... and Art only, that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence." (Wilde, qtd. in Neill,279) Oscar Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was first published in 1891, but it still continues to fascinate us with its depiction of one of society's overwhelming obsessions - the cult of youthful beauty. It was originally condemned as "a poisonous book, the ... atmosphere of which is heavy with the mephitic odours of moral and spiritual putrefaction" and "a tale spawned from the ... ) According to Diana Neill "The novel remains an unconsciously severe comment on ...

• Word Count: 3731
• Approx Pages: 15
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... and Art only, that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence." (Wilde, qtd. in Neill,279) Oscar Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was first published in 1891, but it still continues to fascinate us with its depiction of one of society's overwhelming obsessions - the cult of youthful beauty. It was originally condemned as "a poisonous book, the ... atmosphere of which is heavy with the mephitic odours of moral and spiritual putrefaction" and "a tale spawned from the ... ) According to Diana Neill "The novel remains an unconsciously severe comment on ...

• Word Count: 3731
• Approx Pages: 15
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School