the picture of dorian gray

ThePictureofDorianGrayThesupernaturalclassic&onlypublishednovelofOscarWildeThePictureofDorianGrayisconsideredaworkofclassicgothicfictionwithastrongFaustiantheme.ThePictureofDorianGrayhas3maincharacters,theyare:-DorianGray,theprotagonist.-BasilHallward,aclosefriendofGray.-LordHenryWotton,thebestfriendofGray.ThenovelbeginsonabeautifulhotsummerdaywithLordHenryWottonobservingtheartistBasilHallwardpaintingtheportraitofahandsomeyoungmannamed…DorianGrayLordHenryaskstomeetDorian,andwhenhearriveslater,Basilishesitantbutagrees.AfterhearingLordHenry'sworldview,Dorianbeginstothinkbeautyistheonlyworthwhileaspectoflife,theonlythinglefttopursue.Realizingthatonedayhisbeautywillfade,Dorian(whimsically)expressesadesiretosellhissoultoensuretheportraitBasilhaspaintedwouldageratherthanhimself.Dorian'swishisfulfilled,plunginghimintodebauchedacts.Theportraitservesasareminderoftheeffecteachacthasuponhissoul,witheachsindisplayedasadisfigurementofhisform,orthroughasignofaging.Intheendofthestory,Dorianstabbedtheportraitwithasword,sohedied.Itisbecauseoftheportraitishissoul.TheMainIdeaThemainideaofThePictureofDorianGrayis:thebeautyofinsideismuchmoreimportantthanthebeautyofoutside.Moreover,thebeautyofoutsidecannotforever.ItisbecauseOscarWildethought:thedefinitionof“beautiful”forhumansshouldbebothinsideandoutside;andhethoughtitisquitimpossible.Inaletter,Wildesaidthemaincharacterswerereflectionsofhimself,“BasilHallwardiswhatIthinkIam;LordHenryWottoniswhattheworldthinksme;DorianGrayiswhatIwouldliketobe-inotherages,perhaps.”TheEndTheMainCharacters•DorianGray–ahandsomeandnarcissisticyoungmanwhobecomesenthralledwithLordHenry'sideaofanewhedonism.Hebeginstoindulgeineverykindofpleasure,moralandimmoral.TheMainCharacters•BasilHallward–anartistwhobecomesinfatuatedwithDorian.DorianhelpsHallwardrealizehisartisticpotential,asBasil'sportraitofDorianprovestobehisfinestwork.AdevoutChristianwithconservativevalues,heislaterkilledbyGray.TheMainCharacters•LordHenry“Harry”Wotton–animperiousanddecadentdandywhoisafriendtoBasilinitially,butlaterbecomesmoreintriguedwithDorian'sbeauty.Extremelywitty,heisseenasacritiqueofVictoriancultureattheendofthecentury,espousingaviewofindulgenthedonism.TheMainCharactersHeconveystoGrayhisworldview,andDorianbecomescorruptedasheattemptstoemulatehim,thoughBasilpointsouttoHarry,“Youneversayamoralthing,andyouneverdoawrongthing.”