The Picture of Dorian Gray Short Summary

The Picture of Dorian Gray
c Pearson Education Limited 2008

- Teachers notes 1 of 3
Teachers notes
LEVEL 4
PENGUIN READERSTeacher Support Programme
About the author
Oscar Wilde is one of the best-known characters of British literary history. Wilde grew up in a
professional middle-class family in Dublin. He was a brilliant student and came to England to study at
Oxford University. He was very ambitious and wanted to join English high society. He soon became
famous for his witty conversation, especially his ironic epigrams or amusing sayings. Oscar Wilde was
flamboyant and eccentric from an early age. At a time when men only wore black or grey he put on
colourful clothes, grew his hair long and wore a green flower in his buttonhole. He was a founder
member of the influential aesthetic movement which believed in art for arts sake and rejected the
strict morality of Victorian society which regarded all sexual matters as dirty and immoral. In
Victorian England all men were expected to get married and have a family. Wilde married and had
two children, but he secretly loved men, something which was considered disgusting and was a serious
crime. Wilde kept his love affairs with men a secret and between 1892 and 1895 his plays made him
the most successful and popular writer in Britain. He loved mixing with the aristocracy yet his works
made fun of the English upper classes and, in a subtle way, criticised the cruel morality of his time.
When Wilde was found guilty of having a sexual relationship with a man, nearly all his friends
dropped him, his plays and books were withdrawn and his possessions were sold to pay his creditors.
He came out of prison a broken man and spent the final years of his life in poverty, unable to write and
forced to live in exile.
Summary
Published in 1891,
is Oscar Wildes only novel. An immediate and popular success, it has never been out of print. The
story is set in London towards the end of the 19th century. Basil Hallward has painted a portrait of a
handsome young man, Dorian Gray. Thrilled
by the beauty of the painting, Dorian Gray wishes that he could always stay as young as his image in
the picture. He gives up his soul to achieve this wish. Dorian sets out on a life of self-indulgence and
evil. His behaviour seems to be reflected in the portrait and he realises that his wish has come true
the portrait is beginning to show a corrupted man while he remains unchanged physically. Frightened
of what is happening, Dorian hides the picture in a locked room. The years pass and Dorian leads an
increasingly depraved life, but the years have no effect on him; he looks as young and beautiful as
ever. Then one evening he meets the artist once more and, after he has shown him the evil-looking
portrait, Dorian kills him in a fit of hatred. Dorian tries to carry on with his immoral life but he is
tormented by feelings of guilt and decides that the only way he can make up for what he has done is to
destroy the painting. In the climax of the story Dorian tries to kill the man in the portrait, but kills
himself in the process.
Chapters
12:
Dorian Gray, a young and beautiful man has his portrait painted by his artist friend, Basil Hallward.
The picture is so beautiful that the artist loves it as he also loves Dorian. Dorian also admires the way
the portrait reflects his beauty but becomes frightened when his new-found friend, Lord Henry, tells
him that his beauty will fade with age. Dorian makes a passionate wish that he would remain young
and beautiful forever; he would give up his soul for this.
Chapters 36:
Dorian falls in love with the actress Sibyl Vane because of her beauty and acting ability. When he takes his
friends to a performance she acts very badly, which disturbs him so much that he breaks up with her,
hurting her cruelly. After the break-up, Dorian notices that the picture has changed; it shows cruelty in
the face, while his own face remains pure and innocent looking. He realises that he can live a corrupt
life without his face showing the effects, while the picture will show ageing and the ugliness of his
soul. Dorian decides to go back to Sibyl and ask her to marry him but Sibyl has already killed herself as
a result of Dorians cruelty.
Chapters 78:
Basil is shocked by Dorians apparent indifference to Sibyls death. He wants to see the picture but Dorian
refuses and tells him the picture has changed and has a life of its own. Dorian also refuses to sit for
Basil for another painting. They argue and Dorian says that Basil has taught him to love only his own
beauty. Dorian

The Picture of Dorian Gray Short Summary

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Picture of Dorian Gray Short Summary

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Picture of Dorian Gray

c Pearson Education Limited 2008

You might also like