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The Wilde Library

The Wilde Library

Oscar Wilde 64 Episodes Feb 7, 2026

The Wilde Library is a podcast that explores literature with wit and style, offering episodes that delve into comedies, stories, and ideas that are both splendid and scandalous. Each episode invites listeners to linger between wit and wisdom, art and appetite, truth and style. The podcast is presented as a small, well-upholstered room of the mind where books are neither dusted nor forgiven, only opened.

Episodes

The Picture of Dorian Gray The Preface Feb 7, 2026 197 In which the artist’s delicate task of crafting beauty is celebrated above the mundane concerns of morality or utility, and the critic’s role is revealed as a mirror of their own nature rather than an arbiter of truth. Thus, art is presented as a mysterious surface, at once captivating and defiant, inviting admiration without apology for its essential uselessness.
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 1 Feb 8, 2026 2137 In which the studio of an artist becomes the stage for a lively discourse on beauty, art, and the mysterious power of a young man whose portrait captivates and unsettles. Amidst scents of lilac and whispers of secrecy, two contrasting friends ponder the essence of friendship, influence, and the soul laid bare upon canvas.
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 2 Feb 9, 2026 2444 In which a strikingly handsome young man, Dorian Gray, is introduced sitting for his portrait as he encounters the charming and provocative Lord Henry, whose words stir new thoughts and emotions within him. Amidst conversations of youth, beauty, and influence, the painter Basil Hallward completes a masterpiece that captures more than mere likeness, setting the tone for considerations of the fleeti
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 3 Feb 10, 2026 1953 In which Lord Henry Wotton indulges in the leisurely art of conversation and gossip with his uncle and a select company, unveiling tales of heritage, society's peculiarities, and his own whimsical philosophy of life and pleasure. Amidst this genteel assembly, the young and captivating Dorian Gray finds himself the subject of curiosity and the recipient of Lord Henry’s beguiling attentions, setting
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 4 Feb 11, 2026 2385 In which a young gentleman, newly enamoured with an enchanting young actress, relates to his companion the fervour of his devotion and the beguiling mysteries of the theatre that have so captured his fancy. Amid musings on art, love, and the curious dance between soul and body, the evening closes with a telegram bearing news of a most unexpected engagement.
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 5 Feb 12, 2026 1910 In which the tender joys and bitter anxieties of a young actress's love and her family's precarious hopes and fears unfold amidst the humbler trappings of their theatrical lives. Brotherly protectiveness and maternal caution weave through their genteel aspirations and whispered secrets, painting a scene as poignant as it is unsparing of human frailty.
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 6 Feb 13, 2026 1253 In which the news of a certain young gentleman’s engagement stirs a curious blend of incredulity and resignation among his closest companions, while conversations over dinner lead to reflections on love, pleasure, and the peculiar nature of personal transformation. The evening draws them to a theatre, where artifice and reality intertwine beneath the stage’s flickering lights, and a subtle shadow
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 7 Feb 14, 2026 1923 In which a young gentleman’s idealistic passion is tested amid the harsh realities of the theatre, revealing the fragile nature of art and love in a world of illusions. As he contemplates a mysterious portrait that seems to bear silent witness to his soul, he resolves to seek redemption and innocence anew beneath the fresh dawn.
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 8 Feb 15, 2026 2302 In which Dorian Gray awakens to a world both unchanged and strangely altered, as he confronts the haunting transformation of his own portrait and faces the tragic downfall of Sibyl Vane, whose death ripples through his thoughts with the peculiar detachment of a drama witnessed from afar. Amidst philosophical banter and reflections on love and cruelty, he resolves to embrace a life where eternal yo
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 9 Feb 16, 2026 1671 In which a sombre morning brings an intense confrontation between old friendship and new realities, as the artist Basil Hallward reveals a profound, almost worshipful attachment to Dorian Gray and the portrait he painted, a work Dorian now insists must never be seen again. The dialogue delicately unfolds the shifting contours of character and art, underscored by unspoken secrets and the poignant t
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 10 Feb 17, 2026 1298 In which Dorian Gray, haunted by a secret portrait, arranges to conceal it in an old schoolroom filled with memories of his youth, whilst grappling with the uneasy presence of his servant and the burdens of his past. Amidst these shadows, a mysterious book sent by Lord Henry captivates him with its strange beauty and poison, leading him into a reflective and restless evening at the club.
The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 11 Feb 18, 2026 3029 In which Dorian Gray becomes ensnared by a book that reflects and amplifies his own passionate search for new sensations, indulging in art, music, jewels, and rare luxuries while maintaining an outward visage of youthful grace untouched by time. Amidst whispered scandals and fleeting moments of self-reflection, he cultivates a complex philosophy that embraces beauty and experience as the highest a

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