The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, is a cautionary tale that demonstrates the risks of critical reflection on art, culture, and the nature of humans when clouded by the ideals of beauty and eternal youth. Through the story focused on hedonistic moral values and chaos, Wilde is able to establish a world, much different from the one known today, in which language, ritual, and morals have no profound effects on the characters, instead fabricating a setting in which men who are ordered to behave in accordance with society’s values of rectitude are condemned. Incorporating the use of symbolism, the Faust Legend, and the theme of good vs. evil, the story illustrates a dichotomy of themes and ideals within the characters. Throughout The Picture
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The physical painting of Dorian Gray, introduced to the readers in the very first chapter of the novel, is by far the most relevant and significant symbol around which the story of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry, Basil, and Sibyl revolves. Imprudently begging for eternal beauty, when Dorian exchanges places with his own portrait, he becomes an image pretending to be a man (Source 7). The image becomes a reflection of Dorian’s soul, growing older and more deformed as Dorian follows in Lord Henry’s hedonistic footsteps, becoming more corrupt. With Lord Henry’s influence, Dorian undertakes his philosophy of fixing sin with sin, spiraling down a path of perverse self-destruction. The picture, symbolizing Dorian’s soul, brings a sense of freedom to Dorian by allowing him to commit sins without physical repercussions (Bisht). Wilde uses the painting to portray the consequences of pursuing pleasure above all else, using the degradation of Dorian’s soul to illustrate to the readers the evil and selfishness within Hedonism. As Dorian undergoes psychological changes, both the reader and the young man become aware that the image exercises a kinetic influence on the process of painting Dorian’s nature as malevolent (Source 6). As Dorian continues on his path to destruction by indulging his senses, the Opium Dens, and other drugs Dorian uses to numb his feelings of helplessness, serve to symbolize Dorian’s escape from reality and hedonistic tendencies. Dorian first embraces drugs as a way to experience the surreal world around him, however after becoming trapped in a realm of decadence, he uses them to distract himself from the impending doom of absolute corruption (Bisht). As Dorian’s state of mind degrades, craving the reality he’s been numbing himself from, leads him to murder Basil as he blames him for the painting and
The physical painting of Dorian Gray, introduced to the readers in the very first chapter of the novel, is by far the most relevant and significant symbol around which the story of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry, Basil, and Sibyl revolves. Imprudently begging for eternal beauty, when Dorian exchanges places with his own portrait, he becomes an image pretending to be a man (Source 7). The image becomes a reflection of Dorian’s soul, growing older and more deformed as Dorian follows in Lord Henry’s hedonistic footsteps, becoming more corrupt. With Lord Henry’s influence, Dorian undertakes his philosophy of fixing sin with sin, spiraling down a path of perverse self-destruction. The picture, symbolizing Dorian’s soul, brings a sense of freedom to Dorian by allowing him to commit sins without physical repercussions (Bisht). Wilde uses the painting to portray the consequences of pursuing pleasure above all else, using the degradation of Dorian’s soul to illustrate to the readers the evil and selfishness within Hedonism. As Dorian undergoes psychological changes, both the reader and the young man become aware that the image exercises a kinetic influence on the process of painting Dorian’s nature as malevolent (Source 6). As Dorian continues on his path to destruction by indulging his senses, the Opium Dens, and other drugs Dorian uses to numb his feelings of helplessness, serve to symbolize Dorian’s escape from reality and hedonistic tendencies. Dorian first embraces drugs as a way to experience the surreal world around him, however after becoming trapped in a realm of decadence, he uses them to distract himself from the impending doom of absolute corruption (Bisht). As Dorian’s state of mind degrades, craving the reality he’s been numbing himself from, leads him to murder Basil as he blames him for the painting and