The Picture of Dorian Gray

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" is the only novel by Oscar Wilde that caused fierce disputes during the author's lifetime and is now recognized as an unparalleled masterpiece of world literature. The story of a beautiful and innocent young man who succumbed to the temptation of forever preserving his youth and making his own portrait age instead of himself. But the fulfillment of desires has a price, and some must be paid dearly for. Interestingly, none of Dorian Gray's vices are clearly named in the novel, except for his opium abuse. Wilde himself said that everyone sees their own sins and vices in his hero. There is a condition called "Dorian Gray syndrome" — a cult of youth, a fear of physical decay and aging. This psychological state is especially prevalent among public figures: movie stars, artists, and singers.