The Picture of Dorian Gray is a novel based on youth, beauty, and appearance. Dorian Gray is a very wealthy and beautiful young man and is obsessed with having his portrait painted. Basil Howard, who is a well-known artist, loves painting Dorian because his beauty brings his paintings to life. The novel opens with Basil painting Dorian’s portrait, but he tells his friend, Lord Henry Wotton, that the painting reveals too much of his personal feelings. Lord Henry is a man who loves to antagonize his friends of their youth and beauty. He is obsessed with living a young life and remaining youthful for life. Lord Henry ends up having a huge influence on Dorian and Dorian worries that his youthful characteristics are fading day by day. In order to preserve his youth, he curses the painting and pledges his soul if only the painting would age, and he would be able to stay young forever.
Dorian dedicates his life to being young and lives his life in the moment at all times. He goes to the theater, watches Sibyl Lane perform, and falls in love with her. Sibyl Lane is a very talented performer who can dedicate all her emotions into her acting because she has no other way to express herself, until she meets Dorian. After the couple becomes engaged, Dorian goes to watch her perform one last time. Unfortunately, Sibyl can’t perform the same way because she has a new outlet for her emotions. This causes Dorian to become very upset with her and he breaks off the engagement. Dorian goes home to find the face of his portrait changed. He chooses to make amends with Sibyl to save the face on the painting from getting worse, but he soon finds out that she has killed herself. After learning the terrible news, Dorian decides to hide the painting from everyone so no one can see the transformation of the person he is becoming.
When Lord Henry gives Dorian a book that describes the terrible things that a nineteenth-century man did in his lifetime, Dorian becomes obsessed. He sinks deeper into a life of sin and corruption. Rumors begin spreading about his scandalous adventures, but he continues to be respected because his image remains young and beautiful. While Dorian remains incredibly beautiful, the painting gets worse and worse. Basil hears about the lifestyle and path that Dorian has been living and he goes to pay him a visit. Basil tries to confront Dorian and show him how far he has come from the day he painted his portrait, but it ends with Dorian refusing to listen, so much so that Dorian kills Basil in a fit of rage.
After all the drama fades, Dorian is surprised by James Vane, Sibyl’s brother, who has come looking for revenge. Dorian escapes, but days later he watches a group of hunters accidentally kill James, and finally Dorian can relax. He has finally come to terms with the fact that he has been living his life all wrong, so he decides to try and come clean. Dorian thinks that destroying the painting will break the curse and bring his life back to normal, but he was terribly mistaken. He picks up a knife and begins stabbing the painting in an effort to destroy it. After hearing the loud ruckus, his servants come to find the painting unharmed, and Dorian on the ground with the knife through his heart.
Dorian dedicates his life to being young and lives his life in the moment at all times. He goes to the theater, watches Sibyl Lane perform, and falls in love with her. Sibyl Lane is a very talented performer who can dedicate all her emotions into her acting because she has no other way to express herself, until she meets Dorian. After the couple becomes engaged, Dorian goes to watch her perform one last time. Unfortunately, Sibyl can’t perform the same way because she has a new outlet for her emotions. This causes Dorian to become very upset with her and he breaks off the engagement. Dorian goes home to find the face of his portrait changed. He chooses to make amends with Sibyl to save the face on the painting from getting worse, but he soon finds out that she has killed herself. After learning the terrible news, Dorian decides to hide the painting from everyone so no one can see the transformation of the person he is becoming.
When Lord Henry gives Dorian a book that describes the terrible things that a nineteenth-century man did in his lifetime, Dorian becomes obsessed. He sinks deeper into a life of sin and corruption. Rumors begin spreading about his scandalous adventures, but he continues to be respected because his image remains young and beautiful. While Dorian remains incredibly beautiful, the painting gets worse and worse. Basil hears about the lifestyle and path that Dorian has been living and he goes to pay him a visit. Basil tries to confront Dorian and show him how far he has come from the day he painted his portrait, but it ends with Dorian refusing to listen, so much so that Dorian kills Basil in a fit of rage.
After all the drama fades, Dorian is surprised by James Vane, Sibyl’s brother, who has come looking for revenge. Dorian escapes, but days later he watches a group of hunters accidentally kill James, and finally Dorian can relax. He has finally come to terms with the fact that he has been living his life all wrong, so he decides to try and come clean. Dorian thinks that destroying the painting will break the curse and bring his life back to normal, but he was terribly mistaken. He picks up a knife and begins stabbing the painting in an effort to destroy it. After hearing the loud ruckus, his servants come to find the painting unharmed, and Dorian on the ground with the knife through his heart.
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Audio Source: "The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde."
Summary Sources: Wilde, Oscar - The Picture of Dorian Gray
Audio Source: "The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde."
Summary Sources: Wilde, Oscar - The Picture of Dorian Gray