the portrait of dorian gray essay

A Summary and Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

The Picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar Wilde’s one novel, published originally in 1890 (as a serial) and then in book form the following year. The novel is at once an example of late Victorian Gothic horror and , in some ways, the greatest English-language novel about decadence and aestheticism, or ‘art for art’s sake’.

To show how these themes and movements find their way into the novel, it’s necessary to offer some words of analysis. But before we analyse The Picture of Dorian Gray , it might be worth summarising the plot of the novel.

The Picture of Dorian Gray : summary

The three main characters in The Picture of Dorian Gray are the title character (a beautiful young man), Basil Hallward (a painter), and Lord Henry Wotton (Basil Hallward’s friend).

The novel opens with Basil painting Dorian Gray’s portrait. Lord Henry Wotton takes a shine to the young man, and advises him to be constantly in search of new ‘sensations’ in life. He encourages Dorian to drink deep of life’s pleasures.

When the picture of Dorian is finished, Dorian marvels at how young and beautiful he looks, before wishing that he could always remain as young and attractive while his portrait is the one that ages and decays, rather than the other way around. When he proclaims that he would give his soul to have such a wish granted, it’s as if he has made a pact with the devil.

Basil’s finished portrait is sent to Dorian’s house, while Dorian himself goes out and follows Lord Henry’s advice. He falls head over heels in love with an actress, Sibyl Vane, but when she loses her ability to act well – because, she claims, now she has fallen in love for real she cannot imitate it on the stage – Dorian cruelly discards her. He had fallen in love with her art as an actress, and now she has lost that, she is meaningless to him.

Sibyl takes her own life before Dorian – who has observed a change in his portrait, which looks to have a slightly meaner expression than before – can apologise to her and beg her forgiveness. But Lord Henry consoles Dorian, arguing that Sibyl, in dying young, has given her last beautiful performance.

Dorian, shocked by the change in the portrait, locks it away at the top of his house, in his old schoolroom. Inspired by an immoral ‘yellow book’ which Lord Henry gives to him, Dorian continues to experience all manner of ‘sensations’, no matter how immoral they are. When he next takes a look at the portrait in his attic, he finds an old and evil face, disfigured by sin, staring out at him.

The novel moves forward some thirteen years. Dorian, of course, is still young and fresh-faced, but his portrait looks meaner and older than ever. When Dorian shows the portrait to Basil, who painted it, the artist – who had worshipped Dorian’s beauty when he painted the picture – is shocked and appalled. Dorian stabs Basil to death, before enlisting the help of someone to dispose of the body (this man, horrified by what he has done, will later take his own life).

Dorian slides further into sin and evil, until one day, the brother of the dead actress, Sibyl Vane, bumps into Dorian Gray and intends to exact revenge for his sister’s mistreatment at the hands of Dorian. But when he follows Dorian to the latter’s country estate, he is accidentally shot by one of Dorian’s shooting party.

Dorian becomes intent on reforming his character, hoping that the portrait will start to improve if he behaves better. But when he goes up to look at the painting, he finds that it shows the face of a hypocrite, because even his abstinence from vice was, in its own way, a quest for a new sensation to experience.

Horrified and angered, Dorian plunges a knife into the canvas, but when the servants walk in on him, they find the portrait as it was originally painted, showing Dorian Gray as a youthful man. Meanwhile, on the floor, there is the body of a wrinkled old man with a ‘loathsome’ face.

The Picture of Dorian Gray : analysis

The Picture of Dorian Gray has been analysed as an example of the Gothic horror novel, as a variation on the theme of the ‘double’, and as a narrative embodying some of the key aspects of late nineteenth-century aestheticism and decadence.

Wilde’s skill lies in how he manages to weave these various elements together, creating a modern take on the old Faust story (the German figure Faust sold his soul to the devil, via Mephistopheles) which also, in its depictions of late Victorian sin and vice, may remind readers of another work of fiction published just four years earlier: Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (which we’ve analysed here ).

Indeed, the discovery of the body of Dorian Gray as a wrinkled and horrifically ugly corpse at the end of the novel recalls the discovery of Jekyll/Hyde in Stevenson’s novella.

To find the novel’s value as a book of the aesthetic movement, we need look no further than Wilde’s preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray , in which he states, for instance, that ‘there is no such thing as a moral or immoral book’ (what matters is whether the book is written well or not) and ‘all art is quite useless’ (art shouldn’t change the world: art exists as, and for, itself, and no more).

Lord Henry Wotton is very much the voice of the aesthetic movement in the novel, and many of his pronouncements echo those made by the prominent art critic (under whom Wilde had studied at Oxford), Walter Pater. But whereas Pater talked of ‘new impressions’, Lord Henry (or Wilde, in his novel) took this up a notch, calling for new ‘sensations’.

We tend to speak conveniently of ‘periods’ or ‘movements’ or ‘eras’ in literary history, but these labels aren’t always useful. Both Oscar Wilde and Elizabeth Gaskell, the author of Mary Barton and North and South , were ‘Victorian’ in that they were both writing and publishing their work in Britain during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).

But whereas Gaskell, writing in the 1840s, 1850s, and 1860s, wrote ‘realist’ novels about the plight of factory workers in northern England, Wilde wrote a fantastical horror story about upper-class men who are able to stay forever young and spotless while their portraits decay in their attic. They’re a world away from each other.

Wilde’s novel is a good example of how later Victorian fiction often turned against the values and approaches favourited by earlier Victorian writers. It was Wilde who, famously, said of the sad ending of Dickens’s The Old Curiosity Shop , which Dickens’s original readers in the 1840s wept buckets over, ‘one must have a heart of stone to read the death of Little Nell without’ – what, crying?

No. Wilde’s word was ‘laughing’. The overly sentimental style favoured by mid-century novelists like Dickens had given way to a more casual, poised, nonchalant, and detached mode of storytelling.

At the same time, we can overstate the extent to which Wilde’s novel turns its back on earlier Victorian attitudes and values. Despite his statement that there is no such thing as a moral or immoral book, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a highly moral work, as the tale of Faust was. Dorian’s life is destroyed by his commitment to a life of pleasure, even though it entails the destruction of other lives – most notably, Sibyl Vane’s.

Far from being a book that would be denounced from the pulpits by Anglican clergymen for being ‘immoral’, The Picture of Dorian Gray could make for a pretty good moral sermon in itself, albeit one that’s more witty and entertaining than most Christian sermons.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is, at bottom, a novel of surfaces and appearance. We say ‘at bottom’, but that is precisely the point: the novel is, as many critics have commented, all surface. Lord Henry is so taken by the beauty of Dorian Gray that he sets about being a bad influence on him.

Dorian is so taken by the painting of him – a two-dimensional representation of his outward appearance – that he makes his deal with the devil, trading his soul, that thing which represents inner meaning and inner depth, in exchange for remaining youthful on the outside.

Then, when Dorian falls in love, it’s with an actress, not because he loves her but because he loves her performance. When she loses her ability to act, he abandons her. Her name, Sibyl Vane, points up the vanity of acting and the pursuit of skin-deep appearance at the cost if something more substantial, but her first name also acts as a warning: in Greek mythology, the Sibyls made cryptic statements about future events.

But there’s probably a particular Sibyl that Wilde had in mind: the Sibyl at Cumae, who, in Petronius’ scurrilous Roman novel Satyricon (which Wilde would surely have known) and in other stories, was destined to live forever but to age and wither away. She had eternal life, but not eternal youth. Dorian’s own eternal youth comes at a horrible cost: without a soul, all he can do is go in pursuit of new sensations, forever chasing desire yet never attaining true fulfilment.

It will, in the end, destroy him: in lashing out and trying to destroy the truth that stares back at him from his portrait, much as he had destroyed the artist who held up a mirror to his corrupt self, Dorian Gray destroys himself. In the last analysis, as he and his portrait do not exist separately from each other, he must live with himself – and with his conscience – or must die in his vain attempt to close his eyes to who he has really become.

About Oscar Wilde

The life of the Irish novelist, poet, essayist, and playwright Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) is as famous as – perhaps even more famous than – his work. But in a career spanning some twenty years, Wilde created a body of work which continues to be read an enjoyed by people around the world: a novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray ; short stories and fairy tales such as ‘ The Happy Prince ’ and ‘ The Selfish Giant ’; poems including The Ballad of Reading Gaol ; and essay-dialogues which were witty revivals of the Platonic philosophical dialogue.

But above all, it is Wilde’s plays that he continues to be known for, and these include witty drawing-room comedies such as Lady Windermere’s Fan , A Woman of No Importance , and The Importance of Being Earnest , as well as a Biblical drama, Salome (which was banned from performance in the UK and had to be staged abroad). Wilde is also often remembered for his witty quips and paradoxes and his conversational one-liners, which are legion.

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The “yellow book”, referred to is probably Huysmans’s A Rebours, which was sold in a yellow jacket. It is not the Yellow Book quarterly (a publication featuring poetry, prose and illustrations from followers of the Aesthetic movement), which came later, and which probably took its title from the reference in Wilde’s novel.

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The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar wilde, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Picture of Dorian Gray: Introduction

The picture of dorian gray: plot summary, the picture of dorian gray: detailed summary & analysis, the picture of dorian gray: themes, the picture of dorian gray: quotes, the picture of dorian gray: characters, the picture of dorian gray: symbols, the picture of dorian gray: literary devices, the picture of dorian gray: quizzes, the picture of dorian gray: theme wheel, brief biography of oscar wilde.

Historical Context of The Picture of Dorian Gray

Other books related to the picture of dorian gray.

• Full Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray
• When Written: Some time between 1889, when the story was commissioned, and 1890
• Where Written: London
• When Published: It was initially published in a magazine called Lippincott’s Monthly in July of 1890.
• Literary Period: Aestheticism
• Genre: Aestheticism, Philosophical Fiction, Gothic Fiction
• Setting: London
• Climax: Dorian becomes so tormented by the portrait that he stabs it with a knife, but when the scene is discovered, it is Dorian himself who lies dead on the floor.
• Antagonist: Dorian and the other characters are surrounded by antagonistic influences, which seem to be a part of day to day life in the high society of London. These influences, fashion, classism, obsessions with aesthetics and reputation are embodied by Lord Henry Wotton, making the man and his ideas seem like the main antagonist of the book.
• Point of View: An omniscient narrator; this narrator guides us in the past tense between one place and another, able to show us the interior workings of the main characters

Extra Credit for The Picture of Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray Syndrome. Dorian Gray’s name still haunts popular culture but it also has a more serious legacy. Dorian Gray Syndrome is now a common term to describe a cluster of narcissistic qualities. It often refers to severe mental illness and can be diagnosed from symptoms reminiscent of Dorian’s in the novel.

The real Dorian? It has been suggested that the inspiration for Dorian Gray was a man called John Gray, who, though very handsome and a good poet, was dropped by Wilde in favor of his new love Lord Alfred Douglas. He apparently signed his love letters “Dorian”, after an ancient tribe called “The Dorians”.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

By oscar wilde, the picture of dorian gray essay questions.

In the preface, Wilde claims that there is "no such thing as a moral or an immoral book," and that an "ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style." Yet Dorian's eventual ruin suggests a strong moral warning against the protagonist's vanity and selfishness. Is Wilde breaking his own rules and exhibiting "an unpardonable mannerism of style"? Or is the book meant to be read amorally?

Lord Henry and Dorian claim to be artists in the way they live their lives. Is this true, based on Wilde's definition of the artist, as expressed in the preface? Is this true based on your own definition?

Time moves linearly in The Picture of Dorian Gray , but not in even increments. Discuss the passage of time in the novel and how it influences our impression of characters and events. Be sure to touch on the glossing-over of 18 years in chapter 11.

When Basil confronts Dorian about the fact that he has allegedly corrupted many people, Dorian defends himself by saying that "Each of us has Heaven and Hell in him." Is Dorian responsible for the ruined lives of his friends? Is Lord Henry responsible for the ruined life of Dorian?

Dorian is outwardly young and charming, and inwardly old and corrupt. He is decidedly inconsistent in his social interactions and intellectal interests, while extremely consistent in appearance. Discuss the theme of duplicity throughout the novel.

In chapter 11, we encounter a peculiar first-person interjection from the narrator: "Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think not." Does this voice, or this argument, remind you of any of the characters in the novel? Discuss Wilde's narrative voice in three or four instances. How does it relate to the different characters, does it seem to espouse similar views, or to sympathize with certain people more than others? Are we expected to trust the narrator on every occasion? What does this tell us about how the story is told?

At the time of its publication, The Picture of Dorian Gray sparked countless debates about the role of morality in art. What is your contribution to this debate? Do artists have the responsibility to convey good morals to their audience?

In 1895, the critic Ernest Newman, in a discussion of Wilde's contribution to literary thought, celebrated the author's use of paradoxes, saying that "a paradox is a truth seen round a corner" (Drew xxv). Countless paradoxes appear in The Picture of Dorian Gray , most often in the words of Lord Henry Wotton. Identify and discuss several paradoxes in the novel.

Traditionally, faustian tales contain explicit depictions of the protagonist's pact with the devil, giving a clearly defined source for his later woes. But the closest Wilde comes to identifying the reason for the portrait's metaphyisical powers is in chapter 8, when Dorian wonders if there is somehow "some subtle affinity between the chemical atoms, that shaped themselves into form and colour on the canvas, and the soul that was within." Wilde seems content to leave the actual mechanism by which the portrait ages and withers instead of Dorian completely unexplained. How does this affect our overall impression of the novel? How would the work be different if it included, for instance, a scene in which Mephistofoles appears and has Dorian sign a contract?

The Picture of Dorian Gray Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Picture of Dorian Gray is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Why is James worried about his sister's suitor?

James is very jealous, protective of his sister, and suspicious of the situation, since Sibyl doesn't even seem to know her suitor's name.

picture of dorian gray

I think that Basil knows what Henry is capable. He doesn't want Henry's influence to turn Dorian from good to evil.

List all the sensory experiences mentioned in the first two paragraphs.

From the text:

The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses , and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac , or the more delicate perfume of the...

Study Guide for The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray study guide contains a biography of Oscar Wilde, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Picture of Dorian Gray
• The Picture of Dorian Gray Summary
• The Picture of Dorian Gray Video
• Character List

Essays for The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

• Morality and Immorality (The Picture of Dorian Gray and A Streetcar Named Desire)
• The Life of Secrecy
• Break On Through To the Other Side
• The Art of Immorality: Character Fate and Morality in Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray
• The Unconscious Image of the Conscious Mind

Lesson Plan for The Picture of Dorian Gray

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Picture of Dorian Gray Bibliography

E-Text of The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray e-text contains the full text of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

• Chapters 1-4
• Chapters 5-8
• Chapters 9-12
• Chapters 13-16

Wikipedia Entries for The Picture of Dorian Gray

• Introduction
• Publication and versions

The Conflict Between Aestheticism and Morality in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray

Patrick Duggan

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Oscar Wilde prefaces his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, with a reflection on art, the artist, and the utility of both. After careful scrutiny, he concludes: “All art is quite useless” (Wilde 4). In this one sentence, Wilde encapsulates the complete principles of the Aesthetic Movement popular in Victorian England. That is to say, real art takes no part in molding the social or moral identities of society, nor should it. Art should be beautiful and pleasure its observer, but to imply further-reaching influence would be a mistake. The explosion of aesthetic philosophy in fin-de-siècle English society, as exemplified by Oscar Wilde, was not confined to merely art, however. Rather, the proponents of this philosophy extended it to life itself. Here, aestheticism advocated whatever behavior was likely to maximize the beauty and happiness in one’s life, in the tradition of hedonism. To the aesthete, the ideal life mimics art; it is beautiful, but quite useless beyond its beauty, concerned only with the individual living it. Influences on others, if existent, are trivial at best. Many have read The Picture of Dorian Gray as a novelized sponsor for just this sort of aesthetic lifestyle. However, this story of the rise and fall of Dorian Gray might instead represent an allegory about morality meant to critique, rather than endorse, the obeying of one’s impulses as thoughtlessly and dutifully as aestheticism dictates.

In the novel, Lord Henry Wotton trumpets the aesthetic philosophy with an elegance and bravado that persuade Dorian to trust in the principles he espouses; the reader is often similarly captivated. It would be a mistake, however, to interpret the novel as a patent recommendation of aestheticism. To the aesthete, there is no distinction between moral and immoral acts, only between those that increase or decrease one’s happiness; yet, Dorian Gray refutes this idea, presenting a strong case for the inherent immorality of purely aesthetic lives. Dorian Gray personifies the aesthetic lifestyle in action, pursuing personal gratification with abandon. Yet, while he enjoys these indulgences, his behavior ultimately kills him and others, and he dies unhappier than ever. Rather than an advocate for pure aestheticism, then, Dorian Gray is a cautionary tale in which Wilde illustrates the dangers of the aesthetic philosophy when not practiced with prudence. Aestheticism, argues Wilde, too often aligns itself with immorality, resulting in a precarious philosophy that must be practiced deliberately.

Dorian Gray is often read as an explicit proclamation of the worthiness of living life in accordance with aesthetic values. This is due in part to the flourishing Aesthetic Movement of Victorian England at the time of the novel’s publication, as well as Oscar Wilde’s association with the movement itself (Becker 660). The Aesthetic Movement, which coincided with the Industrial Revolution at the end of the nineteenth century, emphasized the artistic aspect of a man’s work in producing a variety of goods, from furniture to machines to literature (Becker 660). Oscar Wilde, however, proposed that the principles of the Aesthetic Movement extend beyond the production of mere commodities. In Joseph Pearce’s biography, The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde , Pearce recalls Wilde’s own perspective on the popular movement. Speaking of aestheticism, Wilde is quoted:

It is indeed to become a part of the people’s life . . . I mean a man who works with his hands; and not with his hands merely, but with his head and his heart. The evil that machinery is doing is not merely in the consequence of its work but in the fact that it makes men themselves machines also. Whereas, we wish them to be artists, that is to say men. (qtd. in Pearce 144)

In his exposition of aestheticism, Wilde applies the philosophy in a more universal sense, stressing the positive influences of aestheticism in one’s life beyond mere craftsmanship. Just as the machines that mass-produce materials with the intervention of human thought are labeled “evil,” Wilde similarly condemns men who act as metaphorical machines, programmed to behave in accordance with society’s ideas of propriety rather than allowing themselves to act freely and achieve the greatest amount of happiness. Wilde’s eloquent advocacy of an aesthetic lifestyle is paralleled in his depiction of Lord Henry in Dorian Gray . Lord Henry lectured to the impressionable Dorian, “We are punished for our refusals. Every impulse that we strive to strangle broods in the mind, and poisons us. . . . Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden itself” (Wilde 9). Wilde, through Lord Henry, laments the stifling nature of his contemporary Victorian society and how the supposed morality it boasts necessitates self-denial and rejection of life’s most beautiful aspects. Lord Henry warns that without an enthusiastic embrace of aestheticism, one will perpetually anguish with the desire of precisely what he must deny himself, all for the sake of propriety. This philosophy espoused by Wilde and Lord Henry often leads, not surprisingly, to the conclusion that Dorian Gray is a declaration of Wilde’s, promoting the adoption of purely aesthetic lives without qualification. This, however, is too shallow of an interpretation.

Opponents of a purely aesthetic lifestyle will certainly cite what they consider an inevitability: one’s desires and impulses, though when acted upon result in a more pleasurable life, will at times be undeniably immoral. It is at these times that the virtues of the wholly aesthetic life become questionable. The ruination of Dorian Gray, the embodiment of unbridled aestheticism, illustrates the immorality of such a lifestyle and gravely demonstrates its consequences. Wilde uses Dorian Gray not as an advertisement for aestheticism, but rather, he uses Dorian’s life to warn against aestheticism’s hostility toward morality when uncontrolled. Wilde himself admits, in a letter to the St. James’s Gazette, that Dorian Gray “is a story with a moral. And the moral is this: All excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its own punishment” (Wilde 248). Aestheticism does well to condemn the renunciation of desires, but it is an excessive obedience to these desires that is subversively dangerous. Therefore, in the practice of Wilde’s aestheticism, forethought and constraint are necessities, yet too often lacking, and without them, one is doomed to suffer the same fate as Dorian Gray.

The character of Dorian Gray and the story of his profound degeneration provide a case study examining the viability of purely aesthetic lives. Dorian lives according to what Lord Henry professes without hesitation, and what Lord Henry inspires Dorian, through persuasive rhetoric, is an attitude indifferent to consequence and altogether amoral. As Wilde writes, Dorian’s newfound position is “never to accept any theory or system that would involve the sacrifice of any mode of passionate experience. Its aim, indeed was to be experience itself, and not the fruits of experience, sweet or bitter as they may be” (Wilde 125). Under Lord Henry’s mentorship, Dorian, once the epitome of wide-eyed youth, behaves with no regard for the ramifications of his actions, diligently pursuing instant gratification without thought of its implications, whether they be “sweet or bitter.”

Dorian’s relationship with the actress Sibyl Vane plainly illustrates this marked change in personality. Dorian pursues Sibyl from first sights, intent on acquiring her before he ever attempts to truly know her. Indeed, Dorian’s love for Sibyl is overtly superficial, as evidenced by Dorian’s own description of his infatuation with Sibyl: “I loved you because you were marvelous, because you had genius and intellect, because you realized the dreams of great poets and gave shape and substance to the shadows of art” (Wilde 101). Dorian is not attracted to Sibyl’s character of personality, but rather her acting talent and enthralling performances; this is what enchants the aesthetically inclined Dorian. When Sibyl leaves the stage, then, she no longer serves a purpose in Dorian’s aesthetic life, and thus, Dorian abandons her unceremoniously. Dorian does not regret informing Sybil that, “Without your art, you are nothing” (Wilde 101). The tragedy of Sybil’s later suicide, brought about by utter despair at her desertion, is lost on Dorian, who instead enjoys the dramatic intrigue of the occasion. For Dorian, whose uncontrolled aestheticism rejects the concept of morality, the immorality of his actions goes unrecognized. In fact, Dorian declares excitedly, “It seems to me to be simply like a wonderful ending to a wonderful play. It has all the terrible beauty of a Greek tragedy, a tragedy in which I took a great part, but by which I have not been wounded” (Wilde 114). Here, the adverse consequences of aestheticism surface in Dorian’s life. In his pursuit of his own pleasures, a distinctly narcissistic attitude emerges, and the incompatibility of morality and unconditional aestheticism becomes all the more apparent.

The emergence of narcissism in Dorian and its correlation with his newly adopted aesthetic philosophy is integral to Wilde’s novel as it emphasizes the frequent hostility between aestheticism and morality that Wilde cautions against. Dorian Gray exposes the immorality of self-absorption, as Dorian’s portrait becomes more disfigured with each one of Dorian’s selfish acts. This self-absorption, then, appears to be an inevitable consequence of aestheticism. Only a more deliberate practice of aestheticism may harness this egotism and avoid the immorality Dorian embodies. Interestingly, in his essay “Come See About Me: Enchantment of the Double in The Picture of Dorian Gray ,” Christopher Craft recognizes a mirroring of the Greek myth of Narcissus in the life of Dorian Gray. According to mythology, Narcissus, upon catching a glimpse of his reflection in a pool, becomes so enraptured by it that he stood and admired it endlessly, unmoving for the rest of his life. As Craft notes, this self-absorption “is a commitment that, like Dorian’s, graduates fully until death” (Craft 113). Narcissus becomes so infatuated with himself that the rest of world effectively ceases to exist or affect him and, as Craft argues, “it is into precisely this silent delirium that Dorian unwittingly steps” when he allows Lord Henry’s aesthetic philosophy to so dominate him (Craft 113). Dorian enjoys a life of eternal youth, with only his portrait aging in parallel with Dorian’s immorality; so, as Dorian sinks into the depths of narcissism, he maintains his external beauty, and his portrait degenerates instead. Eventually, as in the myth of Narcissus, such egotism has its consequences. When Dorian, disgusted with the decrepit picture of the supposedly “real” him, destroys it in a fit of anger, Dorian too is destroyed. Wilde writes that after Dorian’s death, “it was not till they had examined the rings that they recognized who it was” (Wilde 220). In the end, as a testament to the purely aesthetic life, the only legacy Dorian leaves behind—everything that identifies him as who he was—is his superficial jewelry.

There is an argument, then, made by Wilde for a new aestheticism, approached with more constraint than Dorian employs. This argument is based not only in the moral obligation of the individual, but with the betterment of all of society in mind. Matthew Arnold, in his essay “Culture and Anarchy,” provides reasoning against the ethos of Lord Henry’s aestheticism and an unconditional application of it. Arnold focuses on its detrimental effects on society and the possibility for societal improvement when aesthetic tendencies are properly controlled. There appears to be agreement, then, between Wilde and Arnold; Wilde’ novel provides a failed example of the purely aesthetic life, and when scaled to a larger society, a similar result is understandably expected. As Arnold views his contemporary society, it is arranged hierarchically, dividing the aristocrats, the middle-class, and the working-class, all of which, Arnold laments, are inclined to live hedonistically, pursuing pleasure and only what is comfortable and easy. Dorian Gray embodies just his defect in Arnold’s society. Arnold argues, however, that “there are born a certain number of natures with a curiosity about their best self with a bend for seeing things as they are . . . for simply concerning themselves with reason and the will of God, and doing their best to make these prevail;—for the pursuit, in a word, of perfection” (Arnold 277). Arnold is optimistic that some may pursue beyond the immediately pleasurable and act to perfect themselves both morally and intellectually. This pursuit of perfection, however, is likely an arduous and uncomfortable task, and is therefore incompatible with pure aestheticism. Some concessions must be made for the absolute aesthete, then, for such transcendence occur.

Dorian Gray, for much of Wilde’s novel, fails to embody Arnold’s ideal, as in his hedonistic life he is seen “creeping at dawn out of dreadful houses and slinking in disguise in the foulest dens in London,” despite being once too honorable for such debauchery (Wilde 118). Dorian exemplifies a regression in social intellect from his beginnings rather than the kind of transcendence hoped for by Arnold. Dorian displays no such pursuit of intellectual perfection as he is slowly corrupted and in turn corrupts others, luring them with him into the slums and opium dens of London. Arnold refers to those able to transcend social classes in society as “aliens,” hinting at their rarity to the point of foreignness and to their almost mythical quality (277). The mere existence of these aliens, however, provides hope that the utter hedonists of society may learn to harness their damaging tendencies, and in doing so, better the intellectual and moral state of humankind.

Wilde, too, recognizes this ability to control the hedonistic temptations associated with aestheticism, as demonstrated by the last stages of Dorian’s life. Mitsuharu Matsuoka, in his essay “Aestheticism and Social Anxiety in The Picture of Dorian Gray ,” notes that, as Dorian’s death approaches, “Dorian ultimately reacts against his lifestyle, choking on his New Hedonism,” at which point “a great sense of doom hangs over Dorian” (Matsuoka 78). Indeed, Dorian appears to realize the consequences of his unbridled aestheticism; however, he is much too far gone to salvage. Dorian reveals his epiphany to Lord Henry: “The soul is a terrible reality. It can be bought, and sold, and bartered away. It can be poisoned or made perfect. There is a soul in each one of us. I know it” (Wilde 211). Unfortunately for Dorian, this realization comes too late to save his soul from its degradation, long-nurtured by a purely aesthetic life, and he is destroyed. The realization itself, however, is indicative of Wilde’s argument woven throughout Dorian Gray . Despite Wilde’s publicly advocating the principles of aestheticism, Dorian’s demise illustrates Wilde’s recognition that aestheticism needs to be properly controlled. While the pursuit of beauty and happiness in life is always Wilde’s ideal, he also implies that the consequences of one’s actions must be thought out and the impact of one’s decisions, beyond oneself, must also be carefully considered before acting on any impulse.

The Aesthetic Movement in fin-de-siècle England, as interpreted by Oscar Wilde, revolved around the ideal that the utility of one’s actions should be to create the maximal amount of beauty and pleasure in one’s life, and nothing more. Wilde’s Dorian Gray appears, at first glance, to promote this philosophy unequivocally. Indeed, a lifestyle based on this aestheticism is espoused in Wilde’s opening preface as well as throughout Lord Henry’s professorial lectures. Upon closer inspection, however, Wilde’s novel is not as wholly embracing of aestheticism as this implies. Wilde realized and depicted in the life of Dorian Gray, a need for a more controlled and deliberate approach to aestheticism, without which morality will inevitably be elusive. The adoption of unrestrained aestheticism, as exhibited by Dorian, results in a lack of remorse, self-absorption, and intellectual regression. For the sake of preserving morality, a concept proven incompatible with pure aestheticism, more deliberation is necessary from the aesthete in deciding upon action. If, in the pursuit of one’s desires and of the beautiful aspects of life, the condition of others’ or of one’s own intellect is jeopardized, the enjoyment garnered must sometimes be sacrificed for the greater good. As Wilde makes clear, it is only through a more restrained philosophy that aestheticism and morality may eventually align.

Works Cited

Arnold, Matthew. “Culture and Anarchy.” The Picture of Dorian Gray . Ed. Andrew Elfenbein. NY: Pearson Longman, 2007. 276–279.

Becker-Leckrone, Megan. “Oscar Wilde (1854–1900): Aesthetic and Criticism.” The Continuum Encyclopedia of Modern Criticism and Theory 20 (2002): 658–665.

Craft, Christopher. “Come See About Me: Enchantment of the Double in The Picture of Dorian Gray .” Representations 91 (2005): 109–136.

Matsuoka, Mitsuharu. “Aestheticism and Social Anxiety in The Picture of Dorian Gray. ” Journal of Aesthetic Education 29 (2003): 77–100.

Pearce, Joseph. The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde . NY: Ignatius Press, 2004.

Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray . Ed. Andrew Elfenbein. NY: Pearson Longman, 2007.

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Depiction of The Victorian Society in The Picture of Dorian Gray

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• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Novel Summary
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Novel Summary: Preface & Chapters 1-3
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Novel Summary: Chapters 4-6
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Novel Summary: Chapters 7-9
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Novel Summary: Chapters 10-12
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Novel Summary: Chapters 13-15
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Novel Summary: Chapters 16-18
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Novel Summary: Chapters 19-20
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Character Profiles
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Metaphor Analysis
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Theme Analysis
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Top Ten Quotes
• The Picture of Dorian Gray: Biography: Oscar Wilde

The Picture of Dorian Gray: Essay Q&A

1. What are the mythic elements in the novel? There are allusions to two myths: first, the story in the book of Genesis about the garden of Eden, the temptation of Eve by the serpent, and the fall of man; and second, to the Faust legend. The second chapter of the novel strongly suggests a temptation scene. It takes place in a garden. Basil Hallward, the painter, is like God the creator; he has just created the picture of Dorian in all his perfection. The tempter is Lord Henry, who wants to persuade Dorian to ignore all the conventional rules of society, just as the serpent wants Eve to disregard the commandments from God. Dorian is like the first man, Adam, innocent in his perfection, who is being told by the serpent to taste of the forbidden fruit of sensual experience. At various crises in Dorian's life, Henry retains the role of the tempter. He is at Dorian's side encouraging him to adopt an attitude toward life that will cost him dear in the long run. For example, when Dorian and Henry discuss the death of Sibyl, Henry encourages him to view it from a detached point of view, like an episode in a play. This means that Dorian never develops the moral sense necessary to balance his love of sensual experience. He "falls" and his soul is blackened. In the Faust legend, Faust sells his soul to the devil in order to gain knowledge and power. Dorian is a Faustian figure because he wants to obtain eternal youth, something that under normal circumstances no human being can obtain. He enters into a Faustian bargain when he prays that he might be able to remain forever young while the process of aging is confined to the picture. When the woman at the opium den says that "Prince Charming" sold himself to the devil for a pretty face, she is unconsciously referring to the Faust myth. 2. Wilde was condemned by his critics for writing an "immoral" book; he claimed it was a very moral work. What justification is there for either view? On publication, The Picture of Dorian Gray met with a storm of hostile reviews which condemned the book for its alleged immorality. The tone of the reviews was often virulent. The critic for the Daily Chronicle wrote, "It is a tale spawned from the leprous literature of the French Decadents-a poisonous book, the atmosphere of which is heavy with the mephitic odours of moral and spiritual putrefaction." Others suggested that the authorities should consider prosecuting Wilde for the content of the book. Wilde replied, in letters to literary magazines, that the novel had a moral message that "all excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its own punishment." He points out that Dorian, "having led a life of mere sensation and pleasure, tries to kill conscience, and at that moment kills himself." Wilde also claimed that Basil worshiped physical beauty too much and instilled vanity into Dorian, and that Henry suffered because he sought merely to be a spectator of life. Wilde is correct in the sense that Dorian does meet a bad end, and one could find passages where he is explicitly condemned, such as when he leaves the opium den, "Callous, concentrated on evil, with stained mind and soul hungry for rebellion." But the novel is far from being a simple moral parable that sin meets with punishment. There is a discrepancy between the moral framework and the overall tone of the novel. Wilde takes such relish in the luxurious sensual descriptions of Dorian's life that it can sound as if he approves of it. His heart is more in the varieties of sensation that he gives to his protagonist than in his moral condemnation of him. There is perhaps a parallel here with Milton's Paradise Lost. Many readers feel that the hero of the epic is not Christ but Satan, because Milton seems to put so much more energy and life into his devil than in his God. The poet William Blake once famously said of Milton that he was "of the devil's party without knowing it." Perhaps it might be said that Wilde was of Dorian's party-and only succeeded in partially disguising the fact. 3. What are Lord Henry's views on women? Lord Henry's misogyny is a consistent element of his personality from beginning to end of the novel. Although he charms women in conversation at dinner parties, and loves to shock them with his outrageous views, he does not in fact take women seriously or regard them as intellectual equals. Many of his wittiest, and most biting, epigrams are at the expense of women. "Women inspire us with the desire to do masterpieces, and always prevent us from carrying them out" (ch. 6), he tells Dorian, who laps up Henry's view as if they were divine pronouncements. Henry means that women keep making emotional demands on men ("they worship us, and are always bothering us to do something for them," he says elsewhere). Since Henry prefers to retain a detached attitude to life, what he perceives as the emotionality of women is clearly not to his taste. Dorian learns well from his friend, who persuades him to believe that women "lived on their emotions. They only thought of their emotions. When they took lovers, it was merely to have some one with whom they could have scenes" (ch. 7). Henry's views on women sometimes take on what a modern mind might regard as a darker coloring. When Dorian regrets that he was cruel to Sibyl, Henry replies, "I am afraid that women appreciate cruelty, downright cruelty, more than anything else. They have wonderfully primitive instincts. We have emancipated them, but they remain slaves looking for their masters, all the same. They love being dominated" (ch. 8). Not surprisingly, such statements have not endeared Wilde (who speaks through Lord Henry) to later generations of feminist critics. Given Henry's views on women it is no surprise when he casually refers, in conversation with Dorian in chapter 19, that his wife Victoria left him for another man. He is not disturbed by this, however, since "Married life is merely a habit, a bad habit." Henry's misogyny emphasizes the fact that The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel about male friendships. Scholars have also argued that Henry's views on women and marriage were shaped by Wilde's own marriage. After his initial happiness, Wilde felt trapped by his marriage, since what he really wanted to do was pursue male friendships. 4. What are the Gothic elements in the novel? The Gothic novel was in vogue in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. According to M. H. Abrams, in A Glossary of Literary Terms (4th edition), the Gothic novel "develops a brooding atmosphere of gloom or terror, represents events that are uncanny, or macabre, or melodramatically violent, and often deals with aberrant psychological states" (p. 72). A typical Gothic novel is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Edgar Allan Poe's short stories belong to the same genre, and the term can be more loosely applied to elements in such novels as Charles Dickens's Bleak House and Great Expectations. Wilde clearly draws on elements of the Gothic novel in The Picture of Dorian Gray, a lurid tale that includes murder, horror and the supernatural. It is the supernatural element that makes the plot work. There can be no rational explanation for how the picture changes to reflect the changing nature of Dorian's character, or his soul. It is mysterious and eerie, as is the fact that although the novel stretches over a period of more than eighteen years, Dorian's appearance alters little during this time. The ending of the novel is also supernatural, since the picture is magically restored and Dorian is suddenly transformed; the corpse looks old, withered, wrinkled and loathsome. The sudden eruption of violence and horror in the murder of Basil is another Gothic element, as are the continual hints at secret, unspeakable crimes. Wilde thus utilizes some of the elements of a popular literary form to tell his story. In fact, an earlier Gothic novel, Melmoth the Wanderer (1820), by Charles Maturin (who was a distant relative of Wilde) features a protagonist who makes a pact with the devil and is allowed to live for 150 years without aging. At the end of the novel he suddenly ages and dies, just as Dorian Gray does. 5. What role does Sibyl Vane play in the novel? Sibyl is not a character that Wilde spends much time developing. What is important about her is the way in which she embodies art, and the impact this has on Dorian. Sibyl is a young woman who lives in straitened circumstances with her mother and who happens to have a gift as an actress. She acts in a sordid little theater in front of a lower-class audience, who attend the play carrying oranges and ginger beer and eating nuts. Wilde uses these details to contrast how Sibyl is able to rise above her dismal surroundings and soar into the realm of beauty and art. This is why Dorian falls in love with her. He is not the slightest bit interested in Sibyl as a person. He knows nothing about her personal history, and does not want to know. When he praises her for all the different roles she plays in the theater, Henry asks him "When is she Sibyl Vane?" Dorian replies "Never" (ch. 4). When they first met, Sibyl regarded Dorian "merely as a person in a play. She knows nothing of life," he says. It appears at this point that like Dorian, Sibyl moves only in the world of art. Nothing else has any existence for her. To support this perception, Wilde use similes drawn from beautiful forms in nature to describe her: she "moved like a creature from a finer world. Her body swayed, while she danced, as a plant sways in the water. The curves of her throat were the curves of a white lily. Her hands seemed to be made of cool ivory" (ch. 7). But when Sibyl falls in love with Dorian, she decides that she prefers real life to art, and art ceases to have any meaning for her. Dorian, true to his creed, rejects her. This produces the first flaw in the picture. In dealing with Sibyl so cruelly, and indirectly causing he death, he shows that he has failed to find the right balance between the attraction exerted by art and the demands of ethical behavior.

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Dorian Gray’s and Oscar Wilde’s Connection Essay

Introduction, biography about oscar wilde, the picture of dorian gray, connection between oscar wilde and gray, works cited.

Oscar Wilde, who was an Irish poet and writer, lived between 1854 and 1900. He was one of the most popular playwrights in London after writing several works. His novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray , is his most famous work of art, which he is remembered for even today, but many critics argue that he wrote the novel from a psychoanalytic point of view (Gomel 75). According to some critics, literature should boost morality within society and not immorality.

This novel, according to them, did not hold on to the values of society (Kennedy and Gioia 98). His intellectualism can be directly associated with his parents who had achieved much of it by the time he was born. Due to the influence he had from his intellectual parents, he was able to follow suit, making him an excellent student, especially during his time in the university, where he used to read widely.

His interests were based on aesthetic theme and, after his university education, he moved to London to further his career on the same subject (Gray 13; Riquelme 87). Due to his love of beauty, he published several poems, dialogues and essays that bring out his interests in beauty. His most famous work, a novel titled The Picture of Dorian Gray , was published in 1890, and it expresses his interests more precisely since he is able to combine the beauty he likes with wider social themes.

Apart from this novel, he wrote several others, including Salome and the Importance of being Earnet , which was also a masterpiece, among others. He was imprisoned for two years when he assaulted a man, making him a homosexual. Nevertheless, in prison, he did not stop being a writer. He wrote one book while in jail and when he was out, he left for Paris, where he died at the age of forty-six (McKenna 29; Wilde 14).

Some critics have argued that Wilde wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray from a psychoanalytic viewpoint, defining his life, rather than how he would have loved his life to be during his existence on the earth. This paper analyzes this claim and shows whether there was some secret connection between Wilde and his characters.

As an introduction to a later version of the novel, Wilde wrote a quote that can be translated to mean that he believed that the character, Basil Hallward, is what he thought he was. According to him, the world thinks he is Lord Henry, yet another character in the novel, while Gray is the character that carries the title of the novel, is what Wilde would like to be in other times. From this quote, several critics have argued in and out of favor with Wilde. Some critics have, however, tried to show Wilde’s connection with all these characters.

As the novel begins, we are introduced to Basil, who is an artist, and he is first meeting Gray, a very beautiful young man. The beauty of Dorian Gray triggers Basil’s artistic imagination and he decides to draw him. He completes the portrait of Dorian as he is, and he introduces Gray to Lord Henry, who is a friend of his that he thinks is not morally upright (Riquelme 27). He warns Henry against influencing Gray, but this does not work out as Henry does exactly what he does the contrary.

Lord Henry affirms his desire to have Gray’s portrait, but Basil gives it to Gray, who curses it, believing that over time, it was going to remind him of his lost beauty. He was, however, granted his wish that the portrait will age, instead of him and when he does anything wrong, it would affect the portrait and not him. Gray becomes a follower of Henry, who is clearly misleading him and the morally upright Gray changes to an immoral person, who is no longer feeling guilty about the situation.

During this time, he falls in love with a beautiful actress that has never fallen in love with anybody else, but her acting. The actress feels so good to have fallen in love with the charming man and she decides to quit acting to concentrate more on the new relationship. Gray breaks her heart by saying that her only attraction was in the theater, but out of it, he cannot look at her twice. As a result of this, the actress commits suicide and her brother swears to revenge (Joseph 8).

Gray goes home after the heartbreak and discovers that the portrait had changed, and it was no longer beautiful. He decides to go back and apologize, but it is too late. He hides the portrait in a place that nobody else will see it, and notice the changes and continue with his immoral life. Later, he kills several people.

When he cannot hold onto this life anymore, he kills Basil and stabs the portrait. He dies on behalf of the portrait. The portrait becomes young and beautiful again, and when people come into the room, they found Dorian Gray’s body hoary and stabbed.

The question that most critics would ask when analyzing the characters of this novel would be to determine whether they are used symbolically to represent Wilde and his life or to represent some other aspects in the real world. When critically analyzing Gray, the central character of the novel that is charming and morally upright, one cannot stop admiring him. However, this changes as the plot progresses, making the young man ugly from inside due to the influence by Henry and, to some extent, by Basil.

As the novel progresses, he does not change physically, but also in his worldview, whereby he no longer believes that sin can be seen on one’s face. After his wish is granted, he is able to do what he has always wished. Nonetheless, the feeling does not persist for long. Readers can see him trying to change his life after he discovers that this life cannot go on like this in the long-term. He resolves that the only way to cleanse himself is by destroying the portrait, and this marks the end of his life.

Some critics argue that all these have a direct connection with Wilde in one way or another. From the quote discussed above, Wilde says that Gray is the person that he would wish to be in another life. In real life, Wilde is a homosexual. He is even convicted of the act. He lives a life in which he cannot not reveal his true feelings to society because cultural values do not allow among people.

Just like Gray, he hides his actions in the portrait. Wilde has to hide his real feelings to escape criticism from other members of society. Wilde marries at an advanced age, showing that he cannot hide his true self. He wishes he could engage in homosexual acts without hiding from people (Gray76).

From the novel, Gray gets the portrait that would suffer on his behalf. He goes full blast to what he had wished, which are Wilde’s wishes to be like Gray in another life. This means that he would like to live without people seeing the differences in his life, just like how Gray lives in the novel.

From the story, Gray has some given some hints regarding homosexuality, which are illustrated due to the fact that he could get any woman he wanted to make him look for more immoral, but attain pleasure, which might have been homosexuality (Joseph12). His homosexuality is not directly portrayed in the book, but Wilde hints at it severally, such as when Basil comes to ask Gray about the rumors he is hearing about Gray and Gray’s fatal relationship with young men.

From this discussion, it is clear that Wilde’s declaration of wanting to be Gray in the next life was in line with his homosexuality behavior, which he could not openly practice. Apart from Gray, the other principal characters in the novel have a connection with Wilde, though not a direct one. Wilde declares that Basil is him in a real life as an artist. This might be true as we see Basil obsessed with beauty, just like Wilde. Homosexuality is also debatable in the connection between the two persons.

Basil admires Gray so much that he cannot believe anything negative about him. The admiration, to some extent, shows some signs of homosexuality, associating the piece of information with the author. Wilde is Lord Henry in real life, which is according to his quote. Henry seduces a young man, Gray, and this is what Wilde is convicted of in court.

In conclusion, Wilde uses literature the way it should be used, i.e., to reflect happenings society and most importantly to express his feelings. His creation of Gray as a character in his book can be seen as his fantasy since he declares this in his quote of his wish.

Gomel, Elana. “Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and the (Un) Death of the Author.” Narrative 12.1 (2003): 74-92. Print.

Joseph, Paul. Oscar Wilde and his characters (The Picture of Dorain Gray) . 2013. Web.

Kennedy, Joseph., and Dana Gioia. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing . Sage, Hoboken, NJ: (2007). Print.

McKenna, Neil. The secret life of Oscar Wilde . London, United Kingdom: Basic Books, 2006. Print.

Riquelme, Paul. “Oscar Wilde’s Aesthetic Gothic: Walter Pater, Dark Enlightenment, and The Picture of Dorian Gray.” MFS Modern Fiction Studies 46.3 (2000): 609-631. Print.

Wilde, Oscar. Three Tials: Oscar Wilde Goes to Court 1985 . 2013. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2020, March 26). Dorian Gray's and Oscar Wilde's Connection. https://ivypanda.com/essays/dorian-grays-and-oscar-wildes-connection/

"Dorian Gray's and Oscar Wilde's Connection." IvyPanda , 26 Mar. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/dorian-grays-and-oscar-wildes-connection/.

IvyPanda . (2020) 'Dorian Gray's and Oscar Wilde's Connection'. 26 March.

IvyPanda . 2020. "Dorian Gray's and Oscar Wilde's Connection." March 26, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/dorian-grays-and-oscar-wildes-connection/.

1. IvyPanda . "Dorian Gray's and Oscar Wilde's Connection." March 26, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/dorian-grays-and-oscar-wildes-connection/.

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IvyPanda . "Dorian Gray's and Oscar Wilde's Connection." March 26, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/dorian-grays-and-oscar-wildes-connection/.

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Corruption In Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel by Oscar Wilde that tells the story of a young man, Dorian Gray, who becomes corrupted by his own vanity. The novel explores the themes of morality, corruption, and art. The Picture of Dorian Gray was first published in 1890 and has been adapted into various forms of media, including film and stage.

The novel has been controversial since its publication due to its explicit content and because it promotes a lifestyle that many people find objectionable. However, it remains one of Wilde’s most popular works and continues to be studied by scholars and students today. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic example of a novel that explores the dark side of human nature. The story’s protagonist, Dorian Gray, is a young man who is consumed by his own vanity.

He believes that his good looks will last forever and that he can never grow old or die. As a result, he leads a life of decadence and luxury, indulging in all sorts of vices without consequences. The only thing that remains unchanged throughout Dorian’s life is a portrait of himself that he keeps hidden away. The portrait gradually becomes more and more corrupted as Dorian’s soul grows blacker.

The novel culminates with Dorian realizing the true extent of his corruption and the destruction that it has wrought on his life. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a cautionary tale about the dangers of vanity and the corrupting influence of power. It is also a unique and timeless work of literature that continues to be relevant today.

According to the nurture theory of human behavior’s development, a child is born without any understanding of how to interpret things and has no experience. The youngster is innocent and pure. It leans on others for direction and trusts them to show it the way.

When a kid is delivered, most are greeted by attentive nurses, doctors, and parents who care for them. The first encounter between this kid and these other people has an impact on him or her. Their parents and classmates have an influence on their personalities, as well as who they become over time.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde tells the story of corruption. The novel is a study of the power that corrupt influences have not just on individuals, but also on society as a whole.

Dorian Gray is a young, handsome man who lives a life of luxury. He has everything he could ever want and more. However, what he doesn’t realize is that all of his possessions come at a cost. As he indulges in his pleasures, he gradually becomes more and more corrupt. The novel addresses the idea that when someone has everything they could ever want, they become bored and start to look for new ways to entertain themselves. This often leads to them engaging in activities that are harmful to both themselves and those around them.

One of the things that makes The Picture of Dorian Gray so interesting is the way it addresses the issue of corruption. It doesn’t just focus on how someone can be corrupted, but also on how that corruption can spread to those around them. The novel shows how a corrupt individual can influence those around them and ultimately lead to the downfall of society as a whole.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is an important work not just because it is a well-written story, but also because it highlights a very real issue that is still relevant today. Corruption is something that can start small, but if left unchecked, can quickly spiral out of control. The novel is a cautionary tale about the dangers of corruption and the need for people to be aware of its dangers.

While The Picture of Dorian Gray is a work of fiction, it contains many elements that are based in reality. The issue of corruption is something that is all too real and it is something that people need to be aware of. The novel highlights the importance of maintaining a sense of morality and being aware of the corrupting influence that those around us can have. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a timeless work that is still relevant today. It is a story that everyone should read and learn from.

In the United States, cannabis possession is a misdemeanor in some states and a felony in others. In other places, it’s not considered as harmful as alcohol or tobacco. However, there are severe penalties for those who break the law: jail time or fines.

In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the corruption and consequences are represented by Lord Henry Wotton’s influence on Dorian Gray as well as his painting. Wilde emphasizes Dorian’s attractiveness and youth to imply his incorruptibility. Throughout the book, Dorian is characterized as attractive, good-looking, and beautiful.

The Dorian Gray we are first introduced to is an innocent, naïve young man who knows very little about the world. However, as the novel progresses and Dorian becomes more corrupt, his physical appearance changes to match his inner ugliness. The once beautiful and handsome youth is transformed into a hideous creature. The portrait of Dorian Gray becomes an accurate representation of his soul, which has become corrupted by evil.

The physical changes that take place in the portrait show the progression of corruption in Dorian’s soul. The picture reflects every sinful deed that he commits, and as a result, it becomes increasingly ugly. Wilde uses the contrast between Dorian’s actual physical appearance and the appearance of his portrait to demonstrate the power of corruption. The portrait serves as a representation of Dorian’s true self, which has been corrupted by evil.

While Lord Henry does not necessarily corrupt Dorian directly, his words and actions have a profound influence on the young man. Lord Henry is a hedonist who lives for pleasure and believes that one should pursue any desire in order to achieve happiness. He encourages Dorian to live life to the fullest and to never let anything stand in his way. In other words, he teaches Dorian to be selfish. As a result of Lord Henry’s influence, Dorian becomes obsessed with pleasure and pursues it relentlessly. He becomes careless and reckless, leading to his eventual downfall.

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