Wilde's Dorian Gray and aesthetic philosophy

Personification of Dorian Gray

In Oscar Wilde's novella "The Picture of Dorian Gray," first published in book form in 1891, the main character, being Dorian Gray, described by Lord Henry Wotton as "wonderfully handsome, with... finely-curved scarlet lips... frank blue eyes... crisp gold hair... A face that made one trust him at once" (27), experiences a cycle of deterioration as a human being which begins with the portrait of Dorian by Basil Hallward, a painting of exquisite beauty and elegance which prompts Dorian, after some urging from Lord Henry, to wish that the painting should grow old instead of himself, thereby retaining his youth while the painting ages and deteriorates.

Dorian's character at the beginning of the story is one of refinement, cordiality and gullibility, due to his lack of experience in the real world, one full of vice, corruption and hedonistic pleasures. But when Lord Henry convinces Dorian that "youth is the one thing worth having" (31), his personification immediately alters upon realizing that "there would be a day when his face would be wrinkled... his eyes dim and colourless, the grace of his figure broken and deformed... The scarlet would pass from his lips... he would become dreadful, hideous and uncouth" (34).

As a result of these realizations, Dorian Gray decides to emulate Lord Henry and turn away from refinement and cordiality to a lifestyle full of hedonistic pleasure, one which will boost his own ego and bring him notoriety among the upper classes of London as a true "Bohemian" and enjoyer of all that is profane and ungodly.

Of course, this decision is the first major mistake made by Dorian Gray, for it brings about several other mistakes that eventually lead to utter corruption and death. His second mistake is beginning a relationship with Sybil Vane, a lowly tavern singer who falls madly in love with Dorian but is hated by her brother who sees much evil in Mr. Gray, a predicament that forces him to say to Sybil, "For as sure as there is a God in heaven, if he ever does you any wrong I shall kill him" (63). Indeed, Dorian Gray does end up doing much wrong to Miss Vane which induces her to commit suicide. However, her brother, a worldly seaman, does not get the opportunity to fulfill his promise, for he too ends up dead through the machinations of the evil Dorian Gray.

Dorian's third mistake occurs at the conclusion of the story when he decides to destroy the painting which after many years has become decayed and horrible to see as a result of Dorian's hedonistic lifestyle and the murder of Basil Hallward. While in the attic where the painting has been stored and kept from prying eyes, Dorian takes the same knife he used to kill Basil Hallward and stabs the painting, thinking that "as (the knife) had killed the painter, so it would kill the painter's work...it would kill the past... It would kill his monstrous soul-life and... he would be at peace" (167).