The Picture of Dorian Gray edition of the novel; nonetheless, by June 1891, Wilde was defending "The Picture of Dorian Gray" against accusations that it was a bad book. In the essay "The Artist as Critic", Oscar Wilde said that: In the 19th century, the critical reception of the novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1890) was poor. The book critic of "The Irish Times" said, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was "first published to some scandal." Such book reviews achieved for the novel a "certain notoriety for being 'mawkish and nauseous', 'unclean', 'effeminate' and 'contaminating'." Such moralistic scandal arose from the novel's homoeroticism, which
The Picture of Dorian Gray (opera) and Dorian leaves. The prostitute then tells James that Dorian corrupted her 18 years ago, expressing her belief, common to others, that Dorian sold his soul to the devil for a handsome face. For money, she offers to tell him how to find Dorian. "Scene 5" Several days later, at a hunting party at Lord Geoffrey's estate, Dorian tells Lord Henry of his fear of death. Lord Geoffrey aims at a hare, and Dorian tells him not to shoot. Lord Geoffrey shoots nonetheless, and a terrible human scream is heard. Badly shaken, Dorian thinks it a bad omen. The gamekeeper