The Picture of Dorian Gray biography, "Oscar Wilde" (1989), the literary critic Richard Ellmann said that: Wilde does not name the book, but at his trial he conceded that it was, or almost [was], Huysmans's "À rebours" ... to a correspondent, he wrote that he had played a 'fantastic variation' upon "À rebours", and someday must write it down. The references in "Dorian Gray" to specific chapters are deliberately inaccurate. Some commentators have suggested that "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was influenced by the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli's (anonymously published) first novel "Vivian Grey" (1826) as, "a kind of homage from one outsider to
The Picture of Dorian Gray (opera) to Dorian about the disturbing rumours about his behaviour. Dorian invites him to the attic, in order to show Basil his soul. "Scene 2" In the attic, Dorian unveils his covered portrait. Its bloody and distorted image shocks Basil, who says that Dorian must be far more evil than the rumours suggest. He then begs Dorian to pray for forgiveness. Dorian then takes a knife on the table near the portrait and stabs Basil to death. "Scene 3" Later that night, Dorian visits a dockside tavern, frequented by sailors and prostitutes. When a prostitute apparently familiar with Dorian solicits him,