The novel The Picture of Dorian Gray written by Oscar Wilde is about the life of the character Dorian Gray. Dorian is a young and beautiful man who makes a Faustian pact that his self-portrait, drawn by painter Basil Hallward, would grow older as time past instead of Dorian. Throughout the story, Dorian commits many sins, for example, using his influence to ruin others’ lives and the murdering of Basil Hallward. However, Dorian’s appearance is still young and beautiful because the portrait…
In Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry is portrayed as an artist, while Dorian Gray is portrayed as the canvas in which Henry paints on. In the beginning of the novel, Dorian’s first meeting with Lord Henry immediately shows how easily influenced Dorian’s character is. Lord Henry’s charismatic manner in speaking captivates Dorian causing Dorian to “never [take] his gaze off him” and be put “under a spell.” By captivating Dorian, Lord Henry is able to take advantage of…
In "The Picture of Dorian Gray," Oscar Wilde conveys a compelling theme centered on the detrimental use of influence personal in our relationships. Although the philosophical novel has multiple themes, the theme involving the detrimental use of influence in personal relationships manifests itself through the destruction of various characters including: Dorian Gray and Basil Hallward. One of the broader notions presented in the novel reveals itself as the stark disapproval of sacrificing one's…
When observing any form of art, the spectator often attempts to look beneath the surface of the piece to find the artist’s deeper meaning. Throughout the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde emphasizes his belief in aestheticism. He attempts to enforce the idea that art should be created for art’s sake, and that people can not conclude anything about the artist from their art. In the preface, Wilde warns readers that “all art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the…
appearance does not represent one’s soul. In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the protagonist Dorian Gray’s excess obsession with beauty, easily influenced nature, and irresponsibility for himself ultimately trigger his downfall in the end of the novel. The superficial and excessive desire for beauty of Dorian Gray distorts his mortal value and leads to denigration…
structure, and characterization of Joseph Conrad’s, Heart of Darkness and Oscar Wilde’s, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Though wildly different from one another, both books meticulously demonstrate the slow deterioration of man, brought on by the evil and darkness that lies within. Through thorough…
Extreme fascination, passion, lust and beauty can be tempting, but admitting to them was a struggle facing people in 19th century or Victorian Era and this is evident in the novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” When Oscar Wilde wrote, “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, he was critiquing a cultural moment in time. He was attempting to make his Victorian audience think about their inability to admit to their true desires and fear of temptation. A British journalist by the name W. T. Stead committed the…
beneath the surface is revealed. Nassaar states, "In The Picture of Dorian Gray, fate also exist, but it is not external force. Dorian is presented as being predetermined by his personality" (Nassaar "Lord Arthur Savile 's Crime"). The cause of Dorian Gray 's death was a result from the inability to function with the understanding that all those who adored him could never take him serious at the person he was trying to become. Dorian couldn 't stand living with the idea that as long as he lived…
Patrick Duggan once wrote, "Dorian lives according to what Lord Henry professes without hesitation, and how Lord Henry inspires Dorian." Duggan explains how Dorian Gray values Lord Henry's philosophy over anything else. In the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde analyzes the power of negative influences through the impact that Lord Henry's philosophy had on Dorian Gray, how Dorian Gray's character drastically changed over time, and how this negativity affected Dorian Gray's…
In the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Dorian Gray, a handsome young man, has his portrait painted by Basil Hallward, a respected artist among the community. When realizes his beauty is only going to last for so long, he expresses out loud how he wishes it was the painting that ages instead of him. When he learns that his wish has become true, his actions become more sinister and his morals lose their importance. Dorian Gray is a dynamic character that goes through several…