The Picture of Dorian Gray (The Norton Library)

Part of the Norton Library series

The Norton Library edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray features the complete text of the revised and expanded version of the novel, published in 1891. In his insightful introduction, Sean O’Toole sheds new light on the novel’s philosophical and stylistic achievements and on the cultural milieu that shaped Wilde’s groundbreaking exploration of beauty, desire, and the dangers of influence.

The Norton Library is a growing collection of high-quality texts and translations―influential works of literature and philosophy―introduced and edited by leading scholars. Norton Library editions prepare readers for their first encounter with the works that they’ll re-read over a lifetime.

• Inviting introductions highlight the work’s significance and influence, providing the historical and literary context students need to dive in with confidence.
• Endnotes and an easy-to-read design deliver an uninterrupted reading experience, encouraging students to read the text first and refer to endnotes for more information as needed.
• An affordable price (most editions are $10 or less) encourages students to buy the book and to come to class with the assigned edition.

Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. Wilde studied at Trinity College in Dublin and at Magdalen College in Oxford, England, before settling down in London and having a long, successful career as a poet, playwright, and author. Wilde is best known for his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray and for his satirical play The Importance of Being Earnest.

Sean O’Toole is Professor of English at Baruch College, CUNY, where his research and teaching interests include nineteenth-century literature, the history and theory of the novel, queer and Irish literature, Great Works, and college writing. He is the author of two books: Habit in the English Novel: Lived Environments and Practices of the Self (2013) and Dorian Unbound: Transnational Decadence and the Wilde Archive (2023). He lives in New York City and the Catskills.