In Wilde’s The Picture Of Dorian Gray, the title character is forced to face a life full of cruelty and regret. As the novel progresses, Dorian goes from fearing death to embracing it. Dorian kills, watches the people he cares for die, and eventually comes face to face with is own death. All of these changes in Dorian’s life are due to his deteriorating soul and corrupt morals. In the Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde accompanies Dorian with death to advocate the importance of selflessness.
Dorian’s sense of his mortality leads him towards the downfall of his personality. In the beginning of the book, Dorian has a strong sense for his eventual death. "How sad it is!” He says, “I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful” (Wilde 25). Dorian …show more content…
Dorian begins to get over his thanatophobia after he receives the “yellow book” from Lord Henry. The book influences Dorian to adopt a new way of living, which in turn, causes Dorian to only care about his personal appearance and satisfaction. Instead of fearing the changes in the portrait, Dorian embraces them and displays his thankfulness for bad things happening to the portrait, instead of himself. Dorian “would place his white hands beside the coarse bloated hands of the picture, and smile. He mocked the misshapen body and the failing limbs” (Wilde 106). Instead of worrying about the painting becoming corrupt, Dorian mocks the painting and is glad that he remains untouched. In turn, Dorian “grew more and more enamored of his own beauty, more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul” (Wilde 106). Loving his beauty and his deteriorating soul reveals the appearing selfishness and cruelty occurring in Dorian’s brain. However, a little while later, Dorian has a near death experience which causes him to reunite with his fear of …show more content…
In the novel, both Sibyl Vane and Alan Campbell commit suicide as a result from Dorian’s selfish actions. Dorian and Sibyl are very much in love, until Dorian realizes that he is in love with Sibyl’s acting, not Sibyl herself. Because he does not love her, Dorian breaks up with Sibyl, which breaks her heart. She cannot live without Dorian, so she commits suicide. He reflects on her suicide by saying, “She had no right to kill herself. It was selfish of her" (Wilde 84). Not only does Dorian disregard the fact that Sibyl killed herself as a result of Dorian’s actions, but Dorian only thinks of himself when he comes to terms with Sibyl’s death. He calls the act “selfish of her,” not acknowledging the pain Sibyl was going through because of him, but the pain she is causing him. Dorian’s selfishness also leads to another man’s death when Dorian is cleaning up the murder of Basil. Dorian calls his old friend, Alan Campbell, to help him clean up Basil’s remains. Alan, a scientist, refuses to get involved with a murder. Dorian, of course, does not know how to take no for an answer, and responds by blackmailing Alan. With no other choice but to help Dorian, Alan uses his knowledge of science to properly dispose of all evidence regarding Basil’s death. The stress of the murder is unbearable to Campbell. He soon kills himself. Dorian, again, shows no respect for others and would rather have the weight of another mans
Dorian’s sense of his mortality leads him towards the downfall of his personality. In the beginning of the book, Dorian has a strong sense for his eventual death. "How sad it is!” He says, “I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful” (Wilde 25). Dorian …show more content…
Dorian begins to get over his thanatophobia after he receives the “yellow book” from Lord Henry. The book influences Dorian to adopt a new way of living, which in turn, causes Dorian to only care about his personal appearance and satisfaction. Instead of fearing the changes in the portrait, Dorian embraces them and displays his thankfulness for bad things happening to the portrait, instead of himself. Dorian “would place his white hands beside the coarse bloated hands of the picture, and smile. He mocked the misshapen body and the failing limbs” (Wilde 106). Instead of worrying about the painting becoming corrupt, Dorian mocks the painting and is glad that he remains untouched. In turn, Dorian “grew more and more enamored of his own beauty, more and more interested in the corruption of his own soul” (Wilde 106). Loving his beauty and his deteriorating soul reveals the appearing selfishness and cruelty occurring in Dorian’s brain. However, a little while later, Dorian has a near death experience which causes him to reunite with his fear of …show more content…
In the novel, both Sibyl Vane and Alan Campbell commit suicide as a result from Dorian’s selfish actions. Dorian and Sibyl are very much in love, until Dorian realizes that he is in love with Sibyl’s acting, not Sibyl herself. Because he does not love her, Dorian breaks up with Sibyl, which breaks her heart. She cannot live without Dorian, so she commits suicide. He reflects on her suicide by saying, “She had no right to kill herself. It was selfish of her" (Wilde 84). Not only does Dorian disregard the fact that Sibyl killed herself as a result of Dorian’s actions, but Dorian only thinks of himself when he comes to terms with Sibyl’s death. He calls the act “selfish of her,” not acknowledging the pain Sibyl was going through because of him, but the pain she is causing him. Dorian’s selfishness also leads to another man’s death when Dorian is cleaning up the murder of Basil. Dorian calls his old friend, Alan Campbell, to help him clean up Basil’s remains. Alan, a scientist, refuses to get involved with a murder. Dorian, of course, does not know how to take no for an answer, and responds by blackmailing Alan. With no other choice but to help Dorian, Alan uses his knowledge of science to properly dispose of all evidence regarding Basil’s death. The stress of the murder is unbearable to Campbell. He soon kills himself. Dorian, again, shows no respect for others and would rather have the weight of another mans