Dorian Gray’s characterization illustrates the theme throughout the story. At the beginning he is a charming, innocent young man who does not care so much about his looks. He then meets Lord Henry Wotton who severely influences his views and outlook on life. Lord Henry explains to Dorian that his looks are everything. Once he loses them, he will be and have nothing. Lord Henry tells him to live life to its fullest now and do things that pleasure him because once he has lost his looks, he will no longer have the opportunity. As Dorian examines the finished portrait of himself he realizes that Lord Henry is right about his looks and becomes resentful of the painting, angry that it will continue to look youthful while he slowly deteriorates. He pledges to sell his soul in order to stay beautiful while the painting takes on his altering features. Dorian then begins to…
Throughout Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, the sinful actions of Dorian cause Dorian himself as well as the portrait of Dorian to diminish. The portrait Basil paints of Dorian depicts an innocent, beautiful young boy who has yet to be corrupted by the influence of the world. However, as Dorian grows older he becomes debased by the thoughts of others and his own experiences. As the novel progresses, the reader loses sight of the innocent, pure Dorian and sees the cruel, corrupted Dorian. After Sibyl killed herself Dorian illustrates his corruption by claiming, “when she played so badly, and my heart almost broke. She explained it all to me. It was terribly pathetic. But I was not moved a bit. I thought her shallow” (96). Dorian no…
The Picture of Dorian Gray covers the psychological position on dual nature in humans. In the novel, Dorian is a stunningly picturesque man, with a deeper evil nature. There is a portrait of him, which, whenever he performs his wicked deeds, distorts and becomes more and more revolting. Though he, himself, remains striking on the outside; his conscience deteriorates and he becomes less principled internally. “Society, civilized society at least, is never very ready to believe anything to the detriment of those who are both rich and fascinating. It feels instinctively that manners are of more importance than morals,…
“There are moments, psychologists tell us, when the passion for sin or for what the world calls sin, so dominates a nature, that every fibre of the body, as every cell of the brain, seems to be instinct with fearful impulses. Men and women at such moments lose the freedom of their will. They move to their terrible end as automatons move. Choice is taken from them, and conscience is either killed, or, if it lives at all, lives but to give rebellion its fascination and disobediences its charm. For all sins, as theologians weary not of reminding us, are sins of disobediences. When that high spirit, that morning-star evil, fell from heaven, it was a rebel he fell” (Wilde 150).…
Dorian Gray, a handsome young man, is slowly tortured by a sliver of his conscience and fear of fate in the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. When Dorian believes, thanks to the devilish Henry Wotton, that physical beauty and pleasures are the key to true happiness, he begins on his horrid journey. The flawed logic keeps Henry content and happy and seems to do the same for Dorian. Although, as Dorian does evil with credit to his newfound logic, his evil deeds paired with everlasting youth and a morphing self-portrait keep his conscience alive and his morals in turmoil.…
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel written by Oscar Wilde in 1890. The book was written during the Victorian era, a period of time that brought Britain several changes concerning technology, science, culture, religion and others. The Picture of Dorian Gray talks about a character called Dorian Gray, who is a young and handsome man that owned a portrait of himself. An artist and friend called Basil Hallward painted it. The artwork was different from a normal painting. It showed Dorian’s physical changes through years while his physical aspects in real life were always the same without any change. Every time Dorian saw the painting, he saw his true self rather than the one he showed to society. Basil introduced Dorian to Lord Henry Wotton,…
In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde constructs a tale in which Dorian Gray’s desire to stay young forever becomes a Faustian pact. His journey begins when Basil insists on painting him even though Dorian resists this. It is possible he protests too much, but it is also possible he feels a bit embarrassed as well as flattered with the attention. One might consider this the gate into the garden (of Eden) where Sir Henry plays the part of the devil tempting Dorian to take youth and beauty serious when he says:…
Dorian Gray was a young man. He was found to be the most attractive young man around by males and females alike. Everyone within his social circle wanted to be enchanted by this Prince Charming. Although the person most enchanted by him, was Dorian himself. He was only a young man with good looks until he met the artist, Basil Hallward. He became a young man with an attitude, after he sat for the artist. A portrait painting like no other came from that sitting. It introduced a new type of arrogance to the young man. During the time he sat for Basil, he was introduced to Lord Henry Wotton. Lord Henry was compelled to induce this new arrogant behavior. The three men had a triangle of romance with the new piece of art right in the middle.…
“Dorian Gray was subject to his hand, and seemed to promise rich and fruitful results”…
Oscar Wilde, author of The Picture of Dorian Gray, was an Irish author who lived from October 16, 1854 until his death, at the age of 46, on November 30, 1900. He attended the Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and the Magdalene College in Oxford, England. Mr. Wilde was an active member of the aestheticism literary movement, during his day, although he lived during the Victorian Era. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, there are many passages or episodes that hold key meanings in the book as a whole, and without them; a large amount of the underlying tones and themes would be lost. In chapter two, there is a very significant key passage that has to do with the roles of Lord Henry and Dorian Gray and how they are going to affect each other. The key passage pushes Lord Henry under the role of the victimizer and Dorian Gray as the victim.…
Greed is a bad characteristic trait to have. Love is tragic because some people are greedy with it and they end up in a rut because nothing would be able to satisfy them. The picture of Dorian Gray is a story that contains a lot of greed, which takes a toll for the love Dorian Gray has for a women that committed suicide named Sybil Vane. The book quoted “How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will always remain young. If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that--for that--I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that! Youth is the only thing worth having. When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself.” This quote shows that Dorian Gray is a greedy man because he is telling the audience that he would sell his own soul to absorb his youth back.…
Dorian’s change in personality reinforces Oscar Wilde’s idea. This is because Dorian is living a double life, and in regards to the novel elements of his good and bad side is shown. This is shown with hints in the novel and shows the cautionary tale of the novel. As his friends, such as Lord Henry attempted to “spoil” his “beautiful nature” one of his closest friend Basil was cautious this was going to turn young Dorian from good to evil. Wilde does this to show how Dorian’s lifestyle can be corrupted morally and immorally, as things such as the painting make him accomplish the things he always wanted accepting pleasures moral or immorally. In spite of this, Lord Henry threatens Dorian’s fear of the…
"SparkNotes: The Picture of Dorian Gray: Themes, Motifs & Symbols." SparkNotes: Today 's Most Popular Study Guides. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2013. .…
How could I forget about Colors? Dorian has not seen anything but shades of white. What bliss it must be to be introduced to Red! I feel myself growing a little envious.…
Today, readers learn much about older cultures through the writers of a specific period. A common method is to illustrate the life of a citizen in a community who is alienated from the rest. An individual that is alienated from society is not always looked down upon or discriminated against. In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Dorian Gray is seen as immoral by the citizens of London and by himself.The personality Wilde gave Dorian Gray is a representation of who many citizens of 19th century England wished to be because Dorian possesses what mattered most, beauty and wealth.…