The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Picture of Dorian Gray was written by Oscar Wilde in 1890. It is a philosophical fiction about manipulation and deceit.

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Author Biographical Information
'Oscar Wilde was born on October 16, 1854. His full name was Oscar Flingal O'Flahertie WIlls WIlde. He was one of London's most popular playwrites in the 1890's. He attended Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and chose to study Greek literature. He then went on to the Magdalen College in Oxford, where he became well known for his role in the aesthetic and decadent movements. He wrote the stage masterpiece "The Importance of Being Earnest" at the height of his career. Wilde died on November 30, 1900 in Paris, France. '

Setting: Historical Information
The Picture of Dorian Gray is set in London in the 1890's. THis is a time when people go to Opium Lounge's and people are both influencial and easy to manipulate and be manipulated.

Genre
'Philosophical Fiction is fiction where a significant amount of the work is devoted to a discussion of short questions. It used a normal story to show the difficult and dark aprts of human life. '

Plot Summary
The Picture of Dorian Gray begins with Dorian meeting the artist Basil Hallward in Basil's aunts house. Basil becomes infatuated with him, and it shows through his painting, Dorian's portrait, that Basil says "shows to much of his feelings for Dorian in it." Basil's friend Lord Henry Wotten tells him that the painting is his masterpiece. Dorian is then introduced to Henry in Basil's studio when he arrives for a sitting. Lord Henry begins to tell Dorian abut the transient nature of beauty and youth. Worried that his beauty if fading fast, Dorian curses the portrait, and pledges his soul if his painting can bear the burden of age and infamy, and he can stay young forever. Dorian then becomes obsessed with pleasure, and leads down a road of immorality. He falls in love with a young actress, Sibyl Vane, but after one bad performance he leaves her and she commits suicide. Time goes on and he goes deeper down the dark path of wordly pleasure. He kills Basil and blackmails his former friend Alan Campbell into disposing of his body. Eventually the wickedness of the life he was living drove him mad, and he tries to destroy the painting with the knife he killed Basil with.His servents hear a loud crash, and discover the corpse of Dorian, old and disfigured.

Characters

 * Dorian Gray Dorian is a handsome and self-induldged young man who gets swept up into Lord Henry's life of pleasure, both moral and immoral.
 * Basil Howard Basil becomes infatuated with Dorian, who helps him achieve his greatest work, the portrait of Dorian.
 * Lord Henry "Harry" Wotton Lord Henry is th person who brings Dorian into a life of hedonism, and he becomes more intrigued with Dorian's beauty then Basil.
 * Sibyl Vane Sibyl is a poor actress who Dorian falls in love with. Her returning love for him ruins her ability to act, so Dorian leaves her and she commits suicide.
 * Alan Campbell Dorian blackmails him into getting rid of Basil's body. He commits suicide.
 * James Vane Sibyl's brother who stalks and tries to destroy Dorian when Sibyl dies.

Author's Style
' Oscar uses philosophical fiction to question life through his lietary works. '

Themes

 * You reap what you sow: Dorian lived a life of self-excessiveness and didnt care about anyone above himself. His immoralities lead to his utter demise when he tried to destroy his soul that lived in his portrait.
 * Youth and Beauty is not the most important thing in life: Dorian missed out on so many lfe experiences just so he could stay young. He lost the love of his life, and was known as a player so no one would love him. His loveless life was all due to his selfishness to his appearence.

Symbols
*The Painting shoes Dorian's true image. The painting of him ages and morphs into his true identity while he stays young and beautiful.

Significance of the Opening/Closing Scenes
*Opening Scene: The opening scene is significant because Lord Henry, the man who corrupts Dorian, is inspired by his beauty in the painting and wants to introduce him to a vulgar lifestyle.
 * Closing Scene: The significance of the closing scene is that Dorian ultimately destroy's himself when he tries to destroy the painting, because his soul lives inside of it.

Memorable Quotes

 * "We are punished for our refsals." Dorian lived a life full of immorallity and sin, and he was punished for his lifestyle when he was killed by his destroying of the portrait.
 * "Society, civilized society at least, is never very ready to believe anything to the detriment of those who are both rich and facinating." The people that surround you wont believe what is happening around them until it is over. No one understood how Dorian stayed beautiful and youthful for so long. They lose their faith to people who are rich and facinating.
 * "You poisoned me with a book once. I should not forgive that. Harry, promise me that you will never lend that book to anyone. It does cause harm." Dorian's life was ruined by the book Harry lent him. He doesnt want anyone else to end up like he did.
 * "Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think npt. It is merely a method by which we can multiply our personalities." THe men in Dorian's life used insincerity to manipulate people to climb their way to the top of the social pyramid.