The picture of Dorian Gray
– Oscar Wilde
Introduction
“The Picture of Dorian Gray" is an exciting story about a man named Dorian Gray who
makes a deal with the devil. In exchange for staying young and beautiful forever, he gives
up his soul and lives a life purely for his own pleasure. However, there's a twist – a portrait
of Dorian ages and becomes ugly, re ecting the harm he's doing to his soul. Even though
Dorian looks young and attractive, the portrait shows the true damage he's causing
himself.
The novel falls into the Gothic ction genre, which often involves elements of horror, death,
and sometimes romance.
Before writing this novel, Oscar Wilde was in uenced by the aesthetic movement during
his time at Oxford University. Aesthetics is about studying art and beauty, and Wilde
believed in enjoying art just for its beauty, without necessarily looking for a deeper
meaning – the idea of "art for art's sake."
Wilde was also in uenced by hedonism, a philosophy popular in his time. Hedonism is all
about seeking pleasure, and in this philosophy, satisfying one's desires is considered the
main goal of life. So, Dorian Gray's pursuit of pleasure and beauty at any cost aligns with
the hedonistic philosophy of Wilde's era.
About the author
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish poet, playwright, and author who is remembered for
his wit, amboyant style, and contributions to literature. Wilde's life took a tragic turn when
he faced legal troubles. In 1895, he was convicted of "gross indecency" for his
homosexual relationships, which were considered criminal offences at the time. Wilde was
sentenced to two years of hard labor. Oscar Wilde embraced the Aesthetic Movement,
which advocated "art for art's sake" and focused on the pursuit of beauty and the rejection
of art having a moral or societal purpose. This movement greatly in uenced his writings
and philosophy .Oscar Wilde is remembered not only for his literary contributions but also
for the dramatic and tragic events surrounding his life, particularly his legal troubles and
imprisonment. His works continue to be celebrated for their wit, social commentary, and
exploration of aesthetic and decadent themes.
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, Setting and timeline
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" is set in late 19th-century London, primarily during the
Victorian era
Setting:
• London: The story is primarily set in London, capturing the social and cultural
atmosphere of the city during the Victorian era.
• Artistic and Social Circles: The narrative explores the decadent and aesthetic
circles of London society, re ecting the in uence of Oscar Wilde's own experiences
with the Aesthetic Movement.
Timeline:
• Publication: The novel was rst published in 1890 as a complete version in
Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. However, Wilde revised and expanded the novel
before its book publication in 1891.
• Time Frame in the Novel: The exact timeline within the novel is not explicitly
outlined, but it spans several years. The story begins with Dorian Gray's introduction
to London society and follows his life over the years.
• Aesthetic Movement In uence:
• Aestheticism: The novel is deeply in uenced by the Aesthetic Movement, a
cultural and artistic movement that emphasised "art for art's sake." This
movement rejected the notion that art should have a moral or societal
purpose, encouraging a focus on beauty and aesthetic values.
Characters
• Dorian Gray
- the novels main character
- is a young and exceptionally handsome man who becomes the subject of a portrait
painted by his friend Basil Hallward
- Dorian begins as an innocent and charming young man. However, in uenced by Lord
Henry's hedonistic philosophy and the magical portrait, he indulges in a life of excess,
decadence, and immorality.
• Basil Hallward
- An artist. He is obsessed with Dorian’s beauty and paints the fatal portrait.
- Dorians good friend
• Lord Henry Wotton
- One of the novel’s main antagonists
- A hedonistic member of London’s aristocratic society and a friend to Basil and Dorian.
- Has an extremely bad in uence on Dorian and decides to use him as a social
experiment.
• Sibyl Vane
- Young actress (16), beautiful, na ve and poo
- She adores Dorian and commits suicide after he breaks o their engagement.
• James Vane
- James adores his sister and is very protective of her.
- Killed by a stray bullet at one of Dorian’s hunting parties
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