Moral Development Outline – The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
I. Dorian Gray’s moral decay begins with painter Basil Hallward’s discovery of him and the subsequent collision of influences Dorian faces.
A. When Basil first meets Dorian, Dorian’s purity and untainted youth capture the imagination of Basil to an almost dangerous extent that eventually harms Dorian.
1. When Basil confesses he “couldn’t be happy if [he] didn’t see [Dorian] every day” (Wilde 7), Wilde suggests the precariousness of Basil’s idolatry on the development of Dorian’s character.
2. Basil’s infatuation eventually proves detrimental to Dorian, as Dorian later exclaims that Basil “taught [him] to be vain of [his] good looks” (114); Dorian thus attributes his moral …show more content…
Nobleman Lord Henry Wotton’s influence on Dorian, although from an entirely different angle than Basil, results in an almost immediate character shift in Dorian.
1. Dorian’s initial criticism of Lord Henry’s theories of youth and sin suggests that Dorian’s sense of scruples still prevails, as he implores Lord Henry, “‘Stop! You bewilder me’” (14).
2. However, “life suddenly [becomes] fiery-coloured to [Dorian]” (14), implying not only the pervasiveness of Lord Henry’s corrupting influence, but Dorian’s moral malleability as well.
3. Wilde’s sensorial diction when describing Dorian’s perception of life as “fiery-coloured” successfully conveys Dorian’s descent into a culture of Hedonism.
II. Dorian’s infatuation with actress Sibyl Vane results in the first tangible evidence of Dorian’s moral decay.
A. Although his love for Sibyl initially appears genuine, Dorian 's wild passions are only superficial, reflecting the power Lord Henry possesses over him.
1. Lord Henry observes “how different [Dorian is] now from the shy, frightened boy he met in Basil Hallward’s studio” (40).
2. As quickly as Dorian falls in love with Sibyl, he condemns her as “shallow and stupid” (63) due to a poor performance, implying that Sibyl only served as a figure of fascination and curiosity to Dorian’s new pleasure-seeking
I. Dorian Gray’s moral decay begins with painter Basil Hallward’s discovery of him and the subsequent collision of influences Dorian faces.
A. When Basil first meets Dorian, Dorian’s purity and untainted youth capture the imagination of Basil to an almost dangerous extent that eventually harms Dorian.
1. When Basil confesses he “couldn’t be happy if [he] didn’t see [Dorian] every day” (Wilde 7), Wilde suggests the precariousness of Basil’s idolatry on the development of Dorian’s character.
2. Basil’s infatuation eventually proves detrimental to Dorian, as Dorian later exclaims that Basil “taught [him] to be vain of [his] good looks” (114); Dorian thus attributes his moral …show more content…
Nobleman Lord Henry Wotton’s influence on Dorian, although from an entirely different angle than Basil, results in an almost immediate character shift in Dorian.
1. Dorian’s initial criticism of Lord Henry’s theories of youth and sin suggests that Dorian’s sense of scruples still prevails, as he implores Lord Henry, “‘Stop! You bewilder me’” (14).
2. However, “life suddenly [becomes] fiery-coloured to [Dorian]” (14), implying not only the pervasiveness of Lord Henry’s corrupting influence, but Dorian’s moral malleability as well.
3. Wilde’s sensorial diction when describing Dorian’s perception of life as “fiery-coloured” successfully conveys Dorian’s descent into a culture of Hedonism.
II. Dorian’s infatuation with actress Sibyl Vane results in the first tangible evidence of Dorian’s moral decay.
A. Although his love for Sibyl initially appears genuine, Dorian 's wild passions are only superficial, reflecting the power Lord Henry possesses over him.
1. Lord Henry observes “how different [Dorian is] now from the shy, frightened boy he met in Basil Hallward’s studio” (40).
2. As quickly as Dorian falls in love with Sibyl, he condemns her as “shallow and stupid” (63) due to a poor performance, implying that Sibyl only served as a figure of fascination and curiosity to Dorian’s new pleasure-seeking