmins, Roger Mueller, Thomas Carroll, Paulin Brailsford, Rush Pearson and Martin Duffy.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherL.A. Theatre Works
    Release dateApr 15, 2009
    ISBN9781580815642
    Author

    Oscar Wilde

    Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was born on the 16th October 1854 and died on the 30th November 1900. He was an Irish playwright, poet, and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being Earnest.

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    Reviews for The Picture of Dorian Gray

    4/5

    9,566 ratings312 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This is a fascinating book. No wonder it's a classic!
    • 5/5
      With the plot device of Dorian Gray’s portrait, Wilde forces us to consider elemental human desires and behaviours, particularly where it pertains to supposed “moral” ideals and to ultimately self-destructive behaviour. In doing this, he demonstrates great bravery in a time of extraordinary social repression, and forces us to consider that we may never be able to escape the effects that our unsavoury behaviours may have on us.
    • 5/5
      Although I'm not a fan of Oscar Wilde, I decided to make it through this book. Wilde has a way with words and descriptions of anything like no other author. He slowly built Dorian Gray into what he wanted the reader to see. It made me wonder whether Dorian was like this all along or was it the fault of his friend Henry. I trudged through pages of what I felt was too much detail, but in the end the book was worth reading.
    • 4/5
      Don't look at yourself too closely in the mirror or you might spot some wrinkles starting to crack through. Wilde's foray into horror is stupendous!
    • 4/5
      I’d be very surprised if anyone reading this blog doesn’t have at least a passing idea what the story is about. (Just in case, though: essentially a young man ends up looking young for all his days, which a portrait painted of him ages in his place.) It’s a story I can’t remember ever not knowing the premise of, though it took me 30-mumble years to actually get around to reading it. For all I thought I knew what the story was about and all, I’m glad I (finally) took the time to read it. There’s more subtlety than I expected, though I should have known better since I have read other works by Wilde. And the ending, though completely plausible within the context, was not quite what I expected. (Again, knowing the era and the author, I should have known better and predicted the ending.)Even though there were sections I had to slog through, it was more often interesting than not, and is undeniably a classic. The sections which bored me were also often sections I found interesting – just not the way they were written. In one part, Wilde describes phases Dorian goes through, and talks about stories that he was interested in. Well, I don’t really care if Dorian was interested by King So-and-so’s corruption, or Queen Such-and-such’s lovers. It’s written as a list, with lots of very long sentences (as was common in the era it was written). I would prefer it to be a grouping of short descriptions of what happened to King So-and-so, or how Duke What’s-his-name died. On the other hand, many books from that era were shorter than the novels now tend to be, so the brevity of some sections makes sense.
    • 2/5
      Ugh. For such a short book this took me quite a while to force myself through. I didn't realize the book was 90% people saying "clever" things. I suppose for some people this might be the appeal of Oscar Wilde, but it really rubbed me the wrong way in this context. Perhaps his drama is better...
    • 3/5
      While I don't think it will ever be my favourite book (more than halfway through for it to become even remotely entrancing?), the latte half is intriguing, with some interesting bits.
    • 3/5
      A fantastic plot buried under too many words (mostly coming from the mouth of Lord Henry). It would have made a gripping and terrifying novella or short story. To alter an accusation from Dorian and turn it back on Wilde, "You would sacrifice any reader, Oscar, for the sake of an epigram."
    • 4/5
      I was kind of underwhelmed by this one. Some interesting ideas were brought up, but the story itself wasn't as riveting as I thought it would be.
    • 5/5
      Loved it and it was so different from the movie! It had such a strong message that was lost when made into film.
    • 5/5
      "I have nothing to declare but my genius."
      ? Oscar Wilde

      And indeed, he was genius! I actually read Wilde's masterpiece, The Picture of Dorian Gray, as a child in the early 1980s, but then again, for a second time, in 2012. And even after all those years, it still gave me the creeps. For it is a story most petrifying.

      The Picture of Dorian Gray was way ahead of its time?still reverberating volumes today. It is a cult classic in literature, and I reckon that it will continue to remain so for generations to come.
    • 5/5
      No one but Prebble could interpret so well the languid tones and phlegm of Lord Henry. In the narrator's voice I could visualise the character's affected smile and slow gestures. Dorian also, from a youthful voice at first, becomes more detached, sophisticated, and Lord Henry-like in tones as the book develops. I cannot think of a more appropriate narrator. This is a priceless interpretation of the The Picture of Dorian Gray.
    • 3/5
      Audacious book for its era. The melodramatic delivery starts to ruffle.
    • 5/5
      Big fan, reread this for a project. Wish Wilde’s publisher hadn’t rushed the added chapters to this version, however.Later edit: Boy, I really didn't feel like writing much when I put that one up. Ok, this is a 4.5 star rating. I adore Wilde's prose, no matter how much my peers might criticize his aesthetic style. I know it's hypocritical to the "message" of the story (subject of the paper mentioned earlier) but I don't really care, it's indulgent and lovely and beautiful. I don't have the skills required to describe it as nicely as he could. Ah, what a guy.
    • 4/5
      Read in kindle/Audible through Whispersync/immersion reading.

      Fabulous one-liners interspersed in dialogue throughout the book.


      "Like all people who try to exhaust a subject, he exhausted his listeners. "
      "Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing."
      "To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable"

      Simon Prebbles narrated/performed the book superbly. 5 star performance.
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars

      "The artist is the creator of beautiful things."

      WELL, THIS WAS INTERESTING.

      This book has a lot going for it. For one, it has some beautifully written passages. Pretty much every other line in this novel can stand on its own as a thought-provoking, philosophical quote. The Picture of Dorian Gray really is great fodder for essays, and discussions, and any form of communication requiring words really.

      As for this novel's characters, I will say that they were not the most likable, and I think that's kind of the point. At first I was like oh, Lord Henry seems to have some cool stuff to say but then I was like nah he's just a pretentious snob. The stuff he preaches is nothing if not controversial though. Basil was a semi-normal, tame human being, which was nice given the nature of the other characters (i.e. crazy/depraved/not very nice). Dorian was... interesting? HE IS MESSED UP. I honestly don't know how he got off the rails so quickly. Regardless, I enjoyed how his storyline ended up unfolding, especially the ending (!!!). Seriously, he thought he could do all the horrendous things he did and then atone for them by "being nice." That is not how it works my friend. Also, I cannot leave out Sybil because her storyline was ridiculous. I don't know if it was hilarious or grating. Probably both. I could not have rolled my eyes enough times.

      My only qualm with this book is that I wish it had more plot with better pacing. Apart from a couple of "big" incidents, (the reveal of what the painting could do, Sybil dying, Basil getting STABBED and burned) there wasn't much plot-wise that I could really sink my teeth into. Because the plot was so slowgoing at times, the pacing felt a bit inconsistent. Some parts left me totally engrossed, while others just left me wondering why any of the stuff I was reading mattered.

      I kind of wish I had studied this in class because there's heaps and heaps to talk about when it comes to Dorian Gray.

      Conclusion: The Picture of Dorian Gray is the kind of novel that begs to be analyzed, urging you to look more closely at what it's trying to say. It's engaging, it's accessible, and it's definitely worth your while. Also, its prose is just a wonder to behold.

      PS: The comments on women in this book were not very nice.
      Exhibit A: "My dear boy, no woman is a genius. Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly."
      It took everything I had to keep it together. If this weren't a classic I probably would've lost it.
    • 4/5
      I've meant to read this one since I had to analyse the last few pages for the final module of my English Lit A Level. For some reason, I'd never read it entirely before. It wasn't really spoilt by the fact that I already knew the ending intimately, although nothing was exactly a surprise to me, since I'd already thoroughly researched it. It's an interesting idea, and the ending is just perfect. Parts of it were a little boring, given that parts centered around philosophising, and parts centered around long descriptions. It is easy to read, and the descriptions are actually very lovely, but... there's just a bit more of it than I'd like. The actual plot is quite simple, though, really, so I suppose there'd be almost nothing to it without this!
    • 4/5
      I was really surprised by this book. It was better than I thought it would be I really enjoyed it.
    • 4/5
      I always tried to stay away from people who wanted to tell me the story of Dorian Gray. It was my wish to discover it myself. And it was worth waiting for and hiding from certain people. The story overwhelmed me with its outspokenness, its cruelty and sadness. I was surprised how absorbing the book was. I hardly could put it out of my hands; just in the middle is a part hard to overcome, but as well worth doing so. A masterpiece from one of the most fascinating characters in life and literature - Oscar Wilde.
    • 4/5
      A mostly well done theatrical version although I thought the narration was a bit much in the parts when Dorian was thinking to himself.
    • 4/5
      Quite amusing, though the dinner party wit gets tiresome. Surprised by the anti-semitism.
    • 4/5
      I can see why this book became/is a classic, but I can't say I really enjoyed reading it. The premise is interesting but completely predictable-- though perhaps just because it has become part of the fabric of our literary culture. I found the relationships between the men to be, uh, well, gay. I know the period and culture were very different but I can't image men speaking to each other like Basil spoke to and about Dorian. I guess my biggest complaint is that there are several long tedious passages, with one extraneous analogy or example after another (the same is true of his Children's stories). It's a great allegory and would probably be more interesting to study than to read for pleasure.
    • 3/5
      Prachtige sfeerschepping, sterk thrillerachtig, vol spitse oneliners en cynische filosofietjes.
    • 3/5
      As a lover of literature, it's hard not to notice the many great quotes from Oscar Wilde. Here's a few to refresh your memory:?Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.? ?The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.? ?You can never be overdressed or overeducated.?Despite my admiration of his intellect, I've never actually read any of Oscar Wilde's work, and thought it best to remedy that this year. So it was that I picked up the beautifully designed Penguin edition of The Picture Of Dorian Gray, the only novel ever written by Oscar Wilde.I'll admit I was a little apprehensive in the beginning, (what if Wilde is too high-brow for me?) but that was soon put to rest as early as Page 3 when Lord Henry says:"But beauty, real beauty, ends where an intellectual expression begins. Intellect is in itself a mode of exaggeration, and destroys the harmony of any face. The moment one sits down to think, one becomes all nose, or all forehead, or something horrid. Look at the successful men in any of the learned professions. How perfectly hideous they are!"I knew then I was safe in expert hands, and continued willingly discovering this once offensive text. We all know the premise (so I won't waste time recounting it) but what I was surprised to learn was that the sins Dorian Gray gets up to are never really expanded upon. His cruel treatment of lovers is there for all to see, but his sexual exploits are only ever alluded to, never described in full. What a pity.There are countless homoerotic scenes - particularly between Lord Henry and Dorian Gray - but there is never any evidence to suggest they were ever together or even whether they loved each other. Lord Henry clearly loves Dorian for his youth and beauty, and in my opinion Dorian admires Lord Henry's ideals and freedoms, but that's as much as we ever really know for sure about them.I was looking forward to reading a gothic horror story of sorts, taking me through the slow degradation of Dorian's soul - reflected in the portrait - however The Picture of Dorian Gray often read like an essay; the character of Lord Henry a mouthpiece for Wilde's own thoughts on society, religion, youth and beauty.In summary, I enjoyed the writing immensely, the plot less so and I'm left to wonder what Oscar Wilde would write about if he had the freedom to write for us today. He was shocking in his time, would he shock us still now? I think he would.
    • 2/5
      I feel perplexed about The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. On one hand, the story is well written about a young man being moulded and shaped. On the other hand, this book was incredibly flowery and doesn’t really start for 100 pages. Dorian doesn’t really know about life and meets an artist and an aristocrat that help him though his journey into manhood. The artist paints his portrait, subsequently making him keep his youth. The aristocrat had the biggest influence on Dorian Gray, though Lord Harry Wotton is very annoying. He talks and talks the whole way through this book, thinking he’s so witty.

      Dorian Gray starts off in this novel as a blank slate, an easily influenced young man. Thoughout the rest of the story he gets moulded and pushed into shape. After Basil paints his portrait Dorian starts to unravel, afraid to show the picture, he locks it way in a room and never lets anyone see it, protecting it at all costs. The whole thing symbolising the way we hide our real selves from the rest of the world, scared of what they may think.

      The Picture of Dorian Gray would have been controversial in its day, with strong homosexual themes. Though the book itself is more about the life and morality, Oscar Wilde did a brilliant of capturing this element of the book. For me the biggest downfall of this book was that Lord Wotton was too loud and dominates throughout the entire book.
    • 4/5
      I was kind of underwhelmed by this one. Some interesting ideas were brought up, but the story itself wasn't as riveting as I thought it would be.
    • 3/5
      3* for meI know it's a classicJust not one of my favoritesShelfari says it best"This dandy, who remains forever unchanged—petulant, hedonistic, vain, and amoral—while a painting of him ages and grows increasingly hideous with the years"
    • 5/5
      There's a lot going on here for such a slender book, but I should expect nothing less from Oscar Wilde. It reads a little clunky at the beginning, it's just wit-wit-wit and since it's almost all coming from one character in large paragraphs, it doesn't move as smoothly as one of Wilde's plays. Those sections set the tone for the rest of the book, though. Without them, you wouldn't understand Lord Henry, and without that knowledge the book would be very hard to parse indeed. Although it's a character study of Dorian Gray, or a character drama or something like that, Lord Henry is the inciting incident, the fulcrum of the action, and the most complex character. People are constantly insisting "Oh, you don't believe that awful thing you just said," and he doesn't, but that makes him all the worse. Dorian tells him late in the book, "You would sacrifice anybody, Harry, for the sake of an epigram," and that's the horrible truth of him. I wish we'd had some insight into his opinion of his artwork, aka Dorian Gray's twisted nature, after it was finished, but I suppose we don't really need it, and that might have explained things away too much.Dorian is interesting too, though. The gradual development of his character is really masterful, done partly in implications and partly with stated facts. His self-delusion -- acting as if he's the one who's been wronged when a girl commits suicide because of him, and only deepening in the climax -- is perfectly believable. This is a book that would stand repeated readings and analysis to tease out the different threads and their implications, and I won't try to do that here. I must say, though, I'm quite blown away by how the "picture of Dorian Gray" idea seems like such an archetype now, when it's only famous because of this book. I mean to say, the idea of a man staying young while his picture grows old seems like such a mythical, omnipresent idea, like the idea of a vampire or a werewolf, but it wasn't before this. Having now read the book, I'd say the impact is well-deserved, and reading the book is valuable because of how many themes it involves that other books may not be willing to address. A lot of books shy away from depicting realistic selfishness, but this one doesn't.
    • 3/5
      I read Dorian Gray in school many years ago and actually wrote an English class seminar on Oscar Wilde. For some reason, i remember really liking the book and as it came free with my new ereader, thought it was due a re-read. I did a bit of research on the book and apparently the version we have now is not the original version. Wilde added to the original which was serialized in the papers which many books from that era were. I'm pretty sure most of the bits he added were the 2 or 3 chapters in the middle that seem to go on and on and on and on and add really nothing to the storyline. They were skipped over as quickly as i could. Yes, Wilde's language and prose are beautiful. His dialogue is witty and laced with many of his own sentiments but as quotes from Wilde are so well known, it almost feels like reading a cliche! The basic story is that of a beautiful young man whose portrait was painted by Basil Hallward who, it's clear, is infatuated with Dorian. Dorian is dazzled by the finished product but wishes he would stay young and the portrait would get old instead. Be careful what you wish for!Dorian is seduced by the hedonistic Lord Henry who shows him the pleasures of walking on the wild side of life, the seedy underbelly of London in the late 19th century. He indulges in many activities including seduction of women and men, drugs, and other unspecified scandalous things. On the surface, in society, he puts on a suave and debonaire face. Rumours swirl surrounding who and what he is but as all that corruption would have an effect on his face, how can the rumours be true? But they are, the face on the portrait shows every debauchery and corruption.Dorian becomes obessed with trying to see how bad he can be to see what the effect is on the portrait. Now and then he feels slightly guilty but that doesn't last long. When he finally shows Basil the ruined portrait, he then kills Basil impulsively and blackmails a chemist friend into getting rid of the body. By the end of the book, he's persued by the brother of a young actress whose heart he broke and who killed herself as a result. He begins to feel desperate and thinks he should change but it's far too late.There was a recent movie made of the book but it's added a lot of new things and changed quite a bit though the casting for Dorian and Lord Henry is quite good. I rated it lower than i probably would have because some of it was hard going when it veered away from the storyline and became wordy and long winded in the middle. Otherwise, the story and the way it's been presented is very good.
    • 3/5
      Oscar Wilde takes us back to a time in England where high society was the grain of life, women were nothing but idol play things and men mostly lusted after each other rather than the embrace of a woman. As much as people like to see Dorian Gray as the villain in this novel, I very much feel he is rather the victim. I feel that if it wasn't for his acquaintance turned friend Lord Henry, that this may have very well been a happy tale. It was Lord Henry's influence that turned a painter's admiration into lust, women into meaningless objects and the leader in Gray's downfall. Although some of the story was interesting/entertaining, there was a great portion of it that was not. Wilde's writing is very drull to say the least. However this is coming from an American point of view. I'm sure someone from Brittain who enjoys all the high society chit chat would have found the tale much more captivating. All-in-all I would say this is an okay read given the classic that it is but I wouldn't recommend it unless I knew someone extremely into the classics or British history.