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The Picture Of Dorian Gray: York Notes Advanced
Packed full of analysis and interpretation, historical background, discussions and commentaries, York Notes will help you get right to the heart of the text you're studying, whether it's poetry, a play or a novel. You'll learn all about the historical context of the piece; find detailed discussions of key passages and characters; learn interesting facts about the text; and discover structures, patterns and themes that you may never have known existed. In the Advanced Notes, specific sections on critical thinking, and advice on how to read critically yourself, enable you to engage with the text in new and different ways. Full glossaries, self-test questions and suggested reading lists will help you fully prepare for your exam, while internet links and references to film, TV, theatre and the arts combine to fully immerse you in your chosen text. York Notes offer an exciting and accessible key to your text, enabling you to develop your ideas and transform your studies!
160 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2014
5 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 1, 2024
Like always, I think it’s better to read the book mentioned at least once before using these guides, if you don’t like spoilers, but one should expect spoilers when reading these guides. I found it useful and giving me further information, so even when you’re not doing A-levels or undergraduate studies, this and others on other books will be entertaining. (It’s funny that the one writing this is also Gray-surnamed…)
The form of this book is: introduction, closer look on the tect, critical approaches and perspectives past and present, background, chronology of author’s life…. And at the end is further reading and library terms. On the sides of the text are tips for further books, websites, poems, films, contexts, and questions. In some parts, there was also glossary.
This book uses the 2001 Wordsworth Classics Edition of the book, but even when you use some other version, there’s not much confusion to be had, though some page numbers of the book mentioned can be different. There is much packed into this guide, much deeper than it’s slimness suggests. A few times things might feel a bit repeated, but it’s not really annoying IMO. And reading this just after reading the book itself felt like such a good idea. I have still some books whose guides I plan to read after the main book, and this book just confirms it is a good idea. Well worth reading!
The form of this book is: introduction, closer look on the tect, critical approaches and perspectives past and present, background, chronology of author’s life…. And at the end is further reading and library terms. On the sides of the text are tips for further books, websites, poems, films, contexts, and questions. In some parts, there was also glossary.
This book uses the 2001 Wordsworth Classics Edition of the book, but even when you use some other version, there’s not much confusion to be had, though some page numbers of the book mentioned can be different. There is much packed into this guide, much deeper than it’s slimness suggests. A few times things might feel a bit repeated, but it’s not really annoying IMO. And reading this just after reading the book itself felt like such a good idea. I have still some books whose guides I plan to read after the main book, and this book just confirms it is a good idea. Well worth reading!
January 13, 2012
Having decided to read through all the classics, I plumped for Oscar Wilde as my first choice. If all his books are as descriptive as Dorian Gray, I think I might be a little disappointed.
I loved the idea behind the story, popular, wealthy man wishes he could stay young while a portrait that has been painted of him could grow old in his place. But, there was so much fanciful and unnecessary dialogue, you could read for 10 minutes without finding anything that added to the story. I was skipping though large chunks to get to the crux of the story, and I never do that!
All in all though, an okay read. Not one I'd reach for again though.
I loved the idea behind the story, popular, wealthy man wishes he could stay young while a portrait that has been painted of him could grow old in his place. But, there was so much fanciful and unnecessary dialogue, you could read for 10 minutes without finding anything that added to the story. I was skipping though large chunks to get to the crux of the story, and I never do that!
All in all though, an okay read. Not one I'd reach for again though.
Want to read
May 29, 2016I only started this book but I find it great. I didn't really enjoy "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" up to now, but since I started this York Notes, I understand it much better. On top there are a lot of links and references about the novel, Oscar Wilde, and the background of his time.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews