Dorian Gray Character Analysis

When Dorian is told that his beauty will be lost once he outgrows his boyhood, he makes a desperate wish: “[i]f it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that I would give everything” (Wilde LOC 64). From this point forward in the novel, Dorian remains forever young and the picture assumes his burdens of age and sin. Dorian’s unchanging face causes those around him to falsely believe he is incapable of evil. This can be seen in Basil’s disbeliefs of the rumors surrounding Dorian when he states, “[b]ut you, Dorian, with your pure, bright, innocent face, and your marvellous untroubled youth— I can't believe anything against you” (Wilde LOC 360). Dorian even gets away with murder because the people of London refuse to believe that someone of his appearance is capable of sin. Lady Narborough later confirms this when she says, “‘Lord Henry is very wicked… but you are made to be good— you look so good’” (Wilde LOC 431). Dorian’s charming good looks contradict the monstrosity of the portrait, proving that people are not always what they seem.

Finally, Wilde says that he would like to be Dorian but in another time. Dorian starts out as a handsome, wealthy gentleman that's innocent. He is quickly seduced by Lord Henry's words and starts to live life for all its pleasures. These acts are obviously not accepted by the public and with his picture taking all the flaws, his image is never damaged. In my opinion, I believe that when Wilde said he wants to be Dorian, it's because he wishes that he could "get rid of a temptation" by yielding to it,

In the beginning of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian is viewed highly by Basil and is claimed to be his sole inspiration. By this little description we read of Dorian, the reader can already see how Dorian at the beginning of the book has a strong presence. However Basil describes Dorian as having a “simple and beautiful nature”(pg-12) and tells Lord Henry, “Don’t spoil him. Don’t try to influence him. Your influence would be bad.” (pg-12). Lord Henry is the first person to start to influence and change Dorian into being deceitful. The second factor that changes Dorian is the painting. In chapter two, Basil finishes the Painting and presents it to Dorian. Instead of being filled with joy, Dorian realizes that he will grow old and the Painting will stay young. Later in the story the Portrait changes to show a sneer around Dorians mouth. The reason for this is because Dorian broke Sybil’s heart. After learning about Sybil’s suicide, Dorian accepts that the Painting will show ageing while he appears to have not aged. This forces Dorian to lock away his painting and this also shows Dorian being deceitful with his looks.

this in the presence of Lord Henry, “We shall all suffer for what the gods

   Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, explores the themes of influence, corruption and conscience. “The obvious influence of Lord Henry upon Dorian shows how one may corrupt another to such an extent that one's own conscience withers and dies”(Weintraub 116).

Much of the criticism regarding The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde has dealt with Dorian Gray’s relation to his own portrait (Raby 392). While some may argue that the portrait represents a reflection of Dorian Gray’s character, this is only a superficial analysis of the novel and Dorian’s character. While Dorian Gray’s true character never changes, it is his own perception of his character (his conscience) that is reflected in the changing face of his portrait. In essence Dorian’s picture becomes a mirror through which the "true Dorian" judges his own metamorphasis as the superficial "Lord Henry Dorian" attempts to embrace Lord Henry’s teachings. Dorian’s

In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Lord Henry’s influence on Dorian changes his character that was presented in the beginning of the book. Dorian was like a blank canvas that had no personality due to him not having a proper childhood. Due to this, he didn’t have any morals to follow. Lord Henry saw this opportunity and he awakened from him a man who turned into a immoral aestheticist who looks at things just as they are instead of what they are like personally. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lord Henry’s influence was significant to Dorian and to the work as a whole because of the impact it had on Dorian, and the impact it had on people close to Dorian.

Dorian comes to terms with the fact that his portrait will carry his burdens (both mental and physical), and only cares that he will be forever youthful: “Beneath its purple pall, the face painted on the canvas could grow bestial, sodden, and unclean. What did it matter? No one could see it. He himself would not see it. Why should he watch the hideous corruption of his soul? He kept his youth, —that was enough. And, besides, might not his nature grow finer, after all? There was no reason that the future should be so full of shame” (153). He gains eternal youth in exchange for the goodness and innocence in his soul. Where Dorian’s face never looks older than twenty years of age, his soul and the portrait are both worn down and destroyed over time. Youth and good looks fade as people age, and Dorian is getting in the way of destiny by not aging. Dorian’s regret is what kills him in the end. He is disgusted at who he has become and the life he led; if he had aged normally, his life could have been full of wonderful

Oscar Wilde’s The picture of Dorian Grey’s novel is about a young man named Dorian Gray, the subject of a painting by artist Basil Hallward. Basil is impressed by Dorian's beauty and believes his beauty should not be wasted and it is responsible for a new mode in his art. Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basil's, and becomes enslaved by Lord Henry's world view. He shows him a new hedonism, and suggests the only things worth following in life are beauty and fulfillment of the senses. When he realizes that one day his beauty will fade, Dorian feels a desire to sell his soul to ensure the portrait that Basil has painted would age instead of him. Dorian's wish

He is even told by Lord Henry he is far too charming to go into philantropy. This remark may be the beginning of the flattery that opened Dorian's mind up to his corruption. Dorian is being moved by Harry's speech about cherishing youth and enjoying it. His mind was being challenged by the thought of his own passions until the point when he proclaimed "stop! You bewilder me. I do not know what to say. There is some answer to you, but I cannot find it. Do not speak. Let me think. Or rather let me try not to think". Dorian allows himself to be corrupted. He begins to fear aging and begins to think that everything will be loss with the loss of his youth and beauty. Dorian goes from no worries to this thought as Harry speaks. He was convinced that this "new Hedonism" was the way. This shows the weakness of his mind in his youth it is also the begginning of his fate. With this flaw of character, Dorian seemed to write his fate unknowingly. When Basil Hallward, the painter, rewarded Dorian with the portrait he replied "If I were to be the one always young, and the picture grow old! For that-for that-Iwould give everything!…Iwould give my soul for that!". This was just a plea at the depth of his sorrow, a remark made totally through whim.

Throughout the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde tells a tale about a young man named Dorian whose entire life changes after he meets Basil Hallward, who paints a portrait of Gray that ultimately leads to Gray’s demise. At the same time, Dorian also meets Lord Henry, who eventually plays a bad influence over Dorian. The portrait shows the man Dorian has become

He observes the youth and beauty radiating from him, remembering Lord Henry’s words about how youth and beauty are the most important aspects a person could have. Moreover, once they fade away there would be nothing left. This enrages Dorian, and makes him wish for his looks to remain unchanged, and for the portrait to age instead of him. However, even if Lord Henry hadn’t said a word to him, Dorian would still most likely make this wish because he appears to be somewhat narcissistic and impulsive. Upon seeing the portrait, it makes him think about what the future holds for his appearance, and after having agreed to pose, it would only be logical to assume he really cares for it.

Oscar Wilde’s fictional piece The Picture of Dorian Gray is a wonderful story that provides insight on the effect that sin has on the soul. In the beginning of the story Dorian is a kind hearted man, but by the end he becomes a cold blooded murderer who thinks only about himself. The ending is also very interesting in the sense that although Oscar Wilde escaped suspicion, revenge from James and those who could put his pursuit of pleasure in jeopardy, Dorian could not escape himself. This is the theme that really stuck with me. Dorian pursued pleasure with complete disregard for his soul or his conscience and in the end it led to his lack of pleasure and death.

In Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, beauty is depicted as the driving force in the lives of the three main characters, Dorian, Basil and Lord Henry. Dorian, the main character, believes in seizing the day. Basil, the artist, admires all that is beautiful in life. Lord Henry, accredited ones physical appearance to the ability of achieving accomplishments in life. Beauty ordains the fate of Dorian, Basil, and Lord Henry. The novel embodies the relationship of beauty and morality. Beauty is not based on how attractive an object is to everyone, but how attractive it is to one.

He was young and beautiful during the time period that Glenn Clifton describes that youth glorification was at its peak of envy and the elderly were viewed as unnecessary (286) and just as described, Lord Henry reveled in the youth of Dorian Gray, in his mind according to Glenn Clifton, great looks and youth were synonymous with living well (285). Dorian Gray loved his looks so much, he loved the attention that he received about something that was inert, he was born with this wonderful talent that could not be duplicated only admired and envied and talked about, his obsession with his beauty reflects the tensions in the Late Victorian conceptions of aging (Clifton 283). He had lived his entire life being at the center of attention, and when Lord Henry planted the seed of knowledge that as soon as Dorian’s looks begin to waver so would his admirers. He was so swept up by the lavish lifestyle of fame and influence that was so rampant around England during that time, although it is exaggerated in the novel, Timothy Peltason writes that Oscar Wilde’s interpretation of British society and their faults are written humorously and slyly (123). Dorian Gray had become so entitled that he does not want to age, he wants to keep his beauty, he wants the portrait that was made in his likeness to age instead of himself, he does not want to bear the ugliness of the aging process (Wilde 29). At first it works, when he pushed Sibyl Vane to suicide, when he lies and the people around him age, he remains beautiful and glorified by everyone around him, they would never suspect someone as pure and innocent looking as Dorian Gray of committing any sin of any kind, everything was working in his favor. Little did they know, that the portrait continued to get more and more hideous, the skin grew sagging and his eyes became cruel, but in the beginning nobody was the wiser, Dorian Gray’s looks deceive people, due to his innocent looks,