In the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the idea of youth and beauty is explored through a late 19th century love triangle. Lord Henry, an egotistical socialite uses his influence and power to corrupt the muse of Basil Halworth, a humble artist. Basil’s muse, Dorian Grey, starts as a reticent man, unaware of his effect on those around him. Eventually he turns into a self-centered maniac that everyone hates but wants to be. As Dorian uses and loses people throughout the book, he begins to question who he has become as a person and what or whom he truly values.

Dorian believes that youth and beauty reign supreme. Throughout the novel Dorian fights with the age old concept of following the heart over superficial beauty. The story eventually comes to the point where he has to choose, impacting his life greatly. Another prominent theme in the novel is truth will always prevail. From hiding bodies to hiding personalities, the truth will always find a way to surface. The themes Oscar Wilde chose to have in this novel are quite interesting. It is clear that he wants the reader to understand how tempting evil is, but what makes it more intriguing are the homosexual undertones the novel has. There is no doubt Basil is in love with Dorian, but once the reader understands that it is more than just friendship, the novel has a new meaning. The theme of seducing darkness does not refer to falling in love with the dark. It is trying to say once a man realizes he is in fact homosexual, there is no going back; it is not a feeling one can escape, no matter how hard he tries. At the time Oscar Wilde wrote the novel The Picture of Dorian Grey, homosexuality was considered very sinful and illegal. If a person was found guilty of being a homosexual, he would then be placed in prison for the remainder of his life. In fact that is exactly what happened to Oscar Wilde. This novel was deemed inappropriate due to the undertones of homsexuality, and he was placed in prison under charges of sodomy. There are many theories about why Oscar Wilde made this undertone prevalent in his story. The most commonly heard theory is that Oscar Wilde himself was gay and could not express it in public due to the punishment he would face. Dorian, as well, could not express his homosexuality due to his status and the time period in which the novel took place.

Perhaps that means Dorian is Oscar Wilde, and that is why the novel seems very personal and similar to a diary.
Overall the novel was a delightful and engaging page-turner. Not only is the novel well written, the betrayal and the mystery that followed Dorian Grey also encourages the reader to think about who he or she truly is and how he or she affects the people around them.  Observing how easily Dorian can change based on who he surrounds himself with is amazing for teaching the lessons of peer pressure. The novel has many themes that any reader could learn from or use in his or her day to day life. This novel is definitely a timeless piece that everyone can enjoy.