The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

1. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

2. Biographie Plot Characters Themes Motifs Symbol(s)

3. I. Biographie Oscar Fingal O’Flaherty Wilde *16 October 1854 in Dublin 30 November 1900 in Paris having converted to Roman-Catholicismon his deathbed. - Son of an eminenteye-surgeron & a nationalistpoetesswhowroteunder the pseudonym « Speranza » . - Went to Trinity College(Dublin) then Magdalen College (Oxford), whrehebegan to propagandize the new Aesthetic or « Art for Art’sSake » Movement. - Failed to obtain an Oxford scholarship, despitewinning the NewdigatePrize for Poetry and wasforced to earn a living by lecturing and writting for periodicals. - 1881 : published an unsuccessful volume of poems. - 1884 : married Constance Lloyd, withwhomhehad a daughter, Vyvyan Wilde in 1886. - 1886 : meets Robert Ross withwhomhe has his first homosexualexperience, but the two remain good friends.

4. In the artistic world of Victorian London, Wilde fell in the artisticcrowdthatincluded • W.B.Yeats ( a great irish poet) & LillieLangtry ( actress and mistress to the Prince of Wales). • A greatconversationalist and a famouswit, hebegan by publishingmediocrepoetry but soonarrived • Widespreadfameforhiscomicplays. • First playwasnamed « Vera » 1880 • The mostfamous one « The Importance of Being Earnest » 1885 • He published « The Picture of Dorian Gray » beforehereached the height of hisfame. • 1st edition in 1890 => critizied as scandalous and immoral. • Disappointedwithitsreceptionherevised the novel in 1891 , adding a preface and 6 new chapters. • - 1891 : began a relationshipwith Lord Alfred Douglas, an aspiring but ratheruntalentedpoet. The • affaircaused a good deal scandal and Douglasesfather, the Marquess of Queensberry, eventually • criticizeditpublicly. • 1895 : sentenced to 2 years of hard labor for « acts of grossindecencywithanother male person » , • duringwhich time hewrote a long heartbreakingletter to Alfred « De Profundis » • Afterhis release, heleftEngland and dividedhis time btw France & Italy, living in povrety. • He neverpublishedunderisownnameagain but in 1898 underpseudonym • « The Ballad of Reading Gaol» : a long poem about a prisoner’sgrowing feelings towardsanother • prisoner about to beexecuted.

5. II.Plot In the stately home of Lady Brandon, the well-knownartist Basil Hallwardmeets Dorian Gray, a cultured, wealthy and impos´siblybeautifulyoung man whoimmediatly captures Basilsartistic imagination. Dorian sits for several portraits and Basil oftendepictshim as an ancientGreekhero or a mythological figure. When the novel opens, the artistiscompletinghis 1st prtrait of Dorian , as hetrulyis, but as headmits to hisfriend Lord Henry Wotton, the painting disappointshimbecauseitreveals to much of his feelings for hissubject. Lord Henry, a famouswitwhoenjoysscandalizinghisfriends by celebratingyouth,beauty and the selfishpursuit of pleasure, disgrees, claimingthat the painting isBasil’smasterpiece. Dorian arrives at the atelier and Basil reluctantlyintroduceshim to L.Henry, whohefearswill have a damaging influence on the impressionable lad. Basil’sfears are wellfoundedthenbefore the end of their 1st conversation, L.Henryupsets Dorian with a speech about the transient nature of beauty and youth.Worriedthatthese, hismost impressive characteristics, are fading day by day. Dorian curseshis portrait, whichhebelieveswill one dayremindhim of the beauty hewill have lost. In a fit of distress, hepledgeshis soul if only the painting couldbear the burden of age, allowinghim to stayforeveryoung. AfterDorian’soutburst, L.Henryreaffirmshisdesire to own the portrait however Basil insists the portrait belongs to Dorian.

6. Overthe nextweeks, L.Henrys influence over Dorian growsstronger. The lad becomes a disciple of the « New Hedonism » and proposes to live a life to the pursuit of pleasure. He falls in love with Sibyl Vane, a youngactresswhoperforms in a theater in London’sslums. He adores her acting; she in turnrefers to him as « Prince Charming » and refuses to heed the warnings of herbrother James Vane, that Dorian is no good for her. Overcoming by her feelings, shedecidesthatshecan no longer act, wondering how shecanpretend to love on stage nowthatshe has experienced the real thing. But Dorian who loves herbecause of herability to act, cruelly breaks his engagement withher. Afterdoingso, hereturns home to notice thathis face in Basil’s portrait of him has changed: itnowsneers. Frightenedthathiswish has come true and thathissinswillrecorded on the canvas, heresolves to makeamendswith Sibyl. However, L.Henrybrings news that S has killedherself. AtL.Henry’surgíng Dorian decides to considerthat as a sort of artistictriumph-shepersonifiedtragedy-and to put the matterbehindhim. L.Henrygives Dorian a bookthatdescribes the wicked exploits of an 19th centuryFrenchman, itbecomesDorian’s bible as hesinksdeeperinto a life of sin and corruption. He lives a life devoted to gathering new experiences and sensations with no regards for conventional standards of morality or the consequences of his actions.

7. 18 years pass. Dorian‘sreputationsuffers in circlepolite London society, whererumorsspreadregardinghisscandalousexploits. His peersnonethelesscontinuetoaccepthimbecauseremainsandbeautiful. The figure in thepaintinghowevergrowsincreaslyhideousandwizened. On a darkfoggynight, Basil arrivesatDorian‘shousetoconfronthimabouttherumorsthatplaguehisreputation. The twoarguesand Dorian offers Basil a lookathissoul, byshowingthenowhideousportrait. Basil horrified, begstorepent but Dorian claimsitistoolateforpenanceandkills Basil in a fit of rage. I n order todisposeofthebody, Dorian employsthehelpof an estrangedfriend, whom he blackmails. The night after themurder, dorianmakeshiswayto an opium den, whre he encounters James Vane whoattemptstoavengehissister. Dorian escapestohiscountryestate. But whileentertainingguests, he notices James peering in thewindowandbecomeswreckedwithfearandguilt. When a huntingpartyaccidentllyshootsandkills James , Dorian feelssafeagain. He resolvestoamendhslife but cannot muster thecouragetoconfesshiscrimesandthepaintingnowrevealshissupposeddesiretorepentforwhatitis : HYPOCRISY. In a fury Dorian picksup a knifeandattemptstodestroythepainting . Thereis a crashandhisseravnts enter to find theportrait, unharmed, showing Dorian Gray asabeautifulyoung man. On thefloor lies thebodyoftheirmaster, an oldman,horriblywrinkledanddisfiguredwith a knifeplungedintohisheart.

8. III.Characters Dorian Gray : • Existsatthebeginingassomethingof an ideal : he isthearchtypeof male youth & beauty. He‘sdescribedas „handsome, withfinely-curvedlips, frank eyesandcrispgoldhair.“ • Is exceptionallyvainandhisvulnerability & insecuritymakehimexcellentclayforL.Henry‘swillinghands. • His relationshipwith Sibyl testshiscommitmentwithhisnewphilosophy: hislovefortheyoungactressnearlyleadshimtodispensewithL.Henry‘steaching but hisloveprovestobeasshallowas he is. • He seemsto lack a conscience but thedesiretorepentthat he evntuallyfeelsillustratesthat he isindeed human. But despitethebeautifulthings he surroundshimself he isunabletodistracthimselffromthedissipationofhissoul. • The murderof Basil marksthebeginingofhis end although in thepast he hasbeenabletosweepinfamiesfromhismind , he cannotshakethethought he haskilledhisownfriend. • In the end , he seemspunishedbyabilitytobeinfluenced.

9. Lord Henry Wotton : - „… [tall and graceful man with] olive-coloured face and worn expression… [has a low, languid voice and cool, white, flower-like hands ] “ • A man possesed of “wrong, fascinating, poisonous and delightful theories.” He is a charming talker, a famous wit and a brilliant intellect. • His theories aim to shock and purposefully attempt to topple established, untested or conventional notions of thruth. But in the end they prove to be naïve and he fails to realize the implications of most of what he says. • Is a static character since he does not undergo any changes in the novel and because of that his philosophy seems amusing and enticing in the 1st half of the book but then later only improbable and shallow. • He claims – in Chap.9 – that there are no immoral books : “ the book that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame” but is difficult to accept it to be true. • Although he proclaims himself a hedonist he lives a rather staid life, he thus has little notion of the practical effects of his philosophy. • Has a limitation of understanding the human soul.

10. Basil Hallward : • A talented, thoughsomewhatconventionallymindedpainter. • His lovefor Dorian changestheway he seesartandhisportraitof Dorian marks a nwephaseofhiscareer. • Becauseofhisfearthat he hadputtoomuchofhimselfintoDorian‘sportrait he worriesthathislove, which he describesas„idolatry“ istooapparent. • He believesthatartisalwaysmoreabstractthanonethinksandthatthepaintingbetraysnothingexcept form andcolor. • He seekstoprotect Dorian but hiscommitmentultimatelyproves fatal, revealsthedepthofhisloveforhisfavoritesubjectandhisconcernforthesafetyandsalvationofDorian‘ssoul.

11. IV. Themes • The Purposeof Art: ist purposeistohavenoart. One must considerthemoralclimateofWilde‘s time andtheVictoiansensibilityregardingartandmoralty. The Victoriansbelievedthatartcouldbeusedas a toolforsocialeducationandmoralenlightment.TheAesthetic Movement soughttofreeartfromthisrespnsability. • The Supremacyof Youth and Beauty : the 1st principleoftheAestheticismisthatartserversnootherpurposethentoofferbeauty. Thoughtoutthe hole novelbeautyreignsas : - a meanstorevitalizetheweariedsenses; - a meansofescapingthebrutalitiesoftheworld • The SuperficialNature of Society : itis a societyfounded on loveas a surface, whatmattersmostisif a man ishandsome . • The Negative ConsequencesofInfluence : painting+ yellowbook.

12. V. Motifs • The Homoerotic Male Relationship : plays a large role in thenovel. The camaderiebtwmenfitsintoWilde‘saestheticvalues, foritreturnshimtoAntiquitywhere an appreciationofyouthandbeauty was not only fundamental toculture but was also expressedas a physicalrelationshipbtwmen. As a homosexual living in an intolerentsociety , he assertedthisphilosophypartially in an attempttojustifyhisownlifestyle. • The Color White : „thewhitepurityofDoriansboyhood“. As Basil staresattheruinedportrait , he quotes a biblicalversefromthebookof Isaiah : „ Thoughyoursinsbeasscarlet, yet I will makethemaswhiteassnow.“

13. VI. Symbols • The opiumdens: sordidstateofDoriansmindandreflectthedegradationofhissoul. • James Vane: carricatureoftheavenging relative. Almosthas a spectralquality. • The YellowBook: representstheprofoundanddamaginginfluencethatartcanhaveover an individual andservesas a warningtothosewhowould surrender themselves so completlyto such an influence.

14. VII. Elements ofGothic Fiction • The devil; • The scaryatmosphere; • The bargainwiththedevil; • The secretroom; • The supernatural; • The doppelgängermotif; • The sudden break-out ofviolence; • „Bad“ science; • Magicalobjectsand total dedicationtobeautifulthings.