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Inhaltsangabe

Oscar Wilde: The picture of Dorian Gray

1.042 / ~2½ sternsternsternstern_0.5stern_0.3 Daniela G. . 2013
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The Picture of Dorian Gray


„The Picture of Dorian Gray“ is Wilde`s only novel. It was published in 1890 in Lippincott`s Monthly Magazine. It was criticized as scandalous and immoral. One year later, Wilde revised the novel and added a preface and six new chapters.


Characters:


Dorian Gray is an impossibly beautiful, cultured and wealthy young man. Under the influence of Lord Henry Wotton he becomes extremely concerned with his own beauty. In the development of the story Dorian becomes more and more egoistic and he wants to have as many experiences as possible.

Lord Henry Wotton is a nobleman and a close friend of Basil Hallward. He enjoys to criticize the moralism and hypocrisy of victorian society and he celebrates youth, beauty and pleasure.

Henry influences Dorian´s development very strongly.

Basil Hallward is a talented, well-known artist. After meeting Dorian at a party, he becomes obsessed with him. Basil thinks that Dorians beauty helps him to realize his artistic potential and a new kind of art.

Dorian sits for several paintings and Basil often depicts him as a mythological figure.“ The Portrait“ is his first picture of Dorian as he truly is.

Sibyl Vane is a poor, beautiful and talented actress, who performs in a theatre in the slums of London. She has no reference to reality and lives in the world of Shakespeare. Sibyl adores Dorian and she calls him her“ Prince Charming.“


Plot:


At the beginning of the novel Basil Hallward is completing his portrait of Dorian Gray. His friend Lord Henry Wotton claims that the portrait is Basils masterpiece and he wishes to become acquainted with the fascinating model. Dorian arrives at the studio and Basil introduces him to Henry, although he fears that the Lord will have a damaging influence on the impressionable young man.

Lord Henry upsets Dorian with a speech about the importance of beauty and youth. Dorian is worried that his good looks will pass away. He curses the portrait, which will remind him of his faded beauty when he is old. Dorian pledges his soul if only the painting could bear the burden of age and allows him to stay forever young.

Some weeks later Dorian meets Sibyl Vane in the theatre and immediately he falls in love with her and her performance. Overcome by her emotions for Dorian, Sibyl decides that she cannot pretend to love on the stage, now that she has experienced the real thing, and she acts badly.

Dorian, who loves only her ability to act, cruelly breaks up their engagement.

When he returns home, Dorian notices that the portrait, which Basil gave to him, has changed: The facial expression is cruel. Dorian is afraid that his wish has become true and that the portrait bears the effects of his sins. He decides to live a better life, to reconcile with Sibyl and to marry her.

The following afternoon, Lord Henry brings the news that Sibyl has killed herself. Henry advises him not to worry about it and to regard her death as an “artistic triumph.“ Dorian hides the portrait in a vacant room where only he can watch its transformation.

Only the figure in the painting grows old and hideous.

One night Basil Hallward arrives at Dorians house to ask him whether the rumours are true. The two argue and Dorian offers Basil to have a look at his soul. He shows him the picture and in a fit of rage he kills the artist.

To get rid of the body, Dorian employs a former friend, a doctor, whom he blackmails.

The night after the murder Dorian goes to an opium den. There he meets Sibyl Vane´s brother James.

James recognizes in Dorian the man who caused his sister´s death and he wants to revenge Sibyl. Dorians youthful looks safe him, but he becomes wracked by fear and guilt. James is accidentally shot during a hunting party and Dorian feels safe again.

The next time Dorian watches the picture he cannot bear his own soul and he repents his wish. In a fury, Dorian picks up a knife and stabs the painting in attempt to destroy it.


Themes:


The purpose of art is an important theme, as it is shown by the title of the book. The Victorians believed that art could be used for social education and moral enlightment. Wilde was a proponent of the aestheticism movement which wanted to free art from this responsibility.

One year after the first publication he included a preface, which serves an explanation of his philosophy of art: The purpose of art is to have no purpose; art has nothing to be but beautiful.

The supremacy of youth and beauty are another motif. By studying beautiful things Dorian distances himself from his horrible actions and his youth helps him to remain an acknowledged member of society. Although the novel prizes beauty highly it suggests that the price one must pay for it is extremely high: Dorian gives nothing less than his soul.


Personal comment:


I enjoyed reading this novel because it contains many different elements. On the one hand it is an exciting, creepy story with transcendental motifs and on the other hand it offers a critical picture of the time and the society Oscar Wilde lived in.

Dorian`s character is very well described and the change from the naïve young man into the brutal and immoral old man is understandable.

While reading the book I was not sure if I liked Dorian or not. He is a many-layered person and he is not alone to blame for his actions because without the influence of Lord Henry he would not have become a criminal.


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