Book Summary
The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde
Book Details
Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Author: Oscar Wilde
Pages: 223
Publisher: Lijsters - Blackbird Classics
Publication Date: 2011
Genre: Psychological Fiction, philosophical novel.
Original Language: English
Topics: Purpose of art, supremacy of youth and beauty, negative consequences of influence.
Notes have been included: These are not part of the text in the book. They are extra
insights intended to help you understand the story. They will always appear in green font.
Short Summary of the Book:
The story starts out at the art studio of renowned artist Basil Hallward. In center of the room,
stands the life-size portrait of a young man. Basil is almost done painting it. His friend, Lord
Henry Wotten, comments that this is his best painting so far. He tells Basil he should display
it for the public to see. Basil rejects the idea by saying that this work reveals too much. Basil
finds it difficult to explain what he means by that. So, he tells Lord Henry everything.
The young man in the picture is Dorian Gray. Basil met Dorian while visiting his aunt, Lady
Brandon. From the moment he laid eyes on him, Basil was captivated by Dorian’s beauty.
Secretly, in days to come, he started sketching Dorian. He imagined him often as a Greek
Hero or a Mythical God. Finally, Basil gathered the courage to ask Dorian to sit for a life-size
portrait. Yes, this is his masterpiece as an artist. Basil admits it to his friend Lord Henry.
However, Basil reveals his secret love for Dorian, and he is afraid that the painting reflects
his adoration. He fears he cannot display it to the public. Lord Henry is undaunted by the
confession. He even disagrees with Basil. “You should display it anyway,” he says.
Lord Henry enjoys celebrating youth, beauty and the pursuit of pleasure. He rarely agrees
with what is proper in society. He thinks Basil should not be afraid of what his art reveals.
Moments later, Dorian arrives at the studio and meets Lord Henry for the first time. Basil
himself introduces them. In truth, he is reluctant to do so. Within Dorian, Basil sees some
form of innocence that goes hand in hand with his beauty. Lord Henry could easily corrupt
him with his ideas. Lord Henry waves away his concerns and tells him to finish the painting.
At first, Basil wants Lord Henry to leave. But Dorian finds it boring to sit in silence and asks
Lord Henry to stay. During their talk, Lord Henry makes Dorian realize how fleeting beauty
and youth are. You will never be as beautiful as you are right now. It is all meant to fade
away. Dorian takes the idea to heart. He had never thought of that before. Imagine that!
Basil displays the finished portrait to Dorian. As the young man studies the image of himself,
he says that he will grow old, while the portrait will stay the same. How cruel is that? Filled
with sudden grief, Dorian curses the portrait. Desperately, he wishes that the picture would
age while he remains forever young. And, as if the picture heard his wish – it comes true.
Dorian accepts the portrait as a gift. Basil has the portrait framed and sent to Dorian’s home.
The young man hangs it in his home. Meanwhile, he begins spending more time with Lord
Henry. Dorian finds his perspective on life fascinating. Why should we limit ourselves to
enjoying the pleasures of life? Who decides what is wrong?
Dorian starts to visit the slums of London. He wants to know more about the darker aspects
of life. The slums are full of poverty and corruption. These are not the streets to roam for a
proper gentleman. That is when he comes across a shabby theater.
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, Dorian falls in love with Sibyl Vane, a young actress performing at that old theater. At first,
he only watches her performance every night. He loves her acting talents. Then, he meets
her after the performance. He professes his admiration for her work. Sibyl is enchanted by
Dorian. She even calls him Prince Charming. Delighted by her new patron, she talks about
him to her family but keeps his name a secret. Sibyl’s brother, James, warns her not to fall in
love so easily. After all, the young man could change his mind and where would she be?
James goes on a travel for a long time and Dorian proposes to Sibyl for marriage. Forgetting
her brother’s warnings, Sibyl accepts the engagement from Dorian. However, that is when it
all goes wrong. Because of her love for Dorian, Sibyl decides to quit acting. She says that
now that she knows true love, she can’t act false love. Dorian cruelly ends their engagement.
What use is she now? She is nothing to him if she does not act as she did before.
Dorian leaves Sibyl and upon returning home, he sees a change in his portrait. The smile on
his face has become a sneer. It is no longer a beautiful expression. It is a cruel one. Could it
be? Did the portrait grant his wish? Dorian is filled with remorse. That would mean that the
portrait reflects the state of his soul. Regret fills him. He had been too cruel towards Sibyl.
Dorian decides to make amends the following day. Then the portrait should return to normal.
The next day, Lord Henry visits in the late afternoon. He tells Dorian that Sibyl committed
suicide last night. Dorian is devastated. He instantly understands that he is the reason that
the lovely young girl killed herself. Lord Henry tells him that he should put the whole thing in
the past. Dorian grieves for Sibyl. He also knows that the possibility of redemption is gone.
Afraid that his portrait will grow uglier for others to see, Dorian hides it in a forgotten room.
Imagine if Basil or Lord Henry were to see it! Locked behind a thick door, the portrait now
sits all the way up in the house and only Dorian comes to see it from time to time.
Lord Henry tells him to forget about the whole Sibyl incident. He should live! To encourage
him, he gives him a scandalous book. The book follows the wicked deeds of a Frenchman
that indulges in every pleasure available to him. Dorian starts following the deeds in the book
as if it were a bible. And with every wicked act, the portrait transforms more and more.
Eighteen years pass by, and Dorian's reputation in London's high society deteriorates as
rumors persist about his secret activities. It doesn’t take long for people to realize that if you
get involved with Dorian Gray, misfortune soon falls upon you. Despite all the talk, people
still accept him in social gatherings because of his beauty and wonder what is true or lies.
The rumors concern Basil. One night, he confronts Dorian at home. A heated argument
follows. “It is your portrait that has brought me to ruin!” shouts Dorian. “I will let you see!”
Not understanding what he means, Basil follows the young man all the way up to the secret
room. That is when Dorian unveils the portrait and Basil is shocked at what he sees. Dorian
explains that the portrait has become the mirror to his soul. Basil is horrified. He pleads with
Dorian to repent to God. Confess all his sins and make things right. But Dorian is convinced
it is too late for all that. Enraged, he murders Basil with a knife in front of the portrait. To get
rid of Basil, Dorian forces a doctor to come to the room and dispose of the body. The doctor
can’t escape Dorian’s blackmail. He does as Dorian demands of him. Later, he also kills
himself. Dorian is leaving bodies left and right. Yet, he seems unconcerned.
The following night, Dorian encounters James Vane by pure accident. Sibyl’s brother is
looking for him. He means to avenge his sister’s death. Although he does not know the
name of the man who broke his sister’s heart, he soon learns it was Dorian Gray. James
begins to stalk Dorian. For the first time, Dorian starts to fear for his life.
Then, James is killed in a hunting accident and Dorian feels relief. He considers repenting.
However, he does not have the courage to confess his crimes. He goes up to the secret
room and studies the horrible picture. Nothing he does will return the portrait to his original
state. Angered, he grabs the same knife he used to murder Basil and stabs the portrait.
But it is not the portrait that gets destroyed. It is Dorian that dies with the knife in his heart.
The portrait returns to its former beauty and the body of Dorian becomes hideous.
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