Oscar Wilde was an Irish writer and poet who wrote the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. He was born on October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland and became famous in the late 19th century for his wit, plays, and novels. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a Gothic novel that tells the story of a young man named Dorian Gray who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty, while his portrait reflects the decay of his soul. Wilde's use of vivid and colorful language, as well as his exploration of the themes of decadence, morality, and aestheticism, made the novel a controversial success when it was first published in 1890.