“Good resolutions are useless…attempts to interfere with scientific laws” (Wilde 119), that Dorian’s lack of repentance for hurting Sibyl is proof of “A very charming artistic basis for ethics” (Wilde 106), and most detrimental of all, that society is hypocritical and “perfectly monstrous” (Wilde 195). Thus, Dorian erases from his mind the values instilled in him by said society - imperfect humans as they are- and begins to live his life according to Lord Henry’s paradoxes unaware of the inconsistency between what he says and does. Lord Henry gives Dorian a book that “for years [Dorian] never sought to free himself from” (Wilde 138). This book represents “Dorian’s own life, written before he had lived it” without a conscience (Wilde 138). Dorian is living by a sort of Satanic Bible that outlines his future like the Christian God outlines the apocalypse for the people who will be saved, except Dorian will does the opposite. Dorian comes to see evil as “simply a mode through which [he can] realize his conception of the beautiful” (Wilde 160) the real distinction between good and bad is gone and Dorian is
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It is Dorians abandonment of his conscience and judgement of society that causes him to turn to this absurdity; an absurdity that skews his perspective to such a degree that he commits murder against himself. Dorian becomes tired of being subject tp the torment of keeping the painting of his atrophied soul a secret so he decides to kill it (himself). In return his servants hear “a cry and a crash… [and see] a dead man” (Wilde 245). It is at this point of no return that Dorian has damned himself forever. Wilde provides through Dorian an example of why a person without a conscience dies bearing altruistic dreams of glory and self-importance- a burden of blindness and error (Cottrell
It is Dorians abandonment of his conscience and judgement of society that causes him to turn to this absurdity; an absurdity that skews his perspective to such a degree that he commits murder against himself. Dorian becomes tired of being subject tp the torment of keeping the painting of his atrophied soul a secret so he decides to kill it (himself). In return his servants hear “a cry and a crash… [and see] a dead man” (Wilde 245). It is at this point of no return that Dorian has damned himself forever. Wilde provides through Dorian an example of why a person without a conscience dies bearing altruistic dreams of glory and self-importance- a burden of blindness and error (Cottrell