Dorian Gray Essay Topics

The Picture of Dorian Grey as a novel in the Victorian Era was shocking to readers of the time due
to the open nature of topics like: sexuality, greed and corruption. A Freudian perspective of the
characters: Basil, Lord Henry and Dorian can be seen as the Id, Ego and Super Ego. Basil is the
Super Ego, he conforms to a certain extent and tries to make Dorian lead a moral life when it
comes to desperate times of the loss of the 'real Dorian'; Lord Henry can be seen as the Id, the
immoral character who tries to convince Dorian to submit to his natural urges and passions; Dorian
is the Ego, one who in the beginning is in between the two and has a power struggle within as to
how he should act as a character in the novel. In answering this question and exploring the conflicts
shown in the novel one must look at the gender, identity and sexuality.
One conflict shown in Dorian Grey is the conflict of identity portrayed in the novel by Oscar Wilde.
The character Basil describes Lord Henry to be a very influential character to another's identity, for
example, 'Don't spoil him. Don't try influence him. Your influence would be bad.' Spoiling Dorian
shows that he is pure, and should not be tainted by Lord Henry's character; this shows that Lord
Henry is impure in thought and in his actions and this impacts his approach towards others. As Basil
says this, it shows that he understands the flaws in Lord Henry's character, but also his power in
manipulation, especially towards someone like
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Theme Of Beauty In The Picture Of Dorian Gray
Beauty played a crucial role in every society in time. It was associate with glamor, fancy clothes,
art, music, an extravagant lifestyle. In 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', the beauty of the protagonist
starts to be a problem when Lord Henry reveals to Dorian that his beauty is only evanescent and he
should enjoy it how long it lasts.
'I am jealous of everything whose beauty does not die. I am jealous of the portrait you have painted
of me. Why should it keep what I must lose? Every moment that passes takes something from me,
and gives something to it.'(The Picture of Dorian Gray, 25) Dorian confuses art with life on purpose,
hoping at the beginning that art will bear the punishment for his lifestyle and eventually becoming
aware of the price...show more content...
Dorian loves Sybil because he gets to watch her die on stage in all her passion and then,
miraculously, be alive backstage. Her art makes her immortal each and every night. The moment
she starts to live in reality, is the moment when Dorian stops loving her. Sybil's actual death by
suicide is tragic, but it also gives her a kind of eternal beauty because she was never allowed to
age. He had an attraction to her only because she represented art. As long as she stopped standing
for beauty, Dorian begins to hate her. '"You have killed my love. You used to stir my imagination.
Now you don't even stir my curiosity. You simply produce no effect.'(The Picture of Dorian Gray).
Dorian, meanwhile, is similarly saved from aging by the supernatural transformation of his portrait,
but while his appearance is now beyond mortality this freedom seems to drive Dorian to try to
experience every kind of excess, to not care about consequences, to destroy lovers and friends
through his influence and callousness. In this way that novel suggests that while mortality will
always destroy beauty and youth, that beauty and youth in fact need to be destroyed–that immortal
youth beauty, such as is preserved in art, is in fact monstrous in the real world. And, in fact, as
Dorian's soul shrivels and he begins to seek and admire ugliness, his own beautiful face comes to
seem to him just a hateful reminder of the innocence he has

The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay example
"There were passions in him that would find their terrible outlet, dreams that would make the
shadow of the real evil" (Wilde,115). The author reveals pleasure as the driving force of many
characters within Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, but this search for pleasure becomes
fatal once taken into the hands of Dorian Gray. Throughout the novel Dorian Gray changes his
opinion on pleasure based on what he requires in order to escape reality. With each death and
misdeed he is responsible for; Dorian must search harder for a more drastic form of release. His
path declines from his innocent beginnings with Sybil Vane, to the pleasure he finds in corrupt
relations, and finally his need to escape the reality of killing a former...show more content...
He admits to Lord Henry that he goes nightly to her plays but does not truly love Sibyl, he loves
the feeling of pleasure he gets from his obsession. He idolized her and calls her sacred but does
not value her as a person. When asked by Harry, "When is she Sibyl Vane?" Dorian replies,
"Never" (Wilde,54). This is the beginnings of Dorian's ability to place his own pleasure above
others and Dorian has immediately lost himself in this pleasure. "What there was in it of purely
sensuous instinct of boyhood had been transformed by the workings of the imagination, changed
into something that seemed to the lad himself dangerous. It was the passions about whose origin
we deceived ourselves that tyrannized most strongly over us" (Wilde,58). The danger of Dorian's
blind obsession is shown with Sibyl's suicide. His obsession led to the death of one person as
well as the first signs of his own worsening soul. After this experience pleasure is no longer a form
of love for Dorian, but rather a detachment from reality. While talking with Basil over breakfast
Dorian shows he does not place the same value in emotions as he had done before. "A man who is
the master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don't want to be at
the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them" (Wilde,105). In
contrast to the emotional obsession with Sibyl, Dorian next becomes obsessed with his portrait and
a book. Both are means to

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde was first published in the Lippincott's Monthly
Magazine, in 1890, and after, in 1891, in book form. This story had a big repercussion in the
society, mainly, caused by the moralism of the timeВ№, that was worried with people's image,
manners and behavior.
In the book, Oscar Wilde presents a story that contains a lot of questions that we can see still
nowadays in people's acts and behavior. To me, the most important of these questions presented in
Wilde's story is the Narcissism, the love of a person by his/her own image, what happens with
Dorian Gray and his picture made by his friend Basil Hallward. When Gray sees his picture he falls
in love with it, and then he changes his character and begins his...show more content...
Sybil is an actress and her roles show different feelings, but the characters' feelings not of her. Also,
to do her roles he uses many artifices, which allow the representation of the characters' personality,
not her. For that, it is possible to understand why Dorian Gray loves more the Sibyl's roles than her,
the roles and the plays happen during a short time and represent many personalities not really what
she is, but, many other faces that she can use, which show a superficial

What Does Dorian Gray Mean In Chapter 2
Chapter 2 After reading Chapters 1 and 2 from The Picture of Dorian Gray I can identify that the
characters: Dorian Gray, Basil Hallward, and Lord Henry will all have major influence in the rest
of the novel's sequence. Dorian Gray seems to be a vain and narcissistic man as he says this in
response to Lord Henry's comments about the inevitable aging of Dorian's physical appearance,
'How sad it is!' murmured Dorian Gray with his eyes fixed upon his own portrait. 'How sad it is! I
shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never
be older than this particular day of June...If it were only the other way! If it were I who was to be
always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that–for...show more content...
Dorian sets high expectations for his comrades saying Sibyl is a very virtuous actress. During the
play Sibyl performed very badly compared to her usual routines. Lord Henry and Basil both
excused themselves in the middle of the play. This left Dorian very somber; he sat through the
play and immediately rushed behind the curtains to see Sibyl. This is another piece of evidence
that he is in love with her acting not her. He is depressed that her stage performance was not
adequate. If you are truly in love with someone you wish for him or her to do their best but
embrace them for their efforts; Dorian does not do this. Sibyl explains to Dorian that through the
realization of her love for him, acting is meaningless and phony. She declares her acting career is
ended and devotes herself to Dorian saying, "Take me away". However Dorian says this, "I loved
you because you were marvelous, because you had genius and intellect, because you realized the
dreams of great poets and gave shape and substance to the shadows of art. You have thrown it all
away. You are shallow and stupid" (102). Dorian's words are very histrionic, he claims that she is
shallow, but he only loved her for her her stage personality, which is very ironic. This shows how
superficial and thin Dorian's passion for her in the first place was. He continues to verbally malign
Sibyl, and

The Picture Of Dorian Gray Research Paper
The intriguing literary masterpiece The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, portrays the story
of a ravishing young Englishman who exchanges his soul and discards his innocence for the
desperate gift of eternal youth and beauty. The author develops the theme that there are negative
consequences to being influenced by others and that naivety can eventually lead to one's downfall
and corruption. The ones closest to Dorian Gray ultimately influenced change in his personality and
behaviour, which leads to his downfall. The theme is shown significantly through the
characterization of the gorgeous actress Sibyl Vane, whom Dorian mistakenly believed he was in
love with greatly. He convinced himself that he truly loved her, only to prove in the end, that his
love was shallow, and he tactlessly broke her heart when he was no longer impressed with her acting
skills....show more content...
Basil idolized Dorian for his captivating features and innocence and as a result painted a portrait of
Dorian. However, after noticing the depth of his beauty, Dorian became exceedingly vain and wishes
himself everlasting beauty and agelessness, while cursing the painting into carrying his burdens of
old age and sins. Most extensively, the author's characterization of Lord Henry Wotton, who fills
Dorian's head with his poisonous theories, are evident through teaching Dorian the importance of his
beauty which causes Dorian to become narcissistic. Henry is the main cause of Dorian's corruption,
by provoking him into cherishing his youth and convincing him to live the hedonistic lifestyle. Each
of these instances of characterization in the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, reveals the harmful
effect influence can have and that sacrificing one's self for another individual can lead to

The concept of a fatal flaw in a protagonist's personality is recognized by the Greek term, hamartia.
Hamartia is a feature used in several novels and Oscar Wilde utilizes this concept in his own
novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. The novel follows the tale of a young man, Dorian Gray, living
in nineteenth century London that eventually meets his own demise due to his narcissistic behavior
and endless pursuit of pleasure. Originally, he has a beautiful nature that is tainted by the
dangerous curiosity he develops from Lord Henry Wotton's influence over him. These flaws are
what lead to his inevitable end. Lord Henry's influence over Dorian is quite evident to the reader
just from their first interaction. During their initial conversation, Lord Henry explains his
philosophy of how, "the aim of life is self–development. To realize one's nature perfectly,
–that is
what each of us is here for," (Wilde 15). Dorian takes this quite literally and later states that, "when
one loses one's good looks, whatever they may be, one loses everything," (Wilde 20). This is when
Dorian's narcissistic behavior begins to show as he believes that beauty is the key to everything. He
gives up one of the most important aspects of life, being an individual. In reality, one should find
acceptance with themselves regardless of their own beauty, rather than "sell [themselves] to the devil
for a pretty face," (Wilde 107). Instead, Dorian embraces the pride of beauty and with this mindset,
commits many

Dorian Gray Loss Of Innocence Essay
In The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, a young and once innocent character, named Dorian
Gray, struggles to find who is he. Self– Discovery is one of the main themes in the novel. Dorian
Gray, throughout chapters 1–12, gradually loses his innocence through discovering who he is.
Dorian Gray sees the painting and though everyone finds it beautiful, Dorian says it is not and
wishes he would never grow old. Dorian after losing his innocence, never wants to grow old, he
wants to be young forever. Young Dorian Gray takes other people's views, especially Lord Henry's,
and makes a little more extreme, but in the process, he lost his innocence and will never be able to
get it back.

How should individuals satisfy their ambitions? In The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott
Fitzgerald, and The Picture of Dorian Gray, written by Oscar Wilde, the theme of desires is
addressed. The Great Gatsby is a novel about Jay Gatsby, a man who wants to reunion with his past
lover, Daisy. The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, Gatsby's neighbour and friend who witnesses
Gatsby's romantic desires. Similarly, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel about the development
of Dorian, from initial innocence to ultimate brutality, after he acquires the ability to stay eternally
young while letting his portrait suffer the consequences of his sins. Overall, the two books are
similar in nature in terms of the themes presented. Initially, the two...show more content...
When Nick is describing Gatsby's elaborate parties, he says, "People were not invited – they went
there... Once there they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby" (Fitzgerald 41).
Gatsby does not care who attends his parties, rather his sole purpose is to attract people and to
make himself known in the community. In contrast, when Dorian hosts dinners, he carefully
selects people to attend and handpicks the decorations. Through attending, people feel that Dorian
has "all the grace and distinction and perfect manner of a citizen of the world" (Wilde 130).
Dorian's hosts dinners not to gain popularity, but to strengthen the admiration that people have for
him. In general, Gatsby and Dorian differ in their aspirations for personal motives and images in
society. However, despite the differences in ambition, both characters act sinfully. To begin with,
both characters act heartlessly. After Daisy hits Myrtle Wilson when driving Gatsby home, she
escapes from the scene. Later, when Gatsby hears about Myrtle's tragic death, he says, "I thought
so; I told Daisy I thought so. It's better that the shock should all come at once. She stood it pretty
well" (Fitzgerald 143). Gatsby is completely unconcerned about the tragedy that has occurred to
Myrtle, all he cares about is Daisy's wellbeing. Also, after Dorian shows Basil the portrait that
reflects all his sins, he "rushed at [Basil], and dug the knife into the great vein that is behind the ear,

Dorian Gray Allegory
Oscar Wilde's only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, revolves around a young man who has his
wish of eternal youth granted. His age and sins are absorbed by his portrait, while he remains
youthful and physically untouched. Ultimately throwing immortality away by not living as a proper
human with morals, but by sullying his soul, demonstrated by the growing hideousness of his
portrait throughout his his life. Wilde by using foil characters, choice of diction to employ emotional
response, and an allegory within his novel, showcases human nature's susceptibility to corruption.
Surrounding the protagonist, Dorian Gray, are two juxtaposing characters: Basil Hallward and
Henry Wotton. These two men represent human forms to Sigmund Freud's...show more content...
Specifically referring to the "lapses of interest in the novel reflect[ing] lapses of interest [with]in
the novel: the ennui it induces mirror[ing] the ennui it describes" (Nunokawa). In other words, the
book itself has uninteresting segments as to make the desire for a scandal of some sort to appear,
demonstrating that humans also find corruption quite entertaining. Dorian Gray becomes easily
bored in his daily routine, as do most people, which, is why he chooses to attain a sort of
adrenaline or pleasure by going to opium dens and sleeping with countless women. The audience
must also endure this boredom until the protagonist decides to do something worth his fancy and
scandalous to arouse some excitement from the reader as well. In the novel, Wilde dedicates chapter
eleven to this point, where he describes in far too much detail, to elongate the process of getting to
the end results, all of the newly found interests Dorian would undertake and quickly lose interest in.
In these new interests he would choose to "abandon himself to their subtle influences, and then,
having, as it were, caught their colour and satisfied his intellectual curiosity, leave them with that
curious indifference," (137). Meaning, they were just to pass the time, while attempting to discover
something that would thrill hims to his very core. Also, allowing for the descriptive diction to settle
into the readers' heads that they also wish for Dorian Gray to feel that thrill so they may also feel that

Dorian Gray: Antisocial Personality Disorder
In Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, the main character presents many behaviors
which modern–day society recognizes as characteristics of mental illness. However, in 1890 when
the novel first becomes available to the public, people do not have the extensive medical and
psychological knowledge seen in the world today. Throughout the novel, Dorian Gray's behavior
exhibits many symptoms of Antisocial Personality Disorder, or ASPD. ASPD is a psychological
disorder "in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights
and feelings of others (Antisocial Personality Disorder, mayoclinic.org)." Today, psychologists
classify people suffering from this mental disorder as either psychopaths or sociopaths,...show more
content...
The young man causes turmoil in the lives of many people, especially Sibyl Vane and Alan
Campbell. Both of these people unwittingly become victims of Dorian's maltreatment and
exploitation. As a direct result of Dorian's heinous behavior, both Sibyl and Alan commit suicide,
unable to bear the feelings of grief, guilt, and regret brought upon them by their interaction with
Dorian. However, although he fully knows of the role he plays in each of their deaths he still
explains to Lord Henry, "this thing that has happened does not affect me as it should... I have not
been wounded (VIII,113)." Although Dorian prompts both suicides, he refuses to accept full
responsibility and refrains from feeling any sort of remorse or sympathy regarding their deaths.
However, Dorian recognizes that he should feel more sadness, but does not have the capability to
do so. People suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder have an inability to experience true
emotions such as sadness, or guilt due to a lack of conscience. This aspect of the disease also
causes Dorian to feel nothing but disgust and hatred after his murder of Basil, demonstrated when
Dorian said, "the secret of the whole thing was not to realize the situation. The friend... to which all
his misery had been due, had gone out of his life. That was enough (XIII, 181)." Dorian's complete
lack of emotion while witnessing others lives

In the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde portrays the main character, Dorian Gray,
transforming from an innocent, young man to a vain hedonist. He loses his innocence under the
influence of Lord Henry, and is searching for something great. In the course of this story, Dorian's
motivation is clearly shown through his elaborate thoughts and actions. Being the curious character
that Dorian Gray is, it is obvious that he seeks to find eternal youth and beauty until his demise.
Throughout this novel, it can be proven that this idea is plotted by Lord Henry, grows under the
influence of the yellow book, and shows to be a curse to one's soul. Lord Henry is a very
influential person and while some of the things he says are not moral,...show more content...
He wishes "to keep the unsullied splendor of eternal youth!" (Wilde 191). This piece of evidence
proves that he yearns for his youth, when he was an innocent boy who was not aware about the
burden his beauty will give him. He desires to not have made those sins that corrupted him into an
evil man. He realizes "his beauty had been to him but a mask, his youth but a mockery" (Wilde
192). Yet, he still searches for that eternal beauty and youth. He is aware that being obsessed with
his youth and beauty has altered his personality. His sins caused by his desires have spread rumors
about him that are not necessarily true. However, Dorian does not care for those rumors because he
is more interested in keeping his youth and beauty, even when his soul is

Dorian Gray Theme Essay
Josh Nitz
April 16, 2012
Professor Anders
Response #7
Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde's fictional piece The Picture of Dorian Gray is a wonderful story that
provides insight on the effect that sin has on the soul. In the beginning of the story Dorian is a kind
hearted man, but by the end he becomes a cold blooded murderer who thinks only about himself. The
ending is also very interesting in the sense that although Oscar Wilde escaped suspicion, revenge
from James and those who could put his pursuit of pleasure in jeopardy, Dorian could not escape
himself. This is the theme that really stuck with me. Dorian pursued pleasure with complete
disregard for his soul or his conscience and in the end it led to his lack of pleasure and death....show
more content...
Rather this strategic silence allows the author to move on with the story while still impacting the
reader in the way he wants. In Hop Frog and Dorian Gray, the author's vague description of wrong
doing enables the reader to presume the worst from the antagonists and justify the antagonist's
grisly end. After Dorian murder's Basil, Dorian begins to feel guilty and he swears he will start a
new and wholesome life. Despite his efforts and his fortunate luck (James who was going to kill
him died is a bizarre accident) Dorian cannot escape himself. The portrait of himself will always
remind him of what he truly is inside. No matter what he does Dorian cannot escape the past or his
wrong doings. This situation applies to most readers, as most people have gotten away with a sin.
Although no one else knows about the wrong doing, the individual cannot escape the guilt or
memory of what they have done. This is what happens to Dorian and the only way to escape his guilt
is through suicide (unintentional). The Picture of Dorian Gray provides many good moral lessons
that should be observed by anyone who reads the book. Morals that come to mind are "Beware
your sin will find you out," and selfishness will only bring you pain. Dorian Gray tried to find
individual pleasure, but pleasures are not found in the individual. Rather pleasure is found in love,
God and

The Picture Of Dorian Gray Research Paper
The book was, in part, a reflection of Oscar's life. Filled with scandal, pain, love, and despair, it
could be a mirror. What Wilde wrote was never just a story, but instead a reflection of his soul. It
reflects what you think and feels, as was the case with Dorian Gray. The book has had a lasting
influence for this reason and several more. The subtext is one of these. Everything Wilde Wrote
had another story inside of it. Dorian Gray was no exception, and that is part of what makes it so
influential and so very fascinating. It starts with the title. It was the first clue into the story behind
the book. Wilde excelled in Greek and Roman studies, and it was no accident that the main
character was to be named Dorian. The Dorians were a part of the Greek people long...show more
content...
However, in Greek days an intimate relationship between such a pairing was not uncommon. This
idea is furthered by the way Basil speaks. On many occasions, he speaks to Dorian. On one such
occasion, he says "It is quite true, I have worshipped you with far more romance of feelings than a
man should ever give to a friend, somehow I have never loved a woman... From the moment I met
you, your personality had the most extraordinary influence over me" (Wilde, The Picture of Dorian
Gray). The subtext in Dorian Gray played a part in Wilde's lasting significance. The story is one
that can be read and reread a million times. Some people identify with the characters; others are
fascinated with the grim transformation that Dorian Takes throughout the story. No matter one's
initial cause for reading the story one fact that is undeniably true is The Picture of Dorian Gray is a
story that can be analysed in a million different ways to get a million different answers. This ability
to be interpreted a million different ways from Sunday in the beautiful thing that helped Wilde create
an influence after his passing on November 30, 1900. It helped turn him into the legend he

In the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, it is evident that the many influences on
each of the characters have led to the poor choices they make. Throughout the story, there is a direct
correlation between corruption and influence. Dorian has an influence on multiple people, as well as
his friends have influenced him. The idea that good people can be corrupted by negative influences
is demonstrated in The Picture of Dorian Gray, for Dorian Gray was originally a better person, but
then the influence of his friends forever changed him and his views.
Others' obsession with an individual's beauty, it is easy for one to become self–absorbed. Basil
Hallward is very excited about and enthralled with his new painting subject, Dorian Gray. Basil
Hallward explains delightedly to his friend Lord Henry,"'Of course I flatter him dreadfully. I find
a strange pleasure in saying things to him that I know I shall be sorry for having said. As a rule, he
is charming to me, and we sit in the studio and talk of a thousand things'" (Wilde, 25). Spending
much time with a person can lead to one adopting the other's values and incorporating them into
their life. Basil frequently compliments Dorian, and his prediction of the effects foreshadows the
future calamities that Dorian will cause, after consulting with his new friends about the events in
his life. Dorian changes Basil, as well as Basil's portrait of him, as his wrongful actions intensify in
their severity. Literary critic Georgina Parfitt with "LitCharts" explains, "Dorian's influence is also
more far–reaching, actually seeming to change Basil's ability for painting, and to change the
painting itself in an almost supernatural way" (Parfitt, 2017). Dorian Gray begins to admire his
own beauty increasingly more, leading to his wish he makes about the painting and his youth. In
his despair, he exclaims,"'If it were I who was always to be young, and the portrait that was to grow
old! For that–– for that–– I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would
not give! I would give my soul for that!'"(47). He resents and envies the youth and beauty that the
portrait forever holds, for he will eventually lose the youth and beauty the picture will

Influence, Corruption and Conscience in The Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, explores the themes of influence, corruption and
conscience. "The obvious influence of Lord Henry upon Dorian shows how one may corrupt another
to such an extent that one's own conscience withers and dies"(Weintraub 116).
Basil Hallward, a painter, knows the corruptive influence that Lord Henry can impose upon his
model, Dorian Gray. Basil does not want Lord Henry to even meet Dorian because he is afraid that
Dorian will be influenced and ruined. Basil begs Henry by saying, "Don't spoil him. Don't try to
influence him. Your influence would be bad. The world is wide, and has many marvelous people in it.
...show more content...
Lord Henry believes that, "Conscience and cowardice are really the same things. Conscience is the
trade–name of the firm" (Wilde 5). In essence, Lord Henry feels that listening to one's conscience
and doing the right thing shows weakness and cowardice in a person's character. Since Wilde
creates an evil character who holds these beliefs, one can imply that Wilde feels quite the opposite.
Wilde must feel that having a conscience and listening to it shows strength in a person's character.
Nevertheless, Lord Henry persists in corrupting Dorian.
Lord Henry feels that, "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your
soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself..." (Wilde 13). Lord Henry tries
to persuade Dorian to believe that listening to his conscience will only bring him pain. Dorian must
give into temptation if he wants to be happy. Dorian listens acutely to Henry's words. Dorian now
has a justification for ignoring his conscience and acting sinfully. Slowly Henry's influence takes
over Dorian's conscience.
Basil begins to notice this corruption in Dorian's face right after Dorian meets Henry. When Basil
is painting Dorian, he notices a change. Basil "...deep in his work, and conscious only that a look
had come into the lad's face that he had never seen there before" (Wilde 13). Dorian is loosing his
innocence and purity due to Henry's influence and Basil can detect

Jay Gatsby And Dorian Gray Analysis
It could be argued that, Jay Gatsby and Dorian Gray, despite being from hugely different time
periods, both suffer under the weight of cultural expectations. Fundamentally, the 'very American
young man' could be epitomised as Jay Gatsby; a man who uniquely undergoes a transformation
from impoverished farm boy, to ambitious soldier and eventually ostentatious entrepreneur revelling
in the glamour of West Egg high society. Jay Gatsby achieves the true definition of the American
Dream – the right of every man to liberty, freedom and hope. Despite this, Fitzgerald twists the
narrative of the American Dream to portray the inner nature of its materialism and the avarice of
period. The American Dream is a fantasy and in reality is based upon old fashioned barriers of class
and hierarchy trapping Gatsby from ever truly achieving his dream. Alternatively, it could be
suggested that the protagonists are not simply products of their culture and they make choices based
on their own selfish desires. These choices often surround their relationships with women and expose
their natural cruelties as explored in Wilde's A Picture of Dorian Gray. Despite Gray's violence, it
could be argued that the pedagogy of his contemporaries manipulates him to transform into a
narcissistic murderer and depicts him as a clear victim of his culture. Both men are exploited by their
hedonistic cultures but remain to manipulate them to the extent that women around them coerced to
accept the devastating

The actions of individuals often influence what happens and exists in the world; some influences
are direct, and some are indirect. In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, influential
factors play an important role. The main character, Dorian Gray, is influenced by many forces, one
of the strongest being his mentor, Lord Henry; but while constant influences like his friend's are
obvious, there is a subtle, more discreet influence in his life: Dorian's first love, Sibyl Vane.
Despite her short appearance, it is her presence that allows the fundamental change in Dorian Gray's
character, and drives the plot. She reveals all the possibilities his life can have, aids in the
development of his corrupt nature, and determines his fate. From...show more content...
Their relationship creates patterns in Dorian's life that eventually determine his fate. An example
of this is Dorian's inner discord between doing what is right and or doing what is wrong. This
example is seen in their affair soon after Dorian cruelly drops Sibyl. Following his immoral actions,
Dorian has an internal conflict between taking responsibility for his actions and ignoring the
situation. His thoughts change between "Had he been cruel? It was the girl's fault, not his" (88)
and "a feeling of infinite regret came over him" (88). Questioning this happens to Dorian multiple
times throughout the years of his debauched life. The existence of this pattern establishes that this
lifestyle will not last. The struggle, first seen their relationship, between good and evil does prevail,
and eventually the conflict rises to a point where Dorian decides to drop his self–indulgent
behaviour. Unfortunately, the simple decision to drop his corrupt ways is not enough to compensate
for all his wrong–doings. What Dorian needs, is sincere goodness. The second instance of situations
echoing aspects of their relationship, is Dorian's morality triumphing despite his corruption.
Although he ruthlessly breaks Sibyl's heart, he later does decide to do what is right: return to her,
apologize, and marry her like he promised. This decision may not have lasted, but it existed
nevertheless. The

Beauty in The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay
In Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, beauty is depicted as the driving force in the
lives of the three main characters, Dorian, Basil and Lord Henry. Dorian, the main character,
believes in seizing the day. "Dorian is described as an addict, having mad hungers that grew more
ravenous as he fed them." Basil, the artist, admires all that is beautiful in life. Lord Henry,
accredited one's physical appearance to the ability of achieving accomplishments in life. "Lord
Henry's moral position in Dorian Gray is akin to that of the devil; he is the initial serpent in the
Garden, and continues to coax Dorian to evil throughout the novel." Beauty ordains the fate of
Dorian, Basil, and Lord Henry. The novel embodies the relationship of...show more content...
"Dorian's features retain their youth and purity, while his deepening moral corruption caused by
his narcissistic worship of the beautiful is made visible only in the portrait." Dorian sets his
conscience aside and lives his life according to a single goal of acheiving pleasure. His painted
image, however, asserts itself at his conscience and hounds him with the knowledge of his
crimes. He aspired to have had a good life rather than one filled with artificial meaning. The image
of Dorian reflects his conscience and his true self, and serves as a mirror of his soul. The moral
beauty of Dorian lies within the portrait of himself. The portrait imitated his life. He finally
realized that beauty cannot help him escape his evil actions. He deeply lamented his wish that the
portrait bore the burden of his age and sin. He Buckner 3 finally realized there is no way to undo
the effects of age or of sin on a soul. Dorian tries to destroy the picture, so he will no longer be
reminded of the evil that beauty has caused him. But, as he destroys the picture, he kills himself,
and the picture is cleansed and beautiful again. Dorian gives nothing less than his soul for the
mistakes that he made. The price that one must pay for their discrestions is exceedingly high.
Basil's life is also driven by beauty. He is infatuated with Dorian's beauty in the beginning. He
appreciated Dorian's beauty but did not wish to possess it for himself. Basil

Dorian Gray Chapter 2 Essay
Discuss Wilde's presentation of Dorian Gray here and in one other part of the novel –Use of
dialogue and description –Aspects that are important to the plot. At the beginning of the novel
Dorian Gray is the epitome of perfection, he is the symbol of make youth and beauty; chapter 2 is
the pivotal moment in the book for Dorian's character. Towards the end of chapter 2, Dorian grows
resentful towards the portrait Basil has painted, "why did you paint it!", but this resent soon turns to
total adoration, "I am in love with it!" The change in his nature occurs only after he realizes the
importance of his own beauty. However this sudden love of his own face comes after he pledges his
soul for eternal youth. Although Dorian never contracts with...show more content...
The violence and madness of the attack is conveyed through vivid descriptions and visual
imagery, "Dug the knife into the great vein that is behind the ear... stabbing him again and again".
Stabbing in the face means the attack was personal and multiple times means the attacker has a
personal vendetta against the victim. Dorian's erratic behaviour is represented in the oddly
structured, long and short sentences; the fragility of his emotional/mental state is also shown.
After the senseless attack, Dorian appears to have no remorse for his actions, "he did not even
glance at the murdered man". His disregard for his actions possibly shows how hypnotised by his
own portrait he is; the picture of himself has made him forget all senses of morality. The way in
which Dorian is presented in chapter 2 and chapter 13 couldn't be anymore different. On one hand
Dorian is the sweet innocent, pure young boy but on the other hand he is the tainted cruel old man.
Dorian's vulnerability and insecurity in the end of chapter 2 made him the perfect model for Lord
Henry's hands. The aspects of the plot, morality and influence, play a big part in Dorian's fall from

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