The Homosexuality In The Picture Of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde

affects his life forever. "If it were I who was to be always young, and the

Most people are taught from a young age what is right, and what is wrong. These teachings set up the basis for later discovering one’s personal values. In Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, these same principles are applied and challenged by Wilde. Not only does he question morality and human nature, but also the ideas of the Aesthetic movement- which influenced the ideals and behavior of Dorian Gray. Through Dorian’s morally ambiguous character, Wilde asserts that one is not purely good or evil, but a mixture of the two; Wilde establishes this theme when Dorian breaks up with Sibyl Vane, murders Basil Hallward, and stabs his decaying portrait.

    "I turned half way around and saw Dorian Gray for the first time. I knew that I had come face to face with someone whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself" (7). During the Victorian era, this was a dangerous quote. The Victorian era was about progress. It was an attempt aimed at cleaning up the society and setting a moral standard. The Victorian era was a time of relative peace and economic stability (Marshall 783). Victorians did not want anything "unclean" or "unacceptable" to interfere with their idea of perfection. Therefore, this quote, taken from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray,

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a well-known gothic novel by the accomplished Irish author, Oscar Wilde. The novel portraits, in the beginning, still an innocent man entering his youth, who through the words and acts of a highly thought of aristocrat, Lord Henry Wotton, becomes influenced and begins to discover what the true pleasures of his life are. The Victorian English lifestyle had never been much of a trial for the young Dorian, but the deception and persuasion that he is exposed to, changes his ways and perspectives on living. Dorian Gray, the young man goes through an exceptional spectacle as he struggles with the fact of his portrait’s mysterious curse. This painting was in fact created by one of his friend, Basil Hallward. After a short

The actions of individuals often influence what happens and exists in the world; some influences are direct, and some are indirect. In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, influential factors play an important role. The main character, Dorian Gray, is influenced by many forces, one of the strongest being his mentor, Lord Henry; but while constant influences like his friend’s are obvious, there is a subtle, more discreet influence in his life: Dorian’s first love, Sibyl Vane. Despite her short appearance, it is her presence that allows the fundamental change in Dorian Gray’s character, and drives the plot. She reveals all the possibilities his life can have, aids in the development of his corrupt nature, and determines his fate.

Secondly, artist Basil Hallward sees how Lord Henry’s powerful influence begins to overcome Dorian. He strongly objects to letting, “...try to influence [Dorian Gray]. Your influence would be bad” (Wilde 15). Basil believes Lord Henry’s ideologies to be mostly corrupt and ignoble, and fears they will end up with the same effect on his handsome painting subject that he admires so much, but alas, his fears become realized later in his adult life. Lastly, Dorian, at his young age and with his naive mentality, becomes very easily influenced by Lord Henry, due to the

During the novel, a painter named Basil Hallward, one of the previously mentioned character Lord Henry’s friend, does a wonderfully done painting of Dorian Gray. Dorian later realizes that he will keep his youthful and beautiful appearance regardless of whatever immoral actions he chooses to indulge in. Dorian Gray then goes on to consider himself free of the moral constraints thus leading to his eventual downfall, related to his inward and outward appearance being strongly opposite. Dorian begins to value his own physical appearance more than the true state of his soul. As the novel goes on, this is openly displayed by the increasing degradation of the portrait painted by Basil. In this way, The Picture of Dorian Gray, should be read as a moralistic tale warning against the dangers of valuing one's appearance too highly, and neglecting one's conscience. This furthers the idea of not judging by the outer appearance of something or someone. As Dorian’s obsession with beauty grows, it becomes evident that he now seems to have a sort of ‘double life’, “Certainly no one looking at Dorian Gray that night could have believed that he had passed through a tragedy as horrible as any tragedy of our age. Those finely shaped fingers could never have clutched a knife for sin, nor

Oscar Wilde was a figurehead for a larger cause in the late nineteenth century. His reality crumbled under the cognitive dissonance of the high-class aristocrats and their struggle to find any reason to overthrow those who are cognizant enough to see and react to said dissonance. What are best known as the Wilde trials, consisted of using completely fictional literature as evidence to real events. Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray was a tool used to undermine Wilde’s authority and testimony about his personal romantic encounters. While the book may hold status as a revolutionary novel about exploring ideas, the Victorians did not think as much once they took a closer look. Once a popular novel about

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” Response Journal In the literary masterpiece “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, Oscar Wilde discusses morality and the evolution of ethics when immediate consequences are unenforced. Dorian Gray -- a charming figure said to be built of ivory and rose-leaves, is exposed to Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton, who preaches two extreme ideologies: idealism and hedonism respectively. Wilde depicts Dorian Gray as putty that is readily moulded by its influences. This is especially evident when Dorian’s character is reformed by “the yellow book” (gifted by Lord Henry Wotton) in which a young Parisian boy indulges in anything aesthetically pleasing with no bounds.

The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is written in an omniscient perspective and takes place in 1890’s England. The novel begins with Basil Hallward being engaged in conversation with his character foil, Lord Henry Wotton. Hallward is telling Wotton about his painting muse, and the story’s protagonist, Dorian Gray. Lord Henry is so enthralled with Gray that he insists on meeting him. Dorian enters the studio and Lord Henry then speaks of how glorious Dorian’s beauty is and how tragic it is that Dorian shall only retain his beauty for a few years whereas the portrait Basil has made will remain exquisite forever.

In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the main character, Dorian Gray, transforms from a delightful and handsome young man to an insane and evil human being. In the beginning of the novel, Dorian’s best friend, Basil Hallward, describes Dorian to Lord Henry Wotton as having a “simple and beautiful nature” (Wilde 24). Hallward does not want Lord Henry to set a negative influence in Dorian’s life because it would ruin his “beautiful nature” that is portrayed in Hallward’s portrait. As the novel continues, Lord Henry’s influence turns Dorian’s personality completely around. While Basil Hallward and Dorian Gray visit together, Hallward realizes that something has changed Dorian. Hallward tells Dorian, “You were the most unspoiled creature

The 19th century is a period in time where homosexuality was not favored by society. It is seen as vulgar and inappropriate to behave in this sort of manner, and it results in spending time in jail. Wilde struggles to be himself when he begins his practice of homosexuality and finds himself into deeper trouble. After his wife leaves him, he develops a different view on women and begins to criticize them based on his wife’s actions. Living in a world where homosexuality considered illegal, Wilde addresses this situation by creating The Picture of Dorian Gray to illustrate his opinion on sexuality and his judgement on women. Oscar Wilde has secretly intended to write this novel to inform the reader of how homosexuality has affected him.

When others are obsessed with one’s beauty, it is easy for one to become self-absorbed. Basil Hallward is very excited about and enthralled with his new painting subject, Dorian Gray. Basil Hallward explains delightedly to his friend Lord Henry,“‘Of course I flatter him dreadfully. I find a strange pleasure in saying things to him that I know I shall be sorry for having said. As a rule, he is charming to me, and we sit in the studio and talk of a thousand things’” (Wilde, 25). Spending much time with a person can lead to one adopting the other’s values and incorporating them into their life. Basil frequently compliments Dorian, and his prediction of the effects foreshadows the future calamities that will be caused by Dorian, after consulting with his new friends about the events in his life. Dorian changes Basil, as well as Basil’s portrait of

    In spite of the novel's heterosexual text, many critics agree that it has various homosexual elements in its characters, in the dialogues, and even in the portrait itself. One of the critics, Richard Dellamora, mentions this feature of the text, and comments that "By definition this context is heterosexual. Wotton is married and pursues actresses. Basil himself is a graduate of Oxford, a well-established artist, and respectable to a fault" (28). However, he also remarks the intensity of male friendships, and referring to Basil, he continues "Later, he repeatedly enjoins Dorian to conformity. Both older men live in a network of male friendships that ramify through the novel "

Oscar Wilde’s novella, The Picture of Dorian Gray explores how submission to poor influences and a hedonistic attitude can lead to an immoral life. As Dorian learns the impact that pursuing a life of pleasure has on the soul, my cautionary story subverts this main theme of the novella, to explore the consequences of Mr. Smith pursuing the pleasure of having an influence on others.