The Supernatural in The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Themes of the evil and representations of the devil also feature in Dorian Gray. The devil is represented by Lord Henry Wotton – his worldview and words have a profound effect on the innocent minded Dorian, who takes Henry's philosophy into practice. Hence, symbolically Henry is the evil influence upon Dorian. Evil is also showcased through the deal with the devil that Dorian makes. In the beginning of the novel, Dorian desires to sell his soul in order to remain young and beautiful forever. His wish is granted and that sets in motion the path of infamy which Dorian will take. In Wilde's time, Morality, Hedonism and culture's obsession with beauty and youth were key issues in society. Wilde understood this and included such themes into Dorian Gray. Hence, making the text relatable and vital to the period in which Dorian Gray was penned. Wilde in Dorian Gray is making a wider statement about society – Victorian era Britain was supposed

In the extract from The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde presents the character Dorian Gray as knowing nothing about love, shown to the reader from the way he is self-centred, ignorant and assumptious about his relationship with Sibyl Vane.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, a novel laced with sin, treachery, and raging battles of inner conflict, is Oscar Wilde’s sole novel. Considered immoral and scandalous upon publication, the book centers around a young man named Dorian Gray, who does not age or reflect the darkness of his heart outwardly, and instead a portrait of him bears the damage his destructive life wreaks on his soul. However, the meaning of the story extends past the simple fact that Dorian lives a life of immorality—he walks the path that takes him there with his two friends, Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotten. The two attempt to guide and influence Dorian throughout the novel in their own ways, and are a vital piece of Dorian’s tale. Basil and Henry act as character foils as well as a symbolic angel and devil for Dorian Gray’s character, and also contribute themes of choosing one’s own fate.

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

There is an old saying that declares: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. This suggests that beauty is subjective, and lacks a concrete contextualized definition; what is perceived by one individual as attractive, may be, by another, considered unattractive. Regardless of the subjective nature of beauty, society still conforms to beauty ideals, which are propagated and fueled by the media. The beauty ideals that are self imposed by society are problematic because they are unattainable, and galvanize society to reject or promote people based on their outward appearance and hold people’s inner beauty in less regard. The imbalance between physical (outward) appearance and inward is a key theme in both The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Phantom of the Opera. In both novels, the main characters are subject to judgment that is overwhelmingly directed at their outward appearance, and we see an over-emphasis of the superficial, which ultimately leads to their downfall. Another important thematic element present in both novels is that the main characters have conflicting dual personalities that have changing roles as the story progresses. A contrasting thematic element in both books is the excessive praise that the main character in The Picture of Dorian Gray received, and the excessive criticism that the main character in The Phantom of the Opera received, both leading to negative outcomes, and the characters’ ultimate demise.

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

Just because Dorian looks so innocent, does not mean that he really is, and this is brought up several times in the novel. For example, when Lady Narborough says to Dorian, “you are made to be good – you look so good” (197). This shows how Lady Narborough thinks that Dorian looks so good and because of his good looks, his soul must be just as good. Although, this is false because no one knows what Dorian had just done, which was killing Basil. They are all being fooled by his looks. Furthermore, to relate back to this situation, after Dorian commits this murder, “certainly no one looking at [him] that night could have believed that he passed through a tragedy. Those finely-shaped fingers could never have clutched a knife for sin, nor those smiling lips have cried out on God and goodness” (192). This really emphasizes that Dorian possibly committed the biggest sin there is in life, but because of his good looks, no one would be able to realize what he did. Dorian Gray easily proves that one’s appearance does not match his cruel soul. Wilde explores on why one should not judge a book by its cover through Dorian’s good

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.

In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian Gray’s ambiguous character is significant to the work since his

In chapters 11 and 12 of Oscar Wilde’s, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, the element of gothicism, hedonism, characterisation, and several literary devices are explored through the use of narrative style and conventions. Through these aspects of the text, it allows for Wilde to shape the reader's’ perception and response, effectively enabling them to engage with the novel. The narrator of the novel plays a major role in portraying the current psychological state of Dorian, which then constructs the audience’s judgement of Dorian and his morally incorrect actions. The narrator implies that the yellow book is the one of the primary causes of Dorian’s behaviour, “For years, Dorian could not free himself from the influence of the book.”

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

Dorian Gray is a young and impressionable man who Lord Henry has taken a liking to and insists on impressing upon him, his personal points of view; though he doesn’t actually follow these “rules” that he sets forth for Dorian. In the story Dorian falls in love with his youth, with the prospect of losing his good looks, Dorian prays that his portrait be the one who ages so that he can keep his beauty. Inevitably his prayer is answered and he goes about his life in pursuit of everything that makes him happy regardless of how his actions affect others around him. The first of these is the rejection of Sybil Vane who he fell in love with only because of her incredible beauty and her exceptional acting skills. When he realizes that she can no longer act because the stage is no longer her reality after she has fallen in love with Dorian, he rejects her; causing her to commit suicide because her love for him was rejected. Dorian soon regrets his actions towards Sybil and wants to reconcile with her only to find that she has ended her life, which he quickly gets over attributing this as a great tragedy in which he had a large part of but didn’t directly affect him. At this point in the story is when Dorian starts to completely live his life for the pursuit of what makes him feel good. He becomes obsessed with his portrait which ages and shows the ugliness of his soul, while his own face reflects none of his reprehensible actions. Dorian hides his portrait from the world so he is the only one who can witness the degradation of his soul. Eventually, Dorian shows his portrait to Basil who is appalled by the site of it that he tries to get Dorian to repent his sins. Dorian gets so mad at Basil for this that

In the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian Gray was a reputable man who was very handsome and youthful. He received a painting of himself from a friend of his, Basil Howard. As a friend of Basil’s started talking to Dorian that he would be nothing without his youth and good looks, Dorian became worried about losing them and cried out that he would sell his soul to keep them forever. As the days went by and Dorian harshly ended his engagement, he noticed that the painting of him changed; he now looked cruel and older. Years passed as he started to become a wicked man with a scandalous reputation, and the more sins he committed the uglier the painting

The grasp Lord Henry has on Dorian Gray is evident in the first few chapters. However, Dorian is quite oblivious to this. While strolling through the garden, Lord Henry finds “Dorian Gray burying his face in the great cool lilac blossoms” (23) giving Lord Henry the sign to use his power to start ‘influencing’ Dorian. He says to him that “nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul” (23) causing Dorian to “[feel] suddenly awakened” (23). Dorian at this point is “[feeling] afraid” (23) but is “ashamed of feeling afraid” (23) because someone crosses path with him who understands life’s mystery, this is the point where readers know Lord Henry gains his firm grip on Dorian. Dorian is now upset over the fact he “[will] grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young” (28) because Lord Henry told Dorian that

In The Picture of Dorian Gray the main character Dorian gray was first an innocent man and role model to artist Basil Howard who represented humanity. Overtime influences, interactions, and beauty got the best of him. In The Picture of Dorian Gray Basil says “He has a simple and a beautiful nature. Your aunt was quite right in what she said of him. Don't spoil him. Don't try to influence him. Your influence would be bad” this shows how even at the very beginning Basil knew how Lord Henry would influence him in a negative way. As we read on we can see how lord Henry teaches him to only care about beauty which causes Dorian to believe beauty is the only thing that matters in life. Lord Henry was the main cause of the corruption of Dorian's soul. In the novel another quote Lord Henry says is Oh, she is better than good – she is beautiful,". This demonstrates how from the very get go he told Dorian that beauty is better than goodness. The poisonous book was another way Dorian was overtaken by the evil. In the novel it says “It was a poisonous book. The heavy odor of incense seemed to cling about its pages and to trouble the brain. The mere cadence of the sentences, the subtle monotony of their music, so full as it was of complex refrains and movements elaborately repeated, produced in the mind of the lad, as he passed from chapter to chapter, a form of reverie, a malady of dreaming, that made him unconscious of the falling day and creeping shadows.” This quote proves how the evil has already taken over him and now the book is taking over his soul. A clear piece of evidence that shows readers how the evil has really won in The Picture of Dorian Gray is the