picture of dorian gray essays

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar wilde, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Picture of Dorian Gray: Introduction

The picture of dorian gray: plot summary, the picture of dorian gray: detailed summary & analysis, the picture of dorian gray: themes, the picture of dorian gray: quotes, the picture of dorian gray: characters, the picture of dorian gray: symbols, the picture of dorian gray: literary devices, the picture of dorian gray: quizzes, the picture of dorian gray: theme wheel, brief biography of oscar wilde.

Historical Context of The Picture of Dorian Gray

Other books related to the picture of dorian gray.

• Full Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray
• When Written: Some time between 1889, when the story was commissioned, and 1890
• Where Written: London
• When Published: It was initially published in a magazine called Lippincott’s Monthly in July of 1890.
• Literary Period: Aestheticism
• Genre: Aestheticism, Philosophical Fiction, Gothic Fiction
• Setting: London
• Climax: Dorian becomes so tormented by the portrait that he stabs it with a knife, but when the scene is discovered, it is Dorian himself who lies dead on the floor.
• Antagonist: Dorian and the other characters are surrounded by antagonistic influences, which seem to be a part of day to day life in the high society of London. These influences, fashion, classism, obsessions with aesthetics and reputation are embodied by Lord Henry Wotton, making the man and his ideas seem like the main antagonist of the book.
• Point of View: An omniscient narrator; this narrator guides us in the past tense between one place and another, able to show us the interior workings of the main characters

Extra Credit for The Picture of Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray Syndrome. Dorian Gray’s name still haunts popular culture but it also has a more serious legacy. Dorian Gray Syndrome is now a common term to describe a cluster of narcissistic qualities. It often refers to severe mental illness and can be diagnosed from symptoms reminiscent of Dorian’s in the novel.

The real Dorian? It has been suggested that the inspiration for Dorian Gray was a man called John Gray, who, though very handsome and a good poet, was dropped by Wilde in favor of his new love Lord Alfred Douglas. He apparently signed his love letters “Dorian”, after an ancient tribe called “The Dorians”.

A Summary and Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

The Picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar Wilde’s one novel, published originally in 1890 (as a serial) and then in book form the following year. The novel is at once an example of late Victorian Gothic horror and , in some ways, the greatest English-language novel about decadence and aestheticism, or ‘art for art’s sake’.

To show how these themes and movements find their way into the novel, it’s necessary to offer some words of analysis. But before we analyse The Picture of Dorian Gray , it might be worth summarising the plot of the novel.

The Picture of Dorian Gray : summary

The three main characters in The Picture of Dorian Gray are the title character (a beautiful young man), Basil Hallward (a painter), and Lord Henry Wotton (Basil Hallward’s friend).

The novel opens with Basil painting Dorian Gray’s portrait. Lord Henry Wotton takes a shine to the young man, and advises him to be constantly in search of new ‘sensations’ in life. He encourages Dorian to drink deep of life’s pleasures.

When the picture of Dorian is finished, Dorian marvels at how young and beautiful he looks, before wishing that he could always remain as young and attractive while his portrait is the one that ages and decays, rather than the other way around. When he proclaims that he would give his soul to have such a wish granted, it’s as if he has made a pact with the devil.

Basil’s finished portrait is sent to Dorian’s house, while Dorian himself goes out and follows Lord Henry’s advice. He falls head over heels in love with an actress, Sibyl Vane, but when she loses her ability to act well – because, she claims, now she has fallen in love for real she cannot imitate it on the stage – Dorian cruelly discards her. He had fallen in love with her art as an actress, and now she has lost that, she is meaningless to him.

Sibyl takes her own life before Dorian – who has observed a change in his portrait, which looks to have a slightly meaner expression than before – can apologise to her and beg her forgiveness. But Lord Henry consoles Dorian, arguing that Sibyl, in dying young, has given her last beautiful performance.

Dorian, shocked by the change in the portrait, locks it away at the top of his house, in his old schoolroom. Inspired by an immoral ‘yellow book’ which Lord Henry gives to him, Dorian continues to experience all manner of ‘sensations’, no matter how immoral they are. When he next takes a look at the portrait in his attic, he finds an old and evil face, disfigured by sin, staring out at him.

The novel moves forward some thirteen years. Dorian, of course, is still young and fresh-faced, but his portrait looks meaner and older than ever. When Dorian shows the portrait to Basil, who painted it, the artist – who had worshipped Dorian’s beauty when he painted the picture – is shocked and appalled. Dorian stabs Basil to death, before enlisting the help of someone to dispose of the body (this man, horrified by what he has done, will later take his own life).

Dorian slides further into sin and evil, until one day, the brother of the dead actress, Sibyl Vane, bumps into Dorian Gray and intends to exact revenge for his sister’s mistreatment at the hands of Dorian. But when he follows Dorian to the latter’s country estate, he is accidentally shot by one of Dorian’s shooting party.

Dorian becomes intent on reforming his character, hoping that the portrait will start to improve if he behaves better. But when he goes up to look at the painting, he finds that it shows the face of a hypocrite, because even his abstinence from vice was, in its own way, a quest for a new sensation to experience.

Horrified and angered, Dorian plunges a knife into the canvas, but when the servants walk in on him, they find the portrait as it was originally painted, showing Dorian Gray as a youthful man. Meanwhile, on the floor, there is the body of a wrinkled old man with a ‘loathsome’ face.

The Picture of Dorian Gray : analysis

The Picture of Dorian Gray has been analysed as an example of the Gothic horror novel, as a variation on the theme of the ‘double’, and as a narrative embodying some of the key aspects of late nineteenth-century aestheticism and decadence.

Wilde’s skill lies in how he manages to weave these various elements together, creating a modern take on the old Faust story (the German figure Faust sold his soul to the devil, via Mephistopheles) which also, in its depictions of late Victorian sin and vice, may remind readers of another work of fiction published just four years earlier: Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (which we’ve analysed here ).

Indeed, the discovery of the body of Dorian Gray as a wrinkled and horrifically ugly corpse at the end of the novel recalls the discovery of Jekyll/Hyde in Stevenson’s novella.

To find the novel’s value as a book of the aesthetic movement, we need look no further than Wilde’s preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray , in which he states, for instance, that ‘there is no such thing as a moral or immoral book’ (what matters is whether the book is written well or not) and ‘all art is quite useless’ (art shouldn’t change the world: art exists as, and for, itself, and no more).

Lord Henry Wotton is very much the voice of the aesthetic movement in the novel, and many of his pronouncements echo those made by the prominent art critic (under whom Wilde had studied at Oxford), Walter Pater. But whereas Pater talked of ‘new impressions’, Lord Henry (or Wilde, in his novel) took this up a notch, calling for new ‘sensations’.

We tend to speak conveniently of ‘periods’ or ‘movements’ or ‘eras’ in literary history, but these labels aren’t always useful. Both Oscar Wilde and Elizabeth Gaskell, the author of Mary Barton and North and South , were ‘Victorian’ in that they were both writing and publishing their work in Britain during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).

But whereas Gaskell, writing in the 1840s, 1850s, and 1860s, wrote ‘realist’ novels about the plight of factory workers in northern England, Wilde wrote a fantastical horror story about upper-class men who are able to stay forever young and spotless while their portraits decay in their attic. They’re a world away from each other.

Wilde’s novel is a good example of how later Victorian fiction often turned against the values and approaches favourited by earlier Victorian writers. It was Wilde who, famously, said of the sad ending of Dickens’s The Old Curiosity Shop , which Dickens’s original readers in the 1840s wept buckets over, ‘one must have a heart of stone to read the death of Little Nell without’ – what, crying?

No. Wilde’s word was ‘laughing’. The overly sentimental style favoured by mid-century novelists like Dickens had given way to a more casual, poised, nonchalant, and detached mode of storytelling.

At the same time, we can overstate the extent to which Wilde’s novel turns its back on earlier Victorian attitudes and values. Despite his statement that there is no such thing as a moral or immoral book, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a highly moral work, as the tale of Faust was. Dorian’s life is destroyed by his commitment to a life of pleasure, even though it entails the destruction of other lives – most notably, Sibyl Vane’s.

Far from being a book that would be denounced from the pulpits by Anglican clergymen for being ‘immoral’, The Picture of Dorian Gray could make for a pretty good moral sermon in itself, albeit one that’s more witty and entertaining than most Christian sermons.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is, at bottom, a novel of surfaces and appearance. We say ‘at bottom’, but that is precisely the point: the novel is, as many critics have commented, all surface. Lord Henry is so taken by the beauty of Dorian Gray that he sets about being a bad influence on him.

Dorian is so taken by the painting of him – a two-dimensional representation of his outward appearance – that he makes his deal with the devil, trading his soul, that thing which represents inner meaning and inner depth, in exchange for remaining youthful on the outside.

Then, when Dorian falls in love, it’s with an actress, not because he loves her but because he loves her performance. When she loses her ability to act, he abandons her. Her name, Sibyl Vane, points up the vanity of acting and the pursuit of skin-deep appearance at the cost if something more substantial, but her first name also acts as a warning: in Greek mythology, the Sibyls made cryptic statements about future events.

But there’s probably a particular Sibyl that Wilde had in mind: the Sibyl at Cumae, who, in Petronius’ scurrilous Roman novel Satyricon (which Wilde would surely have known) and in other stories, was destined to live forever but to age and wither away. She had eternal life, but not eternal youth. Dorian’s own eternal youth comes at a horrible cost: without a soul, all he can do is go in pursuit of new sensations, forever chasing desire yet never attaining true fulfilment.

It will, in the end, destroy him: in lashing out and trying to destroy the truth that stares back at him from his portrait, much as he had destroyed the artist who held up a mirror to his corrupt self, Dorian Gray destroys himself. In the last analysis, as he and his portrait do not exist separately from each other, he must live with himself – and with his conscience – or must die in his vain attempt to close his eyes to who he has really become.

About Oscar Wilde

The life of the Irish novelist, poet, essayist, and playwright Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) is as famous as – perhaps even more famous than – his work. But in a career spanning some twenty years, Wilde created a body of work which continues to be read an enjoyed by people around the world: a novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray ; short stories and fairy tales such as ‘ The Happy Prince ’ and ‘ The Selfish Giant ’; poems including The Ballad of Reading Gaol ; and essay-dialogues which were witty revivals of the Platonic philosophical dialogue.

But above all, it is Wilde’s plays that he continues to be known for, and these include witty drawing-room comedies such as Lady Windermere’s Fan , A Woman of No Importance , and The Importance of Being Earnest , as well as a Biblical drama, Salome (which was banned from performance in the UK and had to be staged abroad). Wilde is also often remembered for his witty quips and paradoxes and his conversational one-liners, which are legion.

Discover more from Interesting Literature

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Type your email…

5 thoughts on “A Summary and Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray”

‘Genius lasts longer than beauty’ – a very appropriate quote from Chapter 1

• Pingback: A Summary and Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray - Teresa Edmond-Sargeant
• Pingback: 10 of the Best Works by Oscar Wilde – Interesting Literature

The “yellow book”, referred to is probably Huysmans’s A Rebours, which was sold in a yellow jacket. It is not the Yellow Book quarterly (a publication featuring poetry, prose and illustrations from followers of the Aesthetic movement), which came later, and which probably took its title from the reference in Wilde’s novel.

• Pingback: A Summary and Analysis of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Happy Prince’ – Interesting Literature

Comments are closed.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

• Games & Quizzes
• History & Society
• Science & Tech
• Biographies
• Animals & Nature
• Geography & Travel
• Arts & Culture
• On This Day
• One Good Fact
• New Articles
• Lifestyles & Social Issues
• Philosophy & Religion
• Politics, Law & Government
• World History
• Health & Medicine
• Browse Biographies
• Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
• Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates
• Environment
• Fossils & Geologic Time
• Entertainment & Pop Culture
• Sports & Recreation
• Visual Arts
• Demystified
• Image Galleries
• Infographics
• Top Questions
• Britannica Kids
• Saving Earth
• Space Next 50
• Student Center
• Introduction

• What is Oscar Wilde known for?
• How did Oscar Wilde become famous? 

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• Toronto Metropolitan University Pressbooks - The Picture of Dorian Gray
• The Victorian Web - Oscar Wilde's" Picture of Dorian Gray"
• Loughborough University - English - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
• Lit2Go - "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
• Internet Archive - "The picture of Dorian Gray"
• Table Of Contents

The Picture of Dorian Gray , moral fantasy novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde , published in an early form in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine in 1890. The novel, the only one written by Wilde, had six additional chapters when it was released as a book in 1891. The work, an archetypal tale of a young man who purchases eternal youth at the expense of his soul, was a romantic exposition of Wilde’s own Aestheticism .

The story begins in the art studio of Basil Hallward, who is discussing a current painting with his witty and amoral friend Lord Henry Wotton. Henry thinks that the painting, a portrait of an extraordinarily beautiful young man, should be displayed, but Basil disagrees, fearing that his obsession with the portrait’s subject, Dorian Gray , can be seen in the work. Dorian then arrives, and he is fascinated as Henry explains his belief that one should live life to the fullest by indulging one’s impulses. Henry also points out that beauty and youth are fleeting, and Dorian declares that he would give his soul if the portrait were to grow old and wrinkled while he remained young and handsome. Basil gives the painting to Dorian.

Henry decides to take on the project of molding Dorian’s personality. A few weeks later, Dorian tells Henry that he has fallen in love with an actress, Sibyl Vane, because of her great beauty and acting talent. Henry and Basil go with him to a dingy theatre to see Sibyl, but her performance is terrible. Sibyl explains to Dorian that now that she knows what real love is, she can no longer pretend to be in love on stage. Dorian is repulsed and wants nothing further to do with her. When he returns home, he sees a cruel expression on the face of his portrait, and he decides to seek Sibyl’s forgiveness. Henry arrives the next day, however, with news that Sibyl committed suicide the previous night, and he convinces Dorian that there is no reason for him to feel badly about it.

Dorian has the portrait removed to his attic. Henry sends Dorian a book that he finds poisonous and fascinating (critics have suggested that it might be Against the Grain by Joris-Karl Huysmans ). Under the book’s influence, Dorian spends the next 18 years in the pursuit of capricious and sybaritic excess, and he becomes increasingly drawn to evil. He frequently visits the portrait, noting the signs of aging and of corruption that appear, though he himself remains unblemished.

One evening he runs into Basil, who tells him that there are rumours that he has destroyed the lives and reputations of many people. Dorian, however, refuses to accept blame. Basil declares that he clearly does not know Dorian, who responds by taking him to the attic to see the portrait. The painting has become horrifying. Basil tells Dorian that if this is a reflection of his soul, he must repent and pray for forgiveness, and a suddenly enraged Dorian murders Basil. He blackmails another former friend into disposing of the body.

Dorian goes to an opium den, where Sibyl’s vengeful brother, James, finds him, but the fact that Dorian still appears quite young dissuades him from acting. However, another patron of the den later divulges Dorian’s age. At a subsequent hunting party at Dorian’s country estate, one of the hunters accidentally shoots and kills James, who was hiding in a thicket.

Some weeks later Dorian tells Henry that he has decided to become virtuous and recently decided against taking advantage of a young girl who was smitten with him. Dorian goes to see if the portrait has improved because of his honourable act, but he sees rather that it has acquired a look of cunning. He decides to destroy the portrait and stabs it with a knife. His servants hear a scream, and, when they arrive, they see a loathsome old man dead on the floor with a knife in his chest and a portrait of the beautiful young man he once was.

“There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book,” wrote Wilde. “Book are well written, or badly written. That is all.” The aphorisms that make up the “Preface” of Wilde’s novel were his response to those critics who had denounced the immorality and unhealthiness of this story after its scandalous first appearance in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine . However, for all its transgressive delights, The Picture of Dorian Gray could easily be read as a profoundly moral book, even a cautionary tale against the dangers of vice. Dorian’s descent into moral squalor is neither admirable nor enviable. Indeed, the beautiful boy is the least interesting character in the book that bears his name. To be sure, it is the epigrammatic wit of Lord Henry Wotton that encourages Dorian on his quest for sensuality and sensation, but Dorian’s values pervert the deeply serious Wildean ethic that they superficially resemble. Whereas Wilde’s essays advocated individualism and self-realization as a route to a richer life and a more just society, Dorian follows a path of hedonism, self-indulgence, and the objectification of others. It is nonetheless a story that poignantly reflects Wilde’s own double life and anticipates his own fall. Dorian’s negation, “Ugliness was the one reality,” neatly summarizes Wilde’s Aestheticism, both his love of the beautiful and his fascination with the profane.

Publication of the novel scandalized Victorian England, and The Picture of Dorian Gray was used as evidence against Wilde when he was tried and convicted in 1895 on charges related to homosexuality . The novel became a classic of English literature and was adapted into a number of films, most notably a 1945 version that was directed by Albert Lewin and received three Academy Award nominations .

77 The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best the picture of dorian gray topic ideas & essay examples, 🥇 most interesting the picture of dorian gray topics to write about, 📌 simple & easy the picture of dorian gray essay titles, ❓ dorian gray essay questions.

• Relationships Between Dorian Gray, Lord Henry, and Basil Hallward The relationships between Dorian Gray, Lord Henry, and Basil Hallward are all different yet interesting to analyze. The Picture of Dorian Gray explores topics of male friendship and feelings.
• Dorian Gray’s and Oscar Wilde’s Connection He completes the portrait of Dorian as he is, and he introduces Gray to Lord Henry, who is a friend of his that he thinks is not morally upright.
• Immorality in “The Portrait of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde The issue of immortality as portrayed in the novel ‘The Portrait of Dorian Gray’ is one of the main themes, which the novel unveils throughout its plot.
• Oscar Wilde’s “The Portrait of Dorian Gray”: The Problem of Deep-Rooted Evil At the outset, Dorian is the model of perfection of male youth and handsomeness. Dorian is totally taken in by Wotton’s glib flattery along with his fascinating theories, and begins developing a paranoia about youth, […]
• “The Picture of Dorian Gray”: The Question of Love in the Novel It turns out that the only pure love Dorian experiences is love to art, not to a woman. Dorian is deprived of the ability to love a woman.
• Youth and Beauty in Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray It is in the bounds of the story where the great saying, “the most beautiful flower is the rarest,” is witnessed.
• Aesthetics in Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” The story, as a monument to aestheticism, however, is supportive of the idea of individuality and shows not the Victorian disciplining of evil, but the aesthetic punishment of likelihood.
• Characters in Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Wilde uses the character of Dorian as a symbol of his ideas regarding the interaction of art and ethics. In it, assertions are made as to the inability of moral judgments to be made on […]
• LGBT Literature: “The Picture of Dorian Gray” The chosen book is Oscar Wilde’s 1891 classic: The Picture of Dorian Gray; a story carefully fashioned to affirm the tilt youths have toward beauty, and the extent most could go to retain that unique […]
• “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde: Dorian’s Life Philosophy and Double Life Answering the question why Dorian Gray was motivated to adopt his life philosophy and to lead a double life it is possible to look at the facts.
• Why Picture of Dorian Gray Is in the Canon? In the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian is a handsome man and wants to maintain that image. People do respect and value life in the novelThe Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The Importance of Being Bored: The Dividends of Ennui in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Falling Under the Influence: “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Genesis Allegory and Christian Symbolism in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Obsession, Destruction, and Control: A Film vs. Novel Comparison of “Whiplash” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Oscar Wilde, the Science of Heredity, and “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Free Reality and Its Metaphors in “Against Nature” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Murder and Mental Breakdown in “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Homoeroticism and Sexual Oppression in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Culture and Corruption: Paterian Self-Development Versus Gothic Degeneration in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• The Reader’s Sympathy for Dorian From Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Homosexual Desire and the Effacement of the Self in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• The Immorality Skills: The Fate of Characters and Ethics in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Wilde
• Dorian’s Progression Towards Morality and Responsibility in Oscar Wilde’s Novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Vampirism and the Bible in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Morality and the Role of the Moral Scale in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde
• Aestheticism, Homoeroticism, and Christian Guilt in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Oscar Wilde’s Aesthetic Gothic: Walter Pater, Dark Enlightenment, and “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Protestant Gothic: Understanding Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Love, Marriage, and Women in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde
• The Conflict Between Aestheticism and Morality in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Artists and Their Muses in Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and Woolf’s “To the Lighthouse”
• Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”: Presentation of Women in the Opening Chapters
• The Impossible Synthesis Between Hellenism and Hebraism in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• “The Picture of Dorian Gray”: Wilde’s Parable of the Fall
• Aestheticism and Social Anxiety in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• A Tragedy of the Artist: “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• The Power and Influence of Art in Oscar Wilde’s Work “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• The Link Between Ethics and Aesthetics in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Obsession With Physical Appearance in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde
• The Theme of Materialism in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Stoker’s “Dracula”, Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, and O’Brien’s “At Swim-Two-Birds”: In-Depth Critical Analysis
• The Relationship Between Beauty and Morality in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Figurative Language and Literary Devices Used in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• The Corruption Between the Characters in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• The Different Gothic Elements in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Understanding the Secretive Life of Characters in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• How Does Oscar Wilde Explore Self-Love in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• Themes, Motifs, and Symbols in Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• The Fall From Innocence Dorian in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• Hard Science, Soft Psychology, and Amorphous Art in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
• How Does the Preface of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Relate to the Story?
• What Is Henry’s Occupation in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• Does “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Allude to “Oedipus Rex”?
• Who Illustrated “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• How Old Is Basil in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• What Do Dorian and Lord Henry Have in Common in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• What Do Trees Symbolize in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• What Era Is “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Set in?
• What Is the Role of Innocence in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• Who Is David Stone in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• How Does Dorian Gray Die in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• What Was the Main Character in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Accused Of?
• What Is “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Tragic Flaw?
• What Type of Story Is “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• Why Is “The Picture of Dorian Gray” So Famous?
• Was the Hero in “The Picture of Dorian Gray” a Narcissist?
• What Sins Are Committed in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• Does Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Challenge the Values of the Aestheticism Movement?
• Who Is the Real Villain in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• Is “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Sexist?
• Is the Hero of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” a Psychopath?
• Why Is “The Picture of Dorian Gray” a Gothic Novel?
• What Is the Moral Lesson of “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• What Is the Irony in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”?
• Does “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Have a Happy Ending?
• Dracula Ideas
• Frankenstein Research Topics
• Surrealism Research Topics
• One Hundred Years of Solitude Titles
• Language Arts Research Topics
• Edgar Allan Poe Paper Topics
• Charles Dickens Topics
• Satire Essay Ideas
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, December 14). 77 The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/the-picture-of-dorian-gray-essay-topics/

"77 The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 14 Dec. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/the-picture-of-dorian-gray-essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2023) '77 The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 14 December.

IvyPanda . 2023. "77 The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." December 14, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/the-picture-of-dorian-gray-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "77 The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." December 14, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/the-picture-of-dorian-gray-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "77 The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." December 14, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/the-picture-of-dorian-gray-essay-topics/.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

By oscar wilde, the picture of dorian gray study guide.

The Picture of Dorian Gray , Oscar Wilde 's first and only novel, is a faustian story of a man who trades the purity of his soul for undying youth. It was written in 1889 and first published in the literary magazine Lippincott's Monthly in July, 1890 (Drew ix). This was a shorter version, without the preface or chapters 3, 5, or 15-18, which were added for later publication in 1891. These additional chapters, which are now indespensible aspects of the work, introduce the character of James Vane , the vengeful brother of one of the victims of Dorian's many careless affairs. At the time it was published, the novel elicited a sensational amount of negative criticism, with detractors condemning its homosexual undertones and seeming embrace of hedonistic values. The preface was written as a response to the unkind critics of the first edition, blaming them for failing to grasp Wilde's belief that art should be appreciated on purely aesthetic terms, without consideration of morality.

The central idea behind Wilde's reinterpretation of the Faust myth appeared several years before he began writing the novel, in the form of a spoken tale that the author would tell to friends, especially young admirers. Wilde was well aware of the story's debt to older tales of selling one's soul, youth, beauty, and power, freely admitting that it was a notion "that is old in the history of literature, but to which I have given a new form" (Drew xiv). This "new form" brings the idea of duplicity, of leading a double life, to the forefront of the tale, a theme that is much more dominant in Dorian Gray than it is in Marlowe's Doctor Faustus or Goethe's Faust , which is a typical characteristic of Wilde's work. This theme is explicitly explored, for instance, in the author's most celebrated play, The Importance of Being Earnest .

As Wilde's notoriety grew, mainly as a result of this novel's infamy, his enemies continued to use the homosexual undertones and seemingly immoral hedonistic values of Dorian Gray as an argument against his character. Such criticisms continued throughout his ruinous court appearances in 1895. At the time, any sort of homosexual act was a serious criminal offense in England. The first published version of the book from Lippincott's Monthly contained much more obvious allusions to physical love between Dorian and Lord Henry, and Dorian and Basil. Wilde had made a point of reducing these references in the revision, but the original version of the novel provided much fuel for his opponents' arguments.

After the trials, Wilde was briefly imprisoned, and his literary career never recovered. He moved to the European mainland and lived under an assumed name until his death, in a Paris hotel, in 1900. Wilde cited this novel as being primarily responsible for his ruin, speaking of "the note of Doom that like a purple thread runs through the cold cloth of Dorian Gray " (Drew xxvii). Only decades after Wilde's death would the work truly become respected as a literary masterpiece.

Despite the critical preoccupation with the book's seeming approval of alternative lifestyles, Dorian Gray is a novel that offers much more to both intellectual and artistically sensitive readers. It is primarily concerned with examining the complex relationships between life, art, beauty, and sin, while presenting a compellingly cynical portriat of high society life in Victorian-era London. It examines the role of art in social and personal life while warning against - despite Wilde's claims of artistic amorality - the dangers of unchecked vanity and superficiality.

The Picture of Dorian Gray Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Picture of Dorian Gray is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Why is James worried about his sister's suitor?

James is very jealous, protective of his sister, and suspicious of the situation, since Sibyl doesn't even seem to know her suitor's name.

picture of dorian gray

I think that Basil knows what Henry is capable. He doesn't want Henry's influence to turn Dorian from good to evil.

List all the sensory experiences mentioned in the first two paragraphs.

From the text:

The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses , and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac , or the more delicate perfume of the...

Study Guide for The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray study guide contains a biography of Oscar Wilde, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Picture of Dorian Gray
• The Picture of Dorian Gray Summary
• The Picture of Dorian Gray Video
• Character List

Essays for The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

• Morality and Immorality (The Picture of Dorian Gray and A Streetcar Named Desire)
• The Life of Secrecy
• Break On Through To the Other Side
• The Art of Immorality: Character Fate and Morality in Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray
• The Unconscious Image of the Conscious Mind

Lesson Plan for The Picture of Dorian Gray

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Picture of Dorian Gray
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Picture of Dorian Gray Bibliography

E-Text of The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray e-text contains the full text of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

• Chapters 1-4
• Chapters 5-8
• Chapters 9-12
• Chapters 13-16

Wikipedia Entries for The Picture of Dorian Gray

• Introduction
• Publication and versions

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The Picture of Dorian Gray — A Theme Of Beauty And Appearance In The Picture Of Dorian Gray

A Theme of Beauty and Appearance in The Picture of Dorian Gray

• Categories: Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray

About this sample

Words: 1031 |

Published: Dec 16, 2021

Words: 1031 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Works Cited

• Bristow, J. (2016). Oscar Wilde and the art of dying. In S. Nash (Ed.), Palgrave Studies in Nineteenth-Century Writing and Culture (pp. 161-182). Palgrave Macmillan.
• Ellmann, R. (1988). Oscar Wilde. Vintage.
• Freeman, N. (2009). Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray. In B. K. Reynolds (Ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Oscar Wilde (pp. 45-59). Cambridge University Press.
• Gillespie, M. (2011). Oscar Wilde and the creation of beauty. In M. T. Alkana & J. Bryant (Eds.), Oscar Wilde as a Character in Victorian Fiction (pp. 11-24). Palgrave Macmillan.
• Helford, E. R. (2016). Oscar Wilde: The importance of being Irish. Routledge.
• Lahr, J. (2018). The Picture of Dorian Gray: An annotated, uncensored edition. Harvard University Press.
• Lysaght, C. (2018). ‘The portrait and the artist’: Self-fashioning in The Picture of Dorian Gray. In M. K. Cornish, J. P. McCormack, & C. O'Sullivan (Eds.), Irish Literatures in Transition: A Companion (pp. 140-156). Cambridge University Press.
• Raby, P. (2012). The Cambridge companion to Oscar Wilde. Cambridge University Press.
• Raby, P. (2016). Wilde's "black novel": The picture of Dorian Gray. The Wildean, 48, 4-28.
• Wilde, O. (1890). The Picture of Dorian Gray. Ward, Lock, and Co.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

• Expert in: Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

6 pages / 2729 words

3.5 pages / 1498 words

4 pages / 1725 words

3 pages / 1393 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is a classic exploration of the duality of human nature. In chapter 11, this theme is particularly evident as we see the internal struggle and moral decay of the protagonist, [...]

Throughout history, art has played a major role in portraying the structure of society and the different roles people play in it. In Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, art seems to dictate the life of young Dorian [...]

Throughout the Gothic novel Dracula, Stoker uses symbology and imagery to reveal social anxieties and fears of the late Victorian era, for example the use of animalistic description and blood. Wilde, in his own Gothic novel [...]

The Picture of Dorian Gray demonstrates a divide between aestheticism and morality that Oscars Wilde depicts by giving each character a very specific persona that either challenges or indulges in the immoral vices of life. [...]

«The book gives a person the opportunity to rise above himself» Andre Maurois Books are our guides to life. They guide us, when we are at the crossroads, support when we are ill, give advice, give us the experience [...]

In Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, the concept of influence is clearly reflected in two different characters and in two different forms, and juxtaposes them though the main character and his reaction to the two [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

The Picture of Dorian Gray

61 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-9

Chapters 10-16

Chapters 17-20

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Perform a detailed character analysis of Dorian Gray . What thematic message does Wilde develop through both Dorian’s traits and his character arc?

Perform a detailed analysis of Dorian Gray’s portrait. What message does Wilde assert through the visual and thematic presence of the painting?

Use outside sources that give historical context for the homosexual male experience during the time period in which The Picture of Dorian Gray takes place. Then, situate Basil Hallward within this context. Through Basil, what is Wilde communicating about the homosexual male experience of the era?

Related Titles

By Oscar Wilde

An Ideal Husband

A Woman of No Importance

De Profundis

Lady Windermere's Fan

Lord Arthur Savile's Crime

The Ballad Of Reading Gaol

The Canterville Ghost

The Decay of Lying

The Importance of Being Earnest

The Nightingale and the Rose

The Selfish Giant

The Soul of Man Under Socialism

Featured Collections

View Collection

Books About Art

British Literature

Good & Evil

Irish Literature

Summer Reading

Victorian Literature

Victorian Literature / Period

The Impact and Intricacies of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

This essay about “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” examines the film’s impact and intricacies as the first part of the series’ epic conclusion. Directed by David Yates the movie follows Harry Hermione and Ron on a perilous mission to destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes. It highlights the darker more mature themes of the story focusing on the characters’ development and the strain on their relationships. The essay also discusses the stellar performances of the main and supporting cast the film’s stunning visuals and special effects and the emotional and atmospheric score by Alexandre Desplat. The movie successfully sets the stage for the series’ grand finale balancing action emotion and suspense.

How it works

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” released in 2010 marks the beginning of the epic conclusion to J.K. Rowling’s beloved series. Directed by David Yates this penultimate installment plunges viewers into a darker more mature narrative capturing the essence of the book while setting the stage for the final battle between Harry Potter and Voldemort. As the story transitions from the familiar halls of Hogwarts to the vast perilous world beyond the film explores themes of loyalty sacrifice and the harrowing journey towards adulthood.

The film opens with a sense of foreboding and urgency. The wizarding world is under siege with Voldemort and his Death Eaters tightening their grip on power. Harry Hermione and Ron are on the run leaving the safety of their school to undertake a dangerous mission: to find and destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes the objects containing fragments of his soul. This quest propels them into a series of perilous adventures testing their friendship and resilience. The sense of isolation and vulnerability is palpable as the trio navigates through forests desolate landscapes and hostile territories always under the threat of capture or death.

One of the film’s strengths lies in its character development. The actors who have grown up alongside their characters deliver some of their most nuanced performances. Daniel Radcliffe portrays Harry with a mix of determination and vulnerability capturing the weight of his responsibility and the toll it takes on him. Emma Watson’s Hermione is resourceful and steadfast providing both intellectual and emotional support to the group. Rupert Grint as Ron brings depth to his character showcasing moments of jealousy fear and ultimately unwavering loyalty. Their interactions and the strain on their relationships are portrayed with authenticity making their bond all the more compelling.

The film also benefits from its stellar supporting cast. Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort is chillingly malevolent exuding an aura of menace and power. Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange is both terrifying and captivating embodying the sadistic fervor of her character. The film features several poignant moments such as the death of Dobby the house-elf which serves as a poignant reminder of the high stakes and the cost of the fight against evil.

Visually “The Deathly Hallows: Part 1” is stunning. The cinematography captures the bleakness and beauty of the various locations from the dark foreboding forests to the stark wintry landscapes. The use of special effects is seamless enhancing the magical elements without overwhelming the story. The scenes involving the Horcruxes are particularly well-executed conveying the malevolent influence of these dark objects and the psychological strain they impose on the trio.

The film’s score composed by Alexandre Desplat adds to the overall atmosphere blending haunting melodies with moments of tension and drama. The music underscores the emotional beats of the film enhancing the viewer’s connection to the characters and their plight.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” is not without its criticisms. Some viewers felt the pacing was slow with the extended sequences of the trio camping and hiding dragging down the narrative momentum. However these moments serve to highlight the loneliness and desperation of their situation emphasizing the relentless nature of their quest. The decision to split the final book into two films allowed for a more detailed exploration of the story though it did mean that this first part ends on a cliffhanger leaving audiences eagerly anticipating the conclusion.

Overall “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” successfully sets the stage for the grand finale. It delves deep into the characters’ psyches explores complex themes and builds a sense of impending doom that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. As a penultimate chapter it balances action emotion and suspense making it a worthy addition to the Harry Potter saga. The film serves as a reminder of the power of friendship the importance of courage and the enduring fight against tyranny and darkness.

Remember this essay is a starting point for inspiration and further research. For more personalized assistance and to ensure your essay meets all academic standards consider reaching out to professionals at EduBirdie .

Cite this page

The Impact and Intricacies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. (2024, Jul 06). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-and-intricacies-of-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1/

"The Impact and Intricacies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1." PapersOwl.com , 6 Jul 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-and-intricacies-of-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Impact and Intricacies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-and-intricacies-of-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1/ [Accessed: 8 Jul. 2024]

"The Impact and Intricacies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1." PapersOwl.com, Jul 06, 2024. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-and-intricacies-of-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1/

"The Impact and Intricacies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1," PapersOwl.com , 06-Jul-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-and-intricacies-of-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1/. [Accessed: 8-Jul-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). The Impact and Intricacies of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/the-impact-and-intricacies-of-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1/ [Accessed: 8-Jul-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

Book Bans Are on the Rise. But Fear of Fiction Is Nothing New.

Nearly 2,400 years ago, Plato worried that stories could corrupt susceptible minds. Moral panics over fiction have been common ever since.

For Plato, storytelling was a license for bad behavior. Credit... Ricardo Tomás; Photos, via Getty Images

Supported by

• Share full article

By Lyta Gold

Lyta Gold is an essayist and fiction writer, and the author of “Dangerous Fictions: The Fear of Fantasy and the Invention of Reality,” which will be published in October and from which this essay is adapted.

• July 1, 2024

The fear of fiction waxes and wanes, spiking every couple of decades like some kind of hysterical cicada. The current wave of book bans may be the worst since the 1980s, but we’ve seen this sort of thing before, and we’ll see it again.

The ’80s bans were driven by religious conservatives, dovetailing with the “ satanic panic ” over books and games involving magic, such as Dungeons & Dragons. Before that, in the 1950s, anxiety centered on trashy paperback novels and comics, which were said to cause “moral damage” and a “loss of ideals” in young people that would invariably lead to a life of crime. In the 1920s and early 1930s, the culprits were sexy Hollywood movies and modernist novels such as “Ulysses,” which — lest people engage in too much sex and modernism — resulted in the Hays Code and more book bans.

Earlier still, at the turn of the 20th century, people blamed America’s problems on dirty books and images that could be ordered through the mail. In the centuries before that, there were bouts of concern over penny dreadfuls, women’s novels, chivalric romances and comedic plays, going back through the ages to the fourth century B.C., when Plato declared in “The Republic” that all stories and other artistic “imitations” of reality — including poetry, music and painting — were unacceptable in an ideal society unless they could be proved to impart rational, wholesome values.

While the context changes, fear of fiction seems always to boil down to fear of one’s society and the people who live in it. Other people’s minds are frightening because they are inaccessible to us; one way we can know them is through their representations in fiction. We know that fiction affects us profoundly and mysteriously, and that other people are affected just as strongly and unpredictably as we are. Which means it’s at least theoretically possible that art could seduce our fellow citizens into wicked beliefs.

Moral panics over fiction are common in democracies, because the inner lives and motives of others matter a great deal in a democracy, arguably more so than in other political systems where people have less direct control over their social experience — and less freedom of expression. In a democracy, your fellow citizens can organize for social progress or encourage the passage of draconian laws that terrorize minorities. Fear of other people, and how they might work together to shift reality, is the reason the contest over written language so often extends to the realm of make-believe — of fiction. Fiction is the story of other people; this is what makes it dangerous.

Most histories of dangerous fiction begin with Plato, though anxiety about the pernicious effect of stories can be found in fragments of work by earlier Greek philosophers, who criticized the epic poetry of their day for portraying the gods as murderous, adulterous jerks. In “The Republic,” Plato expands on these early concerns: When people encounter stories about gods and heroes behaving badly, what stops them from imitating what they hear? When the poets sing about Achilles mourning Patroclus, won’t the audience think it’s OK to cry over dead loved ones, like a woman? When Achilles looks Agamemnon in the face and calls him a “winebibber, with the eyes of a dog and the heart of a deer” — I mean, what if you said that to your dad? A cop? The president?

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Advertisement