Salome, the portrait of Dorian Gray

Author: Oscar Wilde (English), translated by Sun Fali
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-07-01
Features: Salomé and The Picture of Dorian Gray are both representative works of aestheticism in the late 19th century, hailed as the "triple masterpiece" of the "art for art's sake" movement in drama, fiction, and painting. In these works, beautiful prose and vivid imagery are attached to distorted characters and absurd plots, leading to long-term misunderstandings. In reality, there is deeper meaning behind the surface. Salomé is a famous work by the British aestheticist Oscar Wilde, inspired by the biblical story, telling the tale of how the Jewish princess Salomé seduces her stepfather Herod to kill John the Baptist. In the play, Salomé seeks the love of John but is rejected, vowing to kiss his lips, and finally kisses his severed head. The Picture of Dorian Gray has a relatively simple plot. The naturally extraordinarily beautiful Dorian Gray discovers his astonishing beauty after seeing the portrait of himself painted by the artist Lord Henry Wotton, and, believing his flattery, begins to suffer from the fleeting nature of youth and the impermanence of beauty. He expresses a wish that the portrait might bear the burden of time and his soul in his place, allowing him to remain eternally youthful and handsome. This whimsical desire later inexplicably comes true. One evening, he treats the actress Sybil Vane, whom he loves, cruelly, and upon returning home, finds that the portrait has taken on a cruel expression. It turns out that the portrait has begun to change along with the changes in Dorian Gray's heart.