The Picture of Dorian Gray was written by Irish author Oscar Wilde (1854-1900). A young man named Dorian Gray is swayed by the hedonistic worldview of his new social circle and begins to live the life of a libertine in constant search for pleasure. The novel explores very complex philosophical themes, such as the duplicity of the human soul and the reverence for beauty and pleasure. The Picture of Dorian Gray caused outrage in British reviewers and readers alike for its alleged immorality and indecency, and sparked in Oscar Wilde a furious defence of the creative process and the importance of freedom in artistic expression.