Who Is Sibyl Vane's Death

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

He admits to Lord Henry that he goes nightly to her plays but does not truly love Sibyl, he loves the feeling of pleasure he gets from his obsession. He idolized her and calls her sacred but does not value her as a person. When asked by Harry, “When is she Sibyl Vane?” Dorian replies, “Never” (Wilde,54). This is the beginnings of Dorian’s ability to place his own pleasure above others and Dorian has immediately lost himself in this pleasure. “What there was in it of purely sensuous instinct of boyhood had been transformed by the workings of the imagination, changed into something that seemed to the lad himself dangerous. It was the passions about whose origin we deceived ourselves that tyrannized most strongly over us” (Wilde,58). The danger of Dorian’s blind obsession is shown with Sibyl’s suicide. His obsession led to the death of one person as well as the first signs of his own worsening soul. After this experience pleasure is no longer a form of love for Dorian, but rather a detachment from reality. While talking with Basil over breakfast Dorian shows he does not place the same value in emotions as he had done before. “A man who is the master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them” (Wilde,105). In contrast to the emotional obsession with Sibyl, Dorian next becomes obsessed with his portrait and a book. Both are means to

Dorian Gray shows his moral ambiguity by breaking up with Sibyl Vane over her terrible performance. After Sibyl’s performs badly, Dorian becomes increasingly furious with Sibyl saying to her, “You have killed my love” (63) and "You simply produce no effect” (63). It was Dorian’s cold hearted behavior that causes Sibyl to take her own life, cementing Dorian’s horrible actions forever. It is the first time Dorian acts on his own impulses without Lord Henry’s direct influence, evidence of a change in Dorian’s personal values. Conversely, as Dorian began to think about his actions, he realizes “how unjust, how cruel, he had been to Sibyl Vane.” (70) and that “it was not too late to make reparation for that” (70). Dorian’s moral ambiguity is prevalent in the guilt he feels for abusing Sibyl’s feelings. He realizes briefly what he did was dreadful, proving he still has a slight glimmer of good intentions left in him . Morally, Dorian switches his stance on his feelings for Sibyl, revealing his intentions to be good, though his actions are twisted.

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.

          As Dorian listens to Lord Henry and realizes the importance of his youth and the time that  he has, he begins to venture out and manipulate others including friends and strangers.  His new outlook on life encourages his act of narcissism and superiority (Duggan). "Dorian Gray personifies the aesthetic lifestyle in action, pursuing personal gratification with abandonment. Yet, while he enjoys these indulgences, his behavior ultimately kills him and others, and he dies

As a whole, this opening confrontation between Lord Henry and Dorian’s initial character proves several points: one, Dorian does have his own passions and soul before meeting Lord Henry, and two, Lord Henry’s teachings initially echo Dorian’s own feelings, which are what draw him to Lord Henry over the two-dimensional Basil Hallward. Later, ironically, it is Lord Henry’s own teachings which leads to Dorian’s struggle to repress his "true self" and ultimately bring about his downfall.

In this novel, beauty and youth reign over everything. In Victorian period, The Picture of Dorian Gray was characterized as scandalous and immoral. Typical idealistic image of behavior and modesty inherent to old time Victorian England was discredited in the novel. The Picture of Dorian Gray contained radical ideals for the period of time it was written. Dorian represents all what was disgraceful and forbidden condemned in Victorian

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

The Picture of Dorian Grey as a novel in the Victorian Era was shocking to readers of the time due to the open nature of topics like: sexuality, greed and corruption. A Freudian perspective of the characters: Basil, Lord Henry and Dorian can be seen as the Id, Ego and Super Ego. Basil is the Super Ego, he conforms to a certain extent and tries to make Dorian lead a moral life when it comes to desperate times of the loss of the 'real Dorian'; Lord Henry can be seen as the Id, the immoral character who tries to convince Dorian to submit to his natural urges and passions; Dorian is the Ego, one who in the beginning is in between the two and has a power struggle within as to how he should act as a character in the novel. In answering this question and exploring the conflicts shown in the novel one must look at the gender, identity and sexuality.

“If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that -- for that -- I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!" (Wilde 30-31). After making this deal Dorian start to become a horrible person he make his girlfriend and soon to be fiance Sibyl to commit suicide after he yelled at her, he smokes cigarettes, ruins other people's lives, does drugs such as opium, and goes on to kill Basil. All of society knows that something is up with Dorian because he has never aged and still looks like he's twenty. As the years go on Dorian begins to lose his soul while still remaining young which seems similar to the state of limbo in “Inception” where you don't grow older physically but your mind and soul do. Dorian eventually goes on a downward spiral after killing Basil and sees that the painting gets ugly for every bad deed he does.. So in response he tries to do a good deed to change the painting. But when this backfires and the painting gets worst he stabs it which basically means he stabbed his soul and he ends up dying and the painting returns to normal.

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

In chapter 20 of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Dorian reflects on his past crimes and wonders whether he will ever change and retrieve his innocence again. Throughout the final chapter of the novel, the elements of Gothic novel that Wilde explores conveys the idea of the pursuit of individualism. Dorian’s wild, racing emotions clearly show how much he is driven by his readiness to fulfill his desires under any circumstance. Through this, the use of specific words and punctuation markings highlight Dorian’s personal yearning of removing himself from his past.

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.

Firstly, Wilde expresses hedonistic desire leading to punishment through the use of literary devices; namely symbolism and imagery. When Gray regarded Sibyl with pity and “his chiseled lips curled in exquisite disdain” (Wilde 101). Through imagery, Wilde conveys Gray’s character of cruelty wrought out by selfish desire. After that, what followed was the suicide of his lover. This reveals that living selfishly produces consequences through others. Another example can be found when Wilde uses symbolism through the picture to reveal reality of emotions. As Dorian got up to check his painting, it was “unmistakably [...] altered” (Wilde 108). The painting reflected the reality of Dorian Gray’s inner beliefs. The change in the picture is a loss of selflessness. Furthermore, his selfish desires are reflected through the picture and the change in the portrait is the consequence for doing hedonistic actions. Therefore through symbolism and

Dorian begins exploring new experiences and avenues of entertainment. In doing so he discovers Sibyl Vane who is the lead actress in a disreputable theater. Dorian is captivated by both her physical beauty and the beauty present in her acting. He appears night after night to watch her performances. He finally approaches her backstage after a play, and after a very short and superficial acquaintance, decides to marry her. This decision shows that Dorian has truly decided to embrace new hedonism, as do his subsequent decisions in regards to her. He informs Lord Henry and Basil of his engagement and takes them to the theater to see her perform, wanting his friends to be as captivated by her as he has been. He is appalled and embarrassed when Sibyl’s