The Birth of an Obsession

Chapter I of The Picture of Dorian Gray introduces Basil Hallward, Lord Henry Wotton, and the mysterious Dorian Gray. Set in a lush studio garden, Oscar Wilde explores themes of beauty, art, influence, and secrecy. Basil confesses that his portrait reveals too much of his soul, while Lord Henry’s sharp wit hints at the dangerous ideas that will soon shape Dorian’s fate.