The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Author: Oscar Wilde
Published: 1890
Genre: Fantasy, Gothic, Horror
The Picture of Dorian Gray is an 1890 gothic novel written by Oscar Wilde. It revolves around the eponymous portrait painted by Basil Hallward, an artist who happens to be Dorian’s friend and is infatuated with him. Dorian is a beautiful, shallow young man who wants to preserve his youth and beauty, no matter its cost. When Dorian gets introduced to an aristocratic and hedonistic lifestyle, he becomes consumed by it to the extent of selling his soul to continue his pursuit of sensual pleasure.
In making this Faustian bargain, he retains his eternal youth, all while his portrait rots away with the weight of his sins. Dorian keeps ruining lives until he commits the gravest sin of all: murder. As Wilde’s only novel, it faced controversy and backlash upon its publication but has cemented its status as a classic of gothic literature.
1. The Picture of Dorian Gray Summary
1.1. Basil, Dorian, and Lord Henry
A well-known artist, Basil Hallward, meets Dorian Gray in Lady Brandon’s opulent London mansion. Dorian is a sophisticated, well-off, breathtakingly handsome young man who immediately captures Basil’s artistic imagination. While Basil usually paints Dorian and frequently portrays him as a mythological character or ancient Greek hero, this is the first time that Basil paints Dorian as himself.
Basil admits to his friend Lord Henry Wotton that the artwork frustrates him because it greatly divulges his affection for his subject. Lord Henry disagrees, asserting that the painting is Basil’s best work. When Dorian arrives at the studio, Basil introduces him reluctantly to Lord Henry, concerned that Lord Henry may influence the impressionable young Dorian.
Basil has valid concerns. After Lord Henry shocks Dorian with a remark about the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, Dorian curses the portrait because he fears it will one day be a reminder of the allure he will have lost.
In despair, he sacrifices his soul, commanding the picture to carry the weight of age and notoriety, preserving his youth forever. Following Dorian’s outbursts, Lord Henry reiterates his wish to purchase the image, despite Basil’s insistence that Dorian is the rightful owner.
1.2. Dorian’s Corruption and Descent
Lord Henry gains more sway over Dorian during the following weeks. Dorian accepts the teachings of the “new Hedonism” and swears to devote his life to pleasure. Meanwhile, Dorian develops feelings for Sibyl Vane, a young actress who works at a slum theater in London. She calls him “Prince Charming” and disregards her brother James Vane’s advice to avoid seeing Dorian.
Sibyl’s feelings for Dorian overwhelm her, and she abruptly terminates her acting career. Sibyl questions how she will be able to act out love on stage after actually having experienced it. Dorian ruthlessly dumps Sibyl, as he only loves Sibyl for her acting prowess.
When he gets home, he notices that his face in the portrait has altered and now bears a sneer. He makes amends with Sibyl the following day out of fear that his misdeeds will be depicted on the canvas.
However, Lord Henry sends word that Sibyl committed suicide the same afternoon. Dorian is persuaded by Lord Henry to put the incident behind him by viewing her death as an artistic triumph – a personification of tragedy. Dorian, meanwhile, conceals his image in a private upper room of his home so that only he can see it change.
Dorian receives a book from Lord Henry that details a Frenchman’s depraved activities in the nineteenth century. It serves as a compass for Dorian as he descends further into a life of sin and evil. He has no regard for morals or the repercussions of his actions and devotes his life to acquiring novel experiences and thrills.
Around respectable London social circles, where reports of his scandalous antics have proliferated, Dorian’s reputation suffered in the following eighteen years. However, his friends accept him because he is still young and attractive.
As time passes, the painting’s figure becomes increasingly hideous. Basil visits Dorian’s house one gloomy night to confront Dorian about his rumored debauchery. After their quarrel, Dorian eventually grants Basil a glimpse into his (Dorian’s) soul. Basil begs him to change after seeing Basil’s now-horrific portrait. Dorian kills Basil in a fit of wrath after claiming it is too late for atonement.
1.3. Dorian’s Death
Dorian chooses to destroy the final remnants of his conscience and the one piece of evidence of his crimes still left, the portrait, knowing that only a full confession will clear him of guilt. He uses the knife he used to kill Basil Hallward to wreck the portrait out of wrath. The household servants are alerted when they hear a cry from the locked chamber; a bystander who heard it contacts the police.
When the servants open the locked door, they discover the lifeless body of an unknown elderly man. Only the rings on his fingers help the servants recognize Dorian from the deformed corpse, while the portrait next to him reverts to its original beauty.
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2. Characters
Dorian Gray – Dorian is a young, attractive man who is also shallow and naive. He is susceptible to temptation, especially after Lord Henry Wotton introduces him to a debaucherous way of life. Lord Henry advises him to reap the benefits of his youth while it lasts because his beauty will soon fade. Dorian strikes a pact with the devil to let Basil Hallward’s painting of him age in place of himself. As time passes, the portrait ages and becomes uglier. Dorian grows progressively more determined to embrace a hedonistic lifestyle.
Though a man of his class would never have a relationship with an actress, that is the first thing he does. Dorian disregards it and goes one step further by presenting a marriage proposal. Sadly, he lets pride get in the way and breaks off their engagement when he stops being interested in her.
He has no regrets about the suicide she commits or the other lives he destroys over the following 18 years. Dorian, who killed his friend, Basil, then feels guilty about it and decides to destroy the picture, not thinking that doing so will terminate the spell and cause him to pass away.
Basil Hallward – He’s a gifted artist with the moral compass to keep things in check. Basil is utterly fixated on Dorian at the start of the book to the point of worship. He deems the final painting of Dorian as the finest, despite already having Dorian sit for multiple portraits in different costumes. Basil starts to worry that he poured too much of himself into the work. Every brushstroke Basil uses to paint expresses his love for Dorian. His devotion eventually dwindles as he stops using Dorian as a model and spends some time away from him.
Basil declares that he is detaching himself from the artwork but remains concerned for Dorian despite that. He decides to speak with Dorian regarding the rumors surrounding his hedonistic way of life. Unfortunately, his concern for Dorian leads to his death.
Lord Henry Wotton – An aristocrat with intelligence, charm, and quick wit. His philosophies are hedonistic, although he does not fully subscribe to them. He enjoys observing people and laughing arrogantly at their errors. He leads Dorian Gray down the path to destruction with a few words and a book.
He enjoys seeing Dorian live out his life lessons when he imparts them to the naïve young man. Lord Henry is the devil on Dorian’s shoulder, tempting Dorian to cross moral boundaries bit by bit.
Sybil Vane – Sybil is a lovely girl from a humble family who becomes Dorian’s love interest. She is a skilled actress and singer. Her love for Dorian destroys her career because, after experiencing love, Sybil no longer finds enjoyment in depicting love on stage. After learning that Dorian no longer loves her, she poisons herself, causing Lord Henry’s comparison of her to Ophelia in Hamlet.
James Vane – James is the younger brother of Sibyl and a sailor. Their mother only thinks of Dorian’s money, which concerns him and makes him particularly protective of his sister. James hesitates to leave because he believes Dorian intends to hurt Sibyl and vows revenge if that happens.
James becomes obsessed with killing Dorian after Sibyl’s suicide and chases him, but a hunter accidentally kills James. Like Laertes’ quest for vengeance against Prince Hamlet, James vows to avenge the death of his sister, Sibyl, caused by her lover, Dorian.
Alan Campbell – Alan is a chemist who was formerly Dorian’s friend. Dorian decides to break his friendship with Alan since his reputation as a libertine causes too much trouble. Alan later shoots himself to death when Dorian blackmails him into destroying the body of the slain Basil Hallward.
Lord Fermor – Lord Fermor is Lord Henry’s uncle. He tells his nephew, Lord Henry, about the family lineage of Dorian Gray.
Adrian Singleton – Adrian is a young friend of Dorian. Dorian introduced opium to Adrian. Adrian’s opium addiction led him to forge a cheque, making him a total outcast from his family and social set.
Victoria, Lady Henry Wotton – Victoria is Lord Henry’s wife, whom he treats disdainfully. She later divorces him.
3. Themes
3.1. Art’s Purpose
When The Picture of Dorian Gray was first released, it faced criticism for being immoral. After changing the original text, Wilde released a new edition with a preface summarizing his aesthetic philosophies. The collection of epigrams states that art’s goal is ultimately to be devoid of meaning. To completely comprehend this claim, one must consider the moral atmosphere of Wilde’s period and the Victorian sensibility toward art and morals.
Publications by authors like Charles Dickens and George Gissing exemplify the Victorians’ belief that art may be used as a vehicle for moral and social enlightenment. In contrast, the aestheticists lived by the perspective that art could be beautiful and not hold any purpose or meaning. Wilde was a strong proponent of this movement, which aimed to liberate art from this weight.
Basil’s painting and the enigmatic yellow book that Lord Henry gifts Dorian are the two major pieces of art in the book, and they are both presented more in the manner of Victorian values. The yellow book and the portrait both have a purpose; the first serves as a kind of enigmatic mirror that shows Dorian the physical degeneration his own body has been spared, and the second serves as a path toward infamy.
3.2. Youth, Manipulation, and Beauty
Youth and beauty are pathways to influence. At the novel’s beginning, Basil remarks to Lord Henry about the young man he recently painted and how entranced he was with the man’s attractive features.
Lord Henry recognizes something special in Dorian, immediately deciding to manipulate this young and impressionable man. He knows that Dorian will be able to win over anybody that he wants to.
Throughout The Picture of Dorian Gray, beauty is treated as something that can revitalize and inspire, so it is no wonder Dorian becomes terrified of losing this power when he ages. Essentially, Dorian gives up his soul to maintain his influence over others.
3.3. Superficial Nature of Society
Despite the allegations that swirl around him, Dorian’s ability to preserve a youthful complexion helps him maintain favor with the elite of London society. The nobility values appearance, politeness, and beauty more than a person’s moral character.
Basil is the only person in Dorian’s circle of influence who attempts to hold him responsible but ultimately perishes while trying, making it easier for Dorian to set aside his principles and behave selfishly. In contrast, when Dorian confesses about murdering Basil to Lord Henry, the latter simply laughs it off, claiming that Dorian is neither ruthless nor forceful enough to have carried out a murder.
3.4. Negative Repercussions of Social Influence
People who agree with Dorian’s opinion that life lacks significance if it is not enjoyable and beautiful are among the social company he keeps. It is hinted that in addition to these individuals, Dorian also develops relationships with and has an impact on impressionable young men, just like Lord Henry did when Dorian was younger.
It is not surprising that Dorian adopted this lifestyle, given the repeated warnings from the society that despite how beautiful he appeared, he would eventually lose it. Dorian loses his conscience and moral compass when he discovers a means to stop aging, and his face keeps him in good stead with society because he appears innocent and pure.
4. Influence on pop culture and Legacy
4.1. Influence on Literature
To this day, The Picture of Dorian Gray remains an iconic classic and has become the source of numerous retellings. A horror novel by Graham Masterton, titled Family Portrait or Picture of Evil, was published in 1985. This time, he attributed the titular aging portrait to an entire family who attained immortality by senselessly killing their victims. Most modern adaptations seem to be rooted in the horror genre, with notable books like Mirror, Mirror (1992), and “The Wedding Present” (a short story from Smoke and Mirrors (1998)).
In the 21st century, the works inspired by Dorian Gray took on a more contemporary aura, updating the original setting. Dorian, An Imitation (2002) by Will Self transported readers from the Victorian era to June 1981, notably swapping Dorian’s painting for a video installation aptly named Cathode Narcissus. Other books have also taken some liberties, such as A Portrait of Dorian Gray (2005), which uses photographs as its primary storytelling medium. The latest literary reimagining is Creatures of Will and Temper (2017), featuring a gender-bent Dorian and removing the portrait altogether.
4.2. Influence on Comics
Dorian Gray has also made his way into the world of comics, spawning some illustrated iterations. A graphic novel adaptation of the same name by Jorge C. Morhain was published in 2018, albeit edited to be made more suitable for the younger crowd. Dorian Gray is also a character in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a comic book series by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. Released in 1999, the League was conceptualized as a ‘Justice League in Victorian-era England,’ grouping multiple characters from various classic fiction stories.
4.3. Influence on Film
Through various movies and television serials, Dorian Gray’s salacious history has been brought to life on the screen, with actors taking on his role across the decades. In the 2000s, many may remember Ben Barnes’ portrayal of Dorian.
The character returned in another feature, a role in the film adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
5. Quotes from The Picture of Dorian Gray
“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.” –Oscar Wilde
“Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty. There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.”
“You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit.”
“To define is to limit.”
“Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”
6. Frequently Asked Questions about The Picture of Dorian Gray
What is Dorian Gray’s weakness?
Dorian’s weakness is his excessive vanity, which results in his feelings of superiority over others. His pride and inability to recognize his mounting sins become his downfall.
What does the yellow book symbolize in Dorian Gray?
The yellow book represents Lord Henry’s “poisonous” influence on Dorian. Henry gives the book to Dorian as an experiment, which works horrifyingly well. Its hedonistic, decadent message makes it a guidebook for Dorian, who lives his whole life pursuing its ideals.
Why does Dorian hide his portrait?
Dorian fears that Basil will see the effects of his debauchery on the painting and thus learn about his secret pact.
