The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel about a young man who has his portrait painted by his obsessed artist friend who is facinated by Dorian. Basil, the artist, introduces his young friend to a more worldly friend, Lord Henry, who begins to adversely influence Dorian. After the portrait is completed, Dorian becomes overly concerned with looks, and worldly experiences due to his new friend. After falling in love with an actress, Dorian rejects the girl, and finds the next day that she has killed herself out of grief. Young and worldly Dorian feels the grief, but does not show it in his appearance. Instead, he finds the painting showing what his face should. Dorian after putting the death of his love behind him, continues in a more worldly, and experience driven lifestyle. He develops a less than favorable reputation, but is still accepted into social circles because he has remained beautiful. As his reputation worsens, his portrait does also. Basil, the artist, comes to confront Dorian and sees the portrait. After and argument, Dorian kills Basil and hides the body. He then sees the brother of his love, who is attempts to avenge his sister's death, sending Dorian into hiding, after the brother is killed in an accident, he feels safe, and tries to make anew. In a rage, Dorian stabs the painting because of soul it revealed, the real soul. Dorian was found dead on the ground, while the painting, as beautiful as the day it was painted, was unharmed next to him.
The overall theme of the novel is that art, is not simply art. Art is part of the person who created it, the person who it was created about, and the person it was created for. It is not simply for enjoyment. Art serves a purpose, whether it be to showcase qualities, or to instruct as the literature did for Dorian in the novel.
The novel has a dark, melancholy tone. The main character brings trouble to himself because of his actions, causing grief for all of the characters involved.
"We degenerate into hideous puppets, haunted by the memory of the passions of which we were too afarid, and the exquisite temptations that we had not the courage to yield to."
"The basis of optimism is pure terror."
"When one is in love, one always begins by decieving one's self, and one always ends by deceiving others. That is what the world calls romance."
Diction: "My dear boy, no woman in a genius. Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly. Women represent the triumph of matter over mind, just as men represent the triumph of mind over morals."
Inversion: "Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul."
Parallelism: "I choose my friends for their good looks, my aquaintances for their good characters, and my enimies for their good intellects."
Imagery: "But the picutre? What was he to say of that? It held the secret of his life, and told his story. It had taught him to love his own beauty. Would he ever look at it again?"
Syntax: I never approve, or disapprove, of anything now. It is an absurd attitude to take towards life. We are not sent into the world to air our moral prejudices. I never take any notice of what common people say, and i never interfere with what charming people do.
