The Picture of Dorian Gray -Oscar Wilde

YOUNG ADULT

STAGE 3

READERS

The Picture of Dorian Gray Late nineteenth-century London: a city of contrasts. Great wealth and terrible poverty, beauty and ugliness, purity and immorality. Oscar Wilde takes the reader into this strange and fascinating world through the strange story of the picture of Dorian Gray. Young, handsome and innocent, the aristocratic Dorian is visiting his friend, the kind and gentle painter Basil Hallward, when he meets Lord Henry Wotton. Entertaining and cynical, Lord Henry introduces Dorian to the idea of a world where the only value is beauty, and everything must serve this ideal. But how can Dorian survive ageing and ugliness? In front of his beautiful portrait, painted by Hallward, Dorian makes a terrible wish. This wish will come true, dragging Dorian into a world of the senses, of beauty and joy, but also of terror, of fear and ultimately of murder…

OSCAR WILDE THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

Oscar Wilde

STAGE 3

Eli Readers is a beautifully illustrated series of timeless classics and specially-written stories for learners of English.

OSCAR WILDE THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

In this reader you will find: - Information about Oscar Wilde’s life - Sections focusing on background and context - Glossary of difficult words - Comprehension activities - PET-style activities - Exit test Tag Fantasy Elementary

600 headwords

A1

STAGE 2

Pre-Intermediate

800 headwords

A2

KET

STAGE 3

Intermediate

1000 headwords

B1

PET

STAGE 4

Upper Intermediate

1800 headwords

B2

FCE

STAGE 5

Advanced

2500 headwords

C1

CAE

STAGE 6

Proficiency

Unabridged Texts

C2

CPE

Classic

S ER y AD ra l. RE G -7 .r. I ian 17 I s EL or 05 EL LT f D 36U o -5 AD re 88 G tu 8N ic 7 U eP N9 YO Th ISB

with Audio CD

www.elireaders.com

with Booklet

YOUNG ADULT ELI READERS

STAGE 1

B1

YOUNG ADULT

READERS

MAIN CHARACTERS

BASIL HALLWARD A successful and talented artist who paints the picture mentioned in the title.

DORIAN GRAY We first meet Dorian when he is about twenty. He is young, handsome and very rich.

LORD HENRY WOTTON A young lord, very rich and very cynical. His influence is not always positive.

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SIBYL VANE A young actress, only seventeen years old with whom Dorian falls in love

SIBYL AND JAMES VANE’S MOTHER An ex actress who lives with her children. She is vain and shallow and very ambitious for Sibyl and James.

JAMES VANE Sibyl’s brother, a sailor who is leaving for Australia to make his fortune.

ALAN CAMPBELL A doctor who was a friend of Dorian’s in the past.

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Chapter One

The Wish

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The studio was filled with the rich perfume of flowers. Lord Henry Wotton lay smoking. Everything was still.

In the centre of the room was a portrait* of a beautiful young man.The artist, Basil Hallward, was sitting in front of it, smiling.

‘It is your best work,’ said Lord Henry. ‘Show it at the Grosvenor.’

‘No, I can’t. There is too much of me in it,’ answered Hallward.

‘You don’t look like the picture!’ said Lord Henry. ‘You have an intellectual face but this young man is an Adonis. He is beautiful. He never thinks, I am sure. You are not like him at all.’

‘You don’t understand, replied Hallward. I know I don’t look like him, I would be sorry to. Dorian Gray’s beauty will disappear. It is better to be ugly and stupid, and live in peace.’

‘Is that his name?’ asked Lord Henry.

‘Yes,’ answered Hallward. ‘I didn’t want to tell you. I prefer secrets, they are more romantic.’

‘I agree, ‘said Lord Henry.’ I know nothing about my wife, and she knows nothing about me.

The two young men laughed and went into the garden where they sat in the shade. portrait (noun, count.) a picture of a person, especially of his/her face

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AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES

Reading 1

Look at the descriptions below from Chapter 1 and say if each one describes Basil Hallward, Lord Henry Wotton or Dorian Gray.

1 He is beautiful. ………………………...........................................................…………

2 He has an intellectual face. …………………………………………………………………

3 His enemies respect him. ……………………………………………………………………

4 He plays the piano. ………………………………………………………………………………

5 His emotions were more interesting than an invitation to lunch. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………....……

6 He is a bad influence. …………………………………………………….……………………

7 His eyes were bright. …………………………………………………..………………………

8 He was amazed. ……………………………………………………………...……………………

9 He seemed quite angry. ………………………………………………………………………

10 A look of pain came into his eyes. ………………………………………………..

2

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Read the questions and choose the correct answer.

1 Where is the portrait of the beautiful young man?

A in the garden B to the left of the studio C in the centre of the studio

■ ■ ■

2 Why does Basil Hallward refuse to show the painting?

A it has no soul B it shows too much of Basil’s soul C it shows too much of Dorian's soul

■ ■ ■

3 How does Basil paint after meeting Dorian?

A in a new way B every day C with great soul

■ ■ ■

4 Where did Lord Henry first hear Dorian Gray’s name?

A from Basil B from the butler C from his Aunt Agatha

■ ■ ■

Grammar 3

Use the Past Simple form of these verbs to complete the sentences you saw in Chapter 1. tell reply think lie find speak say catch take go 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Lord Henry Wotton ………. smoking.

‘It is your best work,’ ………. Lord Henry.

‘I ………. you’ replied Hallward. ‘There is too much of me in it.’

‘You see, two months ago I ………… to a party at Lady Brandon's house.’

I ………….. to boring people for ten minutes.

‘I …………. you only loved art.’

Lord Henry ………… Hallward's emotions more interesting than his invitation.

Dorian Gray was at the piano. He ……….. sight of Lord Henry.

‘If Dorian wants,’ …………… Hallward.

He ……….. a knife.

Writing 4

Write a dialogue between Dorian Gray and Lord Henry Wotton where the two men arrange to meet to go to the theatre.

Remember to include where, at what time, how to arrive (on foot or by carriage?).

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Expand the notes to write a short summary of Chapter 1. The first sentence is completed as an example.

Lord Henry Wotton / go / Basil Hallward / studio.

Lord Henry Wotton went to Basil Hallward's studio.

Hallward / be/ famous artist. Two men / speak / new friend of Hallward's. Lord Henry / want / meet. They / sit / garden and when / they / go / house, Lord Henry / meet / Dorian. Dorian and Lord Henry / speak / garden.

Lord Henry / say/ Dorian / ‘you / become old and ugly.’ Hallward / finish / painting. First / Dorian / be / happy / then / he/ be / angry.

He / want / stay young and beautiful. He / offer / soul / exchange / for eternal youth and beauty. He / want / painting / to grow old.

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FOCUS ON...

The Life of Oscar Wilde Early Life Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was born in Dublin on 16th October 1854.

His father was Sir William Wilde, a famous doctor: his patients included Queen Victoria. His mother was Jane Francesca Elgee, a poet and supporter of Irish independence. Wilde had an older brother and a younger sister who died young. He studied at home until he was nine, and then at private school. In 1874 he went to Magdalen College, Oxford and studied Greek classics.

Oscar Wilde, June 1875.

First Publications During his studies, Wilde published some poetry.

He also wrote articles for magazines and travelled in Europe and America. He became famous for his eccentric lifestyle. In 1878 he graduated from Oxford and went to live in London. He wrote for many magazines and became more famous for his extravagant behaviour and love of aesthetics.

Some people started to say that he was immoral.

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Marriage In 1884 Wilde married Constance Lloyd.

He thought she was very intelligent. They lived in London and were happy for a short time. Their son Cyril was born in 1885, and their younger son Vyvyan in 1886.

Wilde was affectionate to his children, but ignored his wife. He preferred the company of men. At the time, it was illegal for men to have homosexual relationships.

First Prose Works In 1888 Wilde published The Happy Prince and other tales, which he wrote for his two children.

His only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray was published in 1891. At the same time he fell in love with Lord Alfred Douglas. From 1893 he considered his marriage finished. Wilde’s first play, Lady Windermere's Fan, opened in February 1892. Playwriting was his greatest talent and in a few years he wrote A Woman of No Importance (1893), An Ideal Husband (1895) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).

Trial and Prison Wilde was famous for his love affairs with men, which were against the law. In 1895 he was arrested and put on trial.

The verdict was guilty. He was sentenced to two years of hard labour. He spent most of the time in Reading, and later wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Prison was bad for his health. When he left prison in 1897 he went to Europe, and never returned to Britain.

Oscar Wilde, 1882.

Final Years In very bad health, Wilde spent most of his final years in Paris. He was very poor. Constance refused to meet him, but sent him money. She died in 1898 after an operation. He converted to Roman Catholicism a few days before he died, on 30th November 1900. Only a few of his friends stayed with him until the end.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, appearing as the lead story in “Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine” on 20 June 1890.

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