Dorian Gray (character)
Dorian Gray is the main character in Oscar Wilde's only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray is a handsome, susceptible, wealthy young Victorian gentleman that Wilde based on a Scottish teen by the name of Stuart Gray. He falls in love with and devotes himself to Sibyl Vane. Dorian has two friends, Basil and Henry. Basil is an artist who draws a portrait of Dorian that emphasizes his youthful, noble, and natural beauty. Henry is a friend who has a cynical nature and who shares various thoughts with Dorian.
Background
Dorian is the late Lord Kelso's grandson. His mother, Lady Margaret Devereux, was beautiful and rich. Her grandfather hated Kelso, so Margaret received all the Selby property. Dorian’s father was a subaltern in a foot regiment who was killed a few months after his marriage to Lady Margaret. He was killed by a Belgian brute. Sadly, Dorian's mother died soon after.
Portrait
Dorian’s portrait was drawn by Basil Hallward. The picture is a masterpiece of Basil’s work. When Dorian first sees the picture, he says, “If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!” Following his wish, Dorian receives eternal youth and, instead, it is his portrait that reflects the signs of age and crime over the years while Dorian remains unchanged in appearance.
Portrayal
Dorian Gray is described as an innocent young man in the beginning of the novel. His love for Sibyl Vane is pure. However, once he meets Henry, Dorian is subjected to hedonism and commits various crimes while following a hedonistic mentality. This morality leads Dorian to reject Sibyl, who later commits suicide. Her death is a repeated agony for Dorian throughout his life. As Dorian ages, he continues to experiment with various sins and crimes. These sinful deeds take their toll on Dorian's portrait, transforming the portrait's face into one of cruelty and ugliness. When his friend Basil sees the hideous transformation of the portrait, he begs Dorian to pray for salvation. In anger, Dorian murders his friend. Years later, after the death of Sibyl's brother, Dorian vows to change his life for the better, in an effort to restore the former beauty of his portrait. However, after performing an act he considers good, he returns to the portrait to find it uglier than ever. In the end, Dorian decides to destroy the portrait with his own hands and pays the ultimate price.
Depictions in film
| Year | Film | Director | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | Dorian Grays Portraet | Axel Storm | |
| 1945 | The Picture of Dorian Gray | Albert Lewin | Filmed in black and white |
| 2009 | Dorian Gray | Oliver Parker | Competed in Official Fantastic Competition |
Famous quotes
“If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old! For that I would give everything! Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that!” (Chapter 2)
"But this murder was it to dog him all his life? Was he always to be burdened by his past? Was he really to confess? Never. There was only one bit of evidence left against him. The picture itself—that was evidence." (Chapter 20)
"It sounds vain, but you understand what I mean. She was quite beautiful and wonderfully like Sibyl Vane. I think it was that which first attracted me to her. You remember Sibyl, don't you? How long ago that seems! Well, Hetty was not one of our own class, of course. She was simply a girl in a village." (Chapter 19)
References
External links
- Dorian Gray on IMDb