essay questions on the picture of dorian gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray

By oscar wilde, the picture of dorian gray essay questions.

In the preface, Wilde claims that there is "no such thing as a moral or an immoral book," and that an "ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style." Yet Dorian's eventual ruin suggests a strong moral warning against the protagonist's vanity and selfishness. Is Wilde breaking his own rules and exhibiting "an unpardonable mannerism of style"? Or is the book meant to be read amorally?

Lord Henry and Dorian claim to be artists in the way they live their lives. Is this true, based on Wilde's definition of the artist, as expressed in the preface? Is this true based on your own definition?

Time moves linearly in The Picture of Dorian Gray , but not in even increments. Discuss the passage of time in the novel and how it influences our impression of characters and events. Be sure to touch on the glossing-over of 18 years in chapter 11.

When Basil confronts Dorian about the fact that he has allegedly corrupted many people, Dorian defends himself by saying that "Each of us has Heaven and Hell in him." Is Dorian responsible for the ruined lives of his friends? Is Lord Henry responsible for the ruined life of Dorian?

Dorian is outwardly young and charming, and inwardly old and corrupt. He is decidedly inconsistent in his social interactions and intellectal interests, while extremely consistent in appearance. Discuss the theme of duplicity throughout the novel.

In chapter 11, we encounter a peculiar first-person interjection from the narrator: "Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think not." Does this voice, or this argument, remind you of any of the characters in the novel? Discuss Wilde's narrative voice in three or four instances. How does it relate to the different characters, does it seem to espouse similar views, or to sympathize with certain people more than others? Are we expected to trust the narrator on every occasion? What does this tell us about how the story is told?

At the time of its publication, The Picture of Dorian Gray sparked countless debates about the role of morality in art. What is your contribution to this debate? Do artists have the responsibility to convey good morals to their audience?

In 1895, the critic Ernest Newman, in a discussion of Wilde's contribution to literary thought, celebrated the author's use of paradoxes, saying that "a paradox is a truth seen round a corner" (Drew xxv). Countless paradoxes appear in The Picture of Dorian Gray , most often in the words of Lord Henry Wotton. Identify and discuss several paradoxes in the novel.

Traditionally, faustian tales contain explicit depictions of the protagonist's pact with the devil, giving a clearly defined source for his later woes. But the closest Wilde comes to identifying the reason for the portrait's metaphyisical powers is in chapter 8, when Dorian wonders if there is somehow "some subtle affinity between the chemical atoms, that shaped themselves into form and colour on the canvas, and the soul that was within." Wilde seems content to leave the actual mechanism by which the portrait ages and withers instead of Dorian completely unexplained. How does this affect our overall impression of the novel? How would the work be different if it included, for instance, a scene in which Mephistofoles appears and has Dorian sign a contract?

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
• 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

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111 The Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is a classic novel that explores themes of vanity, morality, and the consequences of living a life driven by pleasure. If you are tasked with writing an essay on this literary masterpiece, you may be struggling to come up with a topic that will set your paper apart from the rest. To help you out, here are 111 essay topic ideas and examples that will inspire you to create a unique and compelling piece of writing:

• The role of beauty in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The consequences of Dorian Gray's decision to sell his soul for eternal youth.
• The theme of morality in the novel.
• The symbolism of the portrait in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The influence of Lord Henry on Dorian Gray's transformation.
• The representation of women in the novel.
• The significance of Dorian Gray's relationship with Sibyl Vane.
• The impact of society on Dorian Gray's behavior.
• The portrayal of hedonism in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The motif of decay in the novel.
• The role of art in Dorian Gray's life.
• The depiction of masculinity in the novel.
• The theme of appearance versus reality in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The use of irony in the novel.
• The portrayal of friendship in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The theme of narcissism in the novel.
• The symbolism of the yellow book in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The representation of homosexuality in the novel.
• The motif of guilt and redemption in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The impact of Dorian Gray's actions on the people around him.
• The theme of power and control in the novel.
• The significance of the setting in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The role of music in the novel.
• The representation of religion in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The theme of time in the novel.
• The portrayal of corruption in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The motif of masks and disguises in the novel.
• The impact of the supernatural elements in the novel.
• The symbolism of colors in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The theme of fate in the novel.
• The representation of violence in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The motif of mirrors in the novel.
• The role of women in influencing Dorian Gray's behavior.
• The theme of artifice in the novel.
• The depiction of addiction in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The motif of duality in the novel.
• The impact of Dorian Gray's beauty on his life.
• The theme of immortality in the novel.
• The representation of class in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The symbolism of the painting's transformation in the novel.
• The role of the senses in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The theme of individualism in the novel.
• The portrayal of madness in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The motif of mirrors and reflections in the novel.
• The impact of Dorian Gray's upbringing on his behavior.
• The theme of punishment and redemption in the novel.
• The significance of the characters' names in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The representation of the male gaze in the novel.
• The motif of mirrors and shadows in the novel.
• The role of art in Dorian Gray's transformation.
• The theme of temptation in the novel.
• The symbolism of the opium dens in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The impact of the yellow book on Dorian Gray's behavior.
• The representation of beauty in the novel.
• The theme of corruption and decay in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The role of the senses in Dorian Gray's hedonistic lifestyle.
• The motif of masks and personas in the novel.
• The significance of the portrait's transformation in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The portrayal of violence and sexuality in the novel.
• The theme of obsession in Dorian Gray's life.
• The symbolism of mirrors and reflections in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The impact of Dorian Gray's lifestyle on his mental health.
• The representation of addiction and excess in the novel.
• The motif of transformation and metamorphosis in the novel.
• The role of society in shaping Dorian Gray's behavior.
• The theme of art and creation in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The significance of the portrait as a symbol of Dorian Gray's soul.
• The portrayal of beauty and ugliness in the novel.
• The symbolism of the yellow book as a corrupting influence.
• The theme of morality and ethics in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The impact of Dorian Gray's actions on his relationships.
• The representation of the supernatural in the novel.
• The motif of mirrors and reflections as a metaphor for self-reflection.
• The role of music and art in Dorian Gray's life.
• The theme of sin and redemption in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The symbolism of the opium dens as a symbol of decadence.
• The significance of Dorian Gray's descent into madness.
• The portrayal of innocence and corruption in the novel.
• The motif of masks and deception in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The impact of Dorian Gray's beauty on his self-image.
• The theme of pleasure and pain in the novel.
• The representation of masculinity and femininity in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The symbolism of the portrait's aging process in the novel.
• The role of the senses in Dorian Gray's perception of reality.
• The theme of secrecy and hidden desires in the novel.
• The significance of the painting's role in Dorian Gray's transformation.
• The portrayal of society's expectations in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The motif of mirrors and reflections as a symbol of vanity.
• The impact of Dorian Gray's lifestyle on his mental and physical health.
• The theme of betrayal and loyalty in the novel.
• The symbolism of the portrait as a reflection of Dorian Gray's soul.
• The representation of beauty as a destructive force in the novel.
• The motif of masks and disguises as a way of hiding one's true self.
• The role of art in Dorian Gray's descent into madness.
• The theme of hypocrisy and deceit in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The significance of the portrait as a symbol of Dorian Gray's inner self.
• The portrayal of beauty as a source of power in the novel.
• The symbolism of the portrait as a mirror of Dorian Gray's soul.
• The impact of Dorian Gray's actions on his mental and physical well-being.
• The theme of self-destruction and self-preservation in the novel.
• The representation of the portrait as a reflection of Dorian Gray's true nature.
• The motif of mirrors and reflections as a symbol of vanity and self-absorption.
• The role of art and aesthetics in Dorian Gray's life.
• The theme of hedonism and excess in The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• The significance of the portrait as a symbol of Dorian Gray's inner turmoil.
• The portrayal of beauty as a curse in the novel.
• The symbolism of the portrait as a mirror of Dorian Gray's sins.
• The impact of Dorian Gray's lifestyle on his relationships and friendships.
• The representation of beauty as a dangerous and destructive force in the novel.
• The motif of mirrors and reflections as a metaphor for self-deception and self-delusion.

With these essay topic ideas and examples, you are sure to find inspiration for your paper on The Picture of Dorian Gray. Whether you choose to explore themes of beauty, morality, or corruption, there are endless possibilities for analysis and interpretation in Wilde's novel. Good luck with your essay writing!

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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 and His Downfall Since Basil is the one to introduce the audience to Dorian by describing him in detail, it is only natural to start the assessment of Dorian’s relationships with other characters wit. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• “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.
• 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, […]
• 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?
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The Picture of Dorian Gray

By oscar wilde.

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• Dorian Gray goes through a number of changes in the book, but it's arguable that his character or his actual nature doesn't really change that much. In an essay, develop an argument about whether or not Dorian develops as a character. Some questions to consider while writing: Does Dorian's moral system change, or does it remain static? How do Dorian's appearance and the appearance of his portrait support your argument?

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The Picture of Dorian Gray

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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?

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — The Picture of Dorian Gray

Essays on The Picture of Dorian Gray

Prompt examples for "the picture of dorian gray" essays, the nature of beauty and corruption.

Discuss the central theme of beauty and corruption in "The Picture of Dorian Gray." How does Dorian Gray's obsession with physical appearance lead to moral decay? Analyze the symbolism of the portrait and its role in the story.

Morality and Consequences

Explore the moral dilemmas faced by the characters in the novel. How do their choices and actions reflect the consequences of their moral beliefs or lack thereof? Analyze the role of Lord Henry's hedonistic philosophy in influencing Dorian's decisions.

The Portrait as a Reflection of the Soul

Analyze the concept of the portrait as a reflection of Dorian's inner self. How does the portrait's transformation mirror Dorian's moral corruption? Discuss the symbolism of the portrait's deteriorating appearance.

The Influence of Society and Peer Pressure

Discuss the influence of society and peer pressure on Dorian Gray's character development. How do societal norms and the expectations of his peers contribute to his descent into decadence? Analyze the role of conformity and rebellion.

Oscar Wilde's Critique of Victorian Society

Examine how Oscar Wilde critiques Victorian society in "The Picture of Dorian Gray." How does the novel challenge conventional moral values, social hypocrisy, and the repression of desires? Discuss Wilde's use of wit and satire.

The Theme of Art and Aestheticism

Analyze the theme of art and aestheticism in the novel. How does Dorian's pursuit of aesthetic experiences and his rejection of morality reflect the aesthetic movement of the late 19th century? Discuss the tension between art and ethics.

The Duality of Human Nature in Dorian Gray Chapter 11

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The Art of Immorality in The Picture of Dorian Gray

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The Depiction of Double Life in The Picture of Dorian Gray

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A Look at The Gothic Components in The Picture of Dorian Gray

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1890-1891, Oscar Wilde

Novel; Philosophical fiction

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. Dorian Gray, the subject of the painting, arrives, and he is fascinated as Henry explains that beauty and youth are fleeting and that he believes one should live life to the fullest by indulging one’s impulses. 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, who spends the next 18 years in pursuit of capricious excess and is increasingly drawn to evil.

The Picture of Dorian Gray presents the conflict between good and evil sides of humanity, where individuals are highly influenced and weak against the temptations of youth, love, pleasure and secrecy. This emphasizes the uglier side of a life all about the pursuit of pleasure and beauty.

Dorian Gray, Basil Hallward, Lord Henry "Harry" Wotton, Sibyl Vane, James Vane, Alan Campbell, Lord Fermor, Adrian Singleton, Lord Henry's wife

Wilde's only novel, it was subject to much controversy and criticism in its time. Even bowdlerized, The Picture of Dorian Gray offended the moral sensibilities of British book reviewers, to the extent, in some cases, of saying that Wilde merited prosecution for violating the laws guarding public morality. However, the novel became a classic of English literature and was adapted into a number of films, most notably a 1945 version.

“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.” “Experience is merely the name men gave to their mistakes.” “Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.”

1. Baker, H. A. (1969). A tragedy of the artist: the picture of Dorian Gray. Nineteenth-Century Fiction, 24(3), 349-355. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/2932864) 2. Oates, J. C. (1980). " The Picture of Dorian Gray": Wilde's Parable of the Fall. Critical Inquiry, 7(2), 419-428. (https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/448106?journalCode=ci) 3. Carroll, J. (2005). Aestheticism, Homoeroticism, and Christian Guilt in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Philosophy and Literature, 29(2), 286-304. (https://muse.jhu.edu/article/189431) 4. Gillespie, M. P. (1995). The Picture of Dorian Gray:" what the world thinks me". (https://philpapers.org/rec/GILTPO-39) 5. Seagroatt, H. (1998). Hard Science, Soft Psychology, and Amorphous Art in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, 38(4), 741-759. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/451096) 6. Davis, M. (2013). Mind and Matter in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Victorian Literature and Culture, 41(3), 547-560. (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/victorian-literature-and-culture/article/abs/mind-and-matter-in-the-picture-of-dorian-gray/A497BA8F7EFA31781860D48A7E322F36) 7. Rashkin, E. (1997). Art as Symptom: A Portrait of Child Abuse in" The Picture of Dorian Gray". Modern Philology, 95(1), 68-80. (https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/392452?journalCode=mp) 8. Paglia, C. (1990). The Beautiful Boy As Destroyer: Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray. In Sexual Personae (pp. 512-530). Yale University Press. (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.12987/9780300182132-023/html?lang=de) 9. Simion, M. O. (2015). A new hedonism in Oscar Wilde's novel the picture of Dorian Gray. Annals Constantin Brancusi U. Targu Jiu, Letters & Soc. Sci. Series, 55. (https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/ancnbt2015&div=13&id=&page= ) 10. Keefe, R. (1973). Artist and Model in" The Picture of Dorian Gray". Studies in the Novel, 63-70. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/29531571)

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The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar wilde, everything you need for every book you read..

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”.

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22 thought-provoking essay topics on dorian gray.

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a popular option for teachers in literature classes. After reading this classic piece by Oscar Wilde, the next step is to write a thought-provoking paper. Since Oscar Wilde continues to be an oft-quoted inspiration for many, it is only fitting the essay topic be just as inspirational. Here are 22 topic ideas:

• How does Lord Henry influence Dorian?
• Describe the relationship between Lord Henry and Dorian.
• Discuss whether or not the novel is artistic.
• Evaluate the relationship between Dorian and Basil.
• Is it a gothic novel? Explain.
• What is Sibyl Vane’s role.
• Is it a Faustian story? Explain.
• What is the purpose of Dorian destroying the painting?
• Show the similarities and differences between Lord Henry and Basil.
• How do the different male characters define masculinity?
• Share your thoughts on the idea of beauty in the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• Discuss the significance of the title.
• Offer a psychoanalysis of Dorian Gray or another character from The Picture of Dorian Gray.
• Does Dorian Gray have a mental illness?
• How do the names fit the characters?
• Choose a quote from the book and share the significance of it in the story.
• Select a theme of The Picture of Dorian Gray and show the aspects of the novel that led you to that conclusion.
• Discuss the changes that Dorian Gray experiences and how they affect the outcome of the novel.
• What elements from mythology are present in the book?
• Select a review of the novel and discuss whether you agree or disagree with it. Explain your thoughts.
• The Picture of Dorian Gray has been labeled as a cautionary tale. What does it warn the reader about?
• Watch a film version. Then discuss the quality of the adaptation.

Essay ideas can also involve comparing and contrasting the novel with another of Oscar Wilde’s works. Since Wilde was more of an essayist and short story writer, there are many small pieces that would appropriate to discuss in a literature paper. Many students also enjoy looking at Wilde’s personal life and lifestyle to compare it to that of Dorian Gray.

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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.

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

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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.

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The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar wilde.