The Picture of Dorian Gray is a fascinating novel written by Oscar Wilde. The plot revolves around a man who sacrifices his inner soul for a lifetime of pleasure and beauty. He never cared about his actions. The ending of the story will teach you amazing lessons.
This article will summarize this novel. Further, I will provide the takeaways after reading this masterpiece. The topics going to be discussed are:
- Author
- Characters
- Summary
- Themes
- Literary Analysis
- Symbols
- Review
- Pros and Cons
- Moral Lessons
- Conclusion
Author
“When was The Picture of Dorian Gray published?” This novel was written by Oscar Wilde during the Victorian era in the 19th century, around 1890. It is a classic work of literature. It’s a gothic fictional work that introduced me to the important facts. The story emphasizes the results of our actions. Oscar Wilde prompted the themes of humanity and kindness in his books. Some famous books of Oscar Wilde are;
Characters
You can see these characters in this book:
Dorian Gray
He is the main person in the book. The author portrayed him as a beautiful boy who looks attractive. He lost his morality while searching for pleasure.
Basil Hallward
He is Dorian’s friend who painted the picture.
Lord Henry
He becomes Dorian’s friend through Dorian through Basil. The author presented Henry as a guy who always adores Dorian’s beauty. He never gave a good suggestion to Dorian.
Sibyl Vane
She is an actress in the book. Dorian fell in love with her acting skills.
The Picture Of Dorian Gray Summary
Oscar Wilde wrote this beautiful novel back in the Victorian age. He has presented the consequences of presenting the soul for getting pleasure. The same things happened to Dorian Gray. He is the main character of the story. He seems a young beautiful boy.
Setting
The setting of the story starts when Basil Hallward is painting an attractive picture. His friend Henry asked him about the boy in the picture. Basil didn’t tell him about Dorian. During the conversation, Dorian came to Basil. He talked with Henry. They both become friends.
While Dorian was looking at his picture, Henry told him that one day he would lose his beauty and age. This sentence saddened Dorian. In exchange, Dorian made a hedonistic deal. He sold his soul to the devil and prayed that may he remain young forever. Further, he asked for the painting to age instead of him.
Dorian and The Love
The story runs when Dorian falls in love with a famous actress named Sibyl. She was impressed with Dorian’s beauty. They both engaged but soon Dorian left her. He told her that she was no longer good at acting. The girl was broken and took her life.
Dorian went into depression but Henry changed his heart. Henry gave him the wrong suggestions. This thing had turned Dorian into an evil soul. His heart went crazy and he lost his moral values. Day by day, Dorian remained young but the painting was getting older and uglier. James, who was Sibyl’s brother tried to catch her sister’s killer but soon died.
Basil Came To Dorian
Basil, who made paintings visited Dorian after years. He went into shock after watching Painting. He was astonished after learning about Dorian’s deal. He told him to repent but Dorian killed him. Now Dorian was feeling morally corrupt. His inner soul turned into a wild animal from a humble boy. He wanted to seek forgiveness.
Ending
The story ends in a twisting way. Dorian felt sad about his deal. He asked for forgiveness of his sins. The servant came to the room and saw the painting looking young and beautiful while an ugly old man was lying dead on the floor. The man was Dorian Gray who faced consequences.
Literary Analysis
This novel explains the double standards of humans. Dorian concealed his kindness by dominating his evil habits. Further, Aestheticism is a prominent element. Dorian was too much to indulge in his beauty and look. His pride over beauty prevented him from his lover. Moreover, he loses his real personality in pursuit of pleasure.
- The author mentioned the consequences of actions at the end. Bad suggestions can ruin human nature. Henry appreciated Dorian despite his faults. This cost him a huge.
Themes Explored
You will find these themes:
Corruption and Moral Loss
Dorian wanted to look young always. His quest for looking beautiful and young leads to personal decay. His soul becomes wild.
Aestheticism
The novel was written in the Victorian era. The human beings were attached to their appearance along with art. The main character of the story was the same as the era. He lost his internal charm in getting materialistic things.
Hedonism
The author emphasized the effects of extreme hedonism on humans. It is a philosophical term that believes happiness is above life. Dorian did the same thing and regretted it later.
Symbols
If you overgo through this fictional work, many scenarios convey strong symbols. The Rose symbolizes Dorian’s innocence while the mirror reflection elucidates the dark side of the protagonist.
Review
I have provided reviews of multiple books on my site. This novel is one of my favorites. I learned about the things that mattered as a human being. We look for opportunities and happiness but we should never lose our identity in such things.
- Further, the ending of this novel is fascinating to me. The writing style was thought-provoking with strong themes. You can even portray characters’ images in your thoughts.
Pros
Some important keys from the book are:
- The themes elaborated were outstanding.
- Story closing enhanced my positive feedback.
- You need a calming environment while reading this book.
Cons
- You will hate Dorian when he betrays precious relations. I didn’t like this thing. Overall, this book needs a reading.
Moral Lessons
Here are major life lessons from this book:
- It is good to search for happiness but never stay away from the right path.
- We should care for our loved ones.
- Bad suggestions can morally corrupt us.
Conclusion: The Picture Of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde
This article includes The Picture Of Dorian Gray’s Summary and Analysis with themes. The plot was about a man who went in pursuit of happiness but lost his inner soul. He became morally corrupt which cost him a huge.
- You can visit my website for more reviews.