Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray, the main character in this book, is a rather narcissistic and extremely beautiful male. Throughout the book we follow Dorian's development from being a innocent boy to a corrupted villain.

 

Dorian is introduced in the book as a youngster, a beautiful boy unspoiled by life or sin. But he is about to change. When he meets lord Henry, Dorian soon adapts his theories on hedonism, sinning and pleasure. This changed Dorian. It altered his views on the world. He started to love himself, thinking himself above others because of his unmatched beauty. The only thing which holds Dorian off from sinning is that it would alter his looks. Dorian says: “Sins are written across one's face.” Dorian is afraid to loose his beauty, and therefore does not want to participate in evil doings.

Then an opportunity showed itself to Dorian. Basil had painted him and portrait of extraordinary beauty. Dorian wishes in himself that he could switch situations with the portrait, being able to remain always young and commit as many sins as he would want. Strangely this wish is granted, and Dorian is finally able to accomplish the one thing he had always wanted: pleasure, being moral or immoral. Many years later, when Dorian is in his mid-forties, a series of events triggers him to try and start a new life. He lives in constant fear, afraid of letting anyone see the picture which reveals his corrupted soul. After several failing attempts of cleansing his soul Dorian realises that only one thing can fully rid him of his sins: to destroy his portrait. Dorian then stabs the portrait with a knife, reversing the switch he and his portrait undertook. Dorian then is turned into the older, uglier man he should have been. This proves fatal to Dorian, he dies after having stabbed the picture, strangely enough by a knife plunged into his chest.

 

But what is Oscar Wilde's connection to this all? Wilde states in his quote that in another life, he would like to be Dorian Gray. Oscar Wilde was a homosexual. He could not show his feelings towards other men, and the society in which he was living did not accept homosexual practice. This made Wilde lock up his feelings in himself, hiding from society. He married a girl at age thirty-four, an age Wilde would certainly have discovered his feelings towards men. It hurt Wilde that he could not show his homosexuality, and he wished he could just participate in homosexual practices without changing. This was exactly what Dorian Gray was able to do.

 

 

By use of the painting Dorian Gray was able to sin, be immoral and do wrong without anyone noticing the difference. It seems Oscar Wilde wished for this too, and therefore he would like to be Dorian, in another life.

But that is not all. It seems Dorian himself was homosexual, or at least bisexual. His extraordinary beauty and his gift to stay always young enabled him to seduce women easily. He could get any women he wanted, whenever he wanted. This soon started to bore him. He went looking for more immoral pleasure. He then stumbled across homosexuality. Although Wilde does not describe any practise of homosexuality in the book, he strongly hints Dorian Gray had relationships with more than only females. After Dorian meets Basil again after a good ten years of not seeing each other, Basil asks Dorian why there are such shameful rumours about him going around in the upper-class society. He asks why Dorian's friendship is so fatal to these young men , how he brings so much shame and sorrow to the families and fathers of the young men. This suggests Dorian seduced these young men into having sex with him after becoming intimate with them. This brings shame over the boys and their families, but does not affect Dorian as he looks just as innocent as he did before. The name 'Dorian', is from Greek origin. Greeks are believed to have accepted homosexuality, they even

 had a very obscure idea about sexual preferences:

 “Sex with females is for reproduction, sex with males is for pleasure”

 

This is, what Oscar Wilde wanted for himself, and this is why he wishes to be Dorian Gray in another life. He just wants to be homosexual without consequences. Unable to achieve this at first, he started hiding and controlling himself, much like Basil Hallward did.

 

 

Basil Hallward

Basil Hallward is a painter, which provided the portrait Dorian used to sin. Basil is a very good painter, which according to Lord Henry makes him a rather dull person. He is also very naïve, he does not see much evil in other people, and tends to believe people when they lie. On his search for pure beauty to put into his paintings he met Dorian Gray. He befriends him, and starts to paint him in all sorts of environments. After a while he decides to paint Dorian as he is, without any ornaments or accessories. This painting becomes his masterpiece, and is so close related to Dorian that Dorian is able to switch situation with the painting and stay always young, as Dorian always wanted. Basil also introduces Dorian to Henry Wotton. Basil seems to be an old friend of Lord Henry, but he rejects Henry's immoral theories. Basil warns Lord Henry not to influence his friend Dorian, but Henry ignores Basil.

 

When Basil finishes his masterpiece, Henry asks him to reveal it to the public. Basil rejects this idea, stating that the painting reveals to much of himself to show to other people. He then hands the picture to Dorian, who takes it home with him.

 

A month later or so, Basil visits Dorian and requests to see his work. Dorian refuses, and Basil becomes wary. Dorian then persuades him to leave the house and never ask about the matter any more. Being so naïve, Basil accepts Dorian's request and leaves him.

 

A very long time later, about twenty years, Basil visits Dorian again. He states to have heard dreadful rumours about Dorian, and he wants Dorian to lie to him again and tell him that the stories are wrong. Dorian only verifies the rumours, and Basil is unable to believe it. Dorian then shows him the altered picture, and Basil is shocked. He then insults Dorian, and Dorian kills Basil using a knife. The next day Dorian calls upon Alan Campbell, and blackmails him into dissolving Basil's body in acid.

 

What was Basil in relation to Wilde? Wilde stated that he thought himself to be like Basil. Wilde thought himself to be the brilliant, misunderstood artist which tries to be best to humanity and paints real beauty. Basil Hallward obviously shows signs of homosexuality, just as Wilde did. Basil greatly admires Dorian, more than a heterosexual man would. He competes with Lord Wotton about Dorian's attention, and is badly hurt when he discovers Dorian is not the man he thinks he is. Unlike Dorian however, Basil does not show his homosexuality or sleep with men, because he lacks the means to stay hidden. This is a clear similarity between Basil and Wilde, for Wilde also hid his homosexual feelings up until a certain date, which is actually marked with the death of Basil.

It seems that like Dorian Gray resembles the wild, evil and lustful part of Wilde, Basil seems the controlled, nicer and more introverted. Basil does not commit immoral acts, but controls himself and hides his homosexuality from society. These two opposites are made clear in the book, especially at the point of the murder of Basil. As Wilde sees himself as Basil, he believes he is still in control of himself, and stays on his good “side”. He believes he is just as innocent and nice, but it seems the world sees him otherwise. The world sees him as Lord Wotton.

 

 

Henry Wotton

Lord Henry Wotton is the first character introduced in the book. He is an aristocrat, and interested in psychological studies of humans. He tends to form theories about life, pleasure, women and much more, most of those theories being immoral or wrong in some way. Lord Henry's influence is the main reason Dorian corrupts so much, although Lord Henry never meant to change Dorian's personality. Henry thinks that Dorian, just like Henry himself, would analyse the theories but not live according to them. Lord Henry is described by multiple characters in the book as a very interesting personality, who speaks only immoral things yet does only moral deeds. It seems Henry is smart enough to think of new ways to receive pleasure and new standards to live by, but he lacks the courage of testing them himself. Therefore he uses test subjects, which he influences with his theories, and watch the results. Henry might seem a wicked person, but he is not at heart. He only makes up his theories, but I doubt he really believes them, or would be willing to live by them.

 

At first, when Henry Wotton meets Dorian Gray, they share an intense friendship, close to homosexuality, but later on Henry starts seeing Dorian much more as his test subject then as a friend of his. He starts testing his immoral theories on Dorian, and the personality change in Dorian is the direct result of it. Henry starts advising Dorian Gray what to do and what not to do, and even talks him out of his guilt, for instance when he persuades Dorian into believing that Sibyl Vane's death was not a tragedy at all. He actually helps Dorian on his path to evilness. Henry does not seem to understand what he is doing. When Dorian asks Henry if he could believe that Dorian killed Basil, Henry laughs at Dorian, stating that Dorian would be unable to preform such a deed. Although Lord Henry corrupted Dorian, he does not take notice of it.

 

But what is Henry's connection to Wilde? Henry is according to Wilde the way the world sees him. Not as a nice, controlled person like Basil, but as the wicked, yet scared Lord Wotton. It means that Wilde is seen as a person who likes to study people and think of immoral theories and things, but never does anything immoral. In the book, Lord Henry criticized the society in which they were living multiple times. Oscar Wilde also criticized the same society, in which men often lied to each other to be polite, and gossip about each other when the other was absent. Oscar Wilde's criticism on the society he was living in can be clearly viewed in his masterpiece: the play The importance of being Earnest. This great play is still shown across the world, but not only made Wilde famous, but marked his downfall. Society started to criticize Wilde, much like Wotton, and he ended up being punished to serve two years in a Labour camp. Another possible link between Wilde and Wotton is that both their wives divorced them over another man.

Yet there is one positive aspect of Wilde not being seen as Basil but as Henry. Lord Henry Wotton seems much less homosexual then Basil does, and this must mean that Wilde was also judged less homosexual by society then he was actually feeling. This positive point however means nothing to the great negative aspects of being seen as Henry Wotton.

 

 

 

Dorian Gray Called "Prince Charming" by Sibyl Vane, he is the main character of the novel. The book revolves around a secret pact that Dorian makes and the subsequent destruction of his soul.

 

 

Basil Hallward The artist who paints Dorian's portrait is a somewhat secretive but decent man who tries to be a good friend. Dorian kills Basil in a moment of self-centered hysteria.

 

Lord Henry Wotton Dubbed "Prince Paradox" by Dorian, he serves as mentor to Dorian and encourages him to lead a life devoted to pleasure. His performance in conversation evokes comparison to Wilde himself; he speaks most of the brilliant aphorisms that appear in the novel.

 

Sibyl Vane The seventeen-year-old actress adores "Prince Charming" and eventually commits suicide because of him.

 

James Vane Sibyl's large and brash brother is very protective of her. He vows to kill anyone who harms Sibyl.

 

Mrs. Vane A woman with a secret past, she considers the practical side of her daughter Sibyl's relationship with "Prince Charming."

 

Lady Victoria Wotten A delight in disarray, Lord Henry's wife divorces him.

 

Lady Agatha Lord Henry's aunt hosts a luncheon attended by Lord Henry and Dorian Gray in Chapter 3.

 

Lady Brandon She introduces Basil Hallward to Dorian Gray at a party.

 

Alan Campbell He is the scientist and former friend of Dorian Gray who disposes of Basil Hallward's body at Dorian's request.

 

Sir Geoffrey Clouston A brother of the Duchess of Monmouth, he plays a key role in the shooting incident at Selby, Dorian's country estate.

 

Margaret Devereux Dorian's deceased mother is remembered in an account by Lord Fermor.

 

Lord Fermor ("Uncle George") Lord Henry's uncle provides background information on Dorian Gray.

 

Victor Dorian's first valet initially arouses suspicion in his employer, but they part on congenial terms.

 

Francis Dorian's valet after Victor leaves.

 

Dorian Gray's Gardener He delivers a letter to Dorian at the country estate.

 

Lady Gwendolyn Lord Henry's sister provides a box at the opera and later is involved with Dorian.

 

Hansom Driver He drives Dorian to the opium den.

 

Mr. Hubbard The frame maker from South Audley Street, with his assistant, moves Dorian's portrait to the attic schoolroom.

 

Mr. Isaacs Sibyl Vane's Jewish manager and producer is described in stereotypical terms by Dorian.

 

Lord Kelso Dorian's hard-hearted grandfather apparently had his own daughter's husband killed.

 

Mrs. Leaf Dorian's housekeeper is an efficient, friendly sort. She gives the keys to the attic room to Dorian.

 

Hetty Merton A naïve but beautiful village girl, she reminds Dorian of Sibyl Vane. Dorian is quite proud of himself for sparing her.

 

Duchess of Monmouth ("Gladys") Attractive and younger than her husband, she flirts with Dorian.

 

Duke of Monmouth The husband of Gladys is sixty and weary.

 

Lady Narborough A flirtatious, elderly friend of Dorian, she hosts a dinner party attended by Dorian and Lord Henry in Chapter 15.

 

Parker Basil Hallward's butler.

 

Policeman Summoned by passersby, he rings the door at Dorian's house several times but receives no answer when a cry and a crash are heard from the attic room.

 

Two Passersby Two men, one of them the uncle of a lad "ruined" by Dorian, hear the cry and crash from the attic and fetch a policeman.

 

Adrian Singleton Another young man badly influenced by Dorian, he is at the opium den when Dorian arrives.

 

 

Thornton Dorian's gamekeeper has some surprising news about the corpse at Selby.

 

Woman at Bar The outspoken woman at the bar of the opium den apparently is one of Dorian's early victims