The Picture of Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian Gray

By Oscar By Oscar WildeWilde

Oscar WildeOscar Wilde

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was born on Wills Wilde was born on October 16, 1854, in October 16, 1854, in Dublin, Ireland. He was Dublin, Ireland. He was educated at Trinity College educated at Trinity College in Dublin and at Magdalen in Dublin and at Magdalen College, Oxford, and College, Oxford, and settled in London, where settled in London, where he married Constance he married Constance Lloyd in 1884. In the Lloyd in 1884. In the literary world of Victorian literary world of Victorian London, Wilde fell in with London, Wilde fell in with an artistic crowd that an artistic crowd that included W. B. Yeats, the included W. B. Yeats, the great Irish poet, and Lillie great Irish poet, and Lillie Langtry, mistress to the Langtry, mistress to the Prince of Wales. Prince of Wales.

A great conversationalist and A great conversationalist and a famous wit, Wilde began by a famous wit, Wilde began by publishing mediocre poetry publishing mediocre poetry but soon achieved widespread but soon achieved widespread fame for his comic plays. The fame for his comic plays. The first, first, Vera; or, The Nihilists,Vera; or, The Nihilists, was published in 1880. Wilde was published in 1880. Wilde followed this work with followed this work with Lady Lady Windermere’s FanWindermere’s Fan (1892),  (1892), A A Woman of No ImportanceWoman of No Importance (1893), (1893), An Ideal HusbandAn Ideal Husband (1895), and his most famous (1895), and his most famous play, play, The Importance of Being The Importance of Being EarnestEarnest (1895). Although  (1895). Although these plays relied upon these plays relied upon relatively simple and familiar relatively simple and familiar plots, they rose well above plots, they rose well above convention with their brilliant convention with their brilliant dialogue and biting satire.dialogue and biting satire.

Wilde published The Picture of Dorian Gray, his only novel, in 1890, before he reached the height of his fame. It was immediately criticized as scandalous and immoral. Wilde revised the novel the following year, adding a Preface and six new chapters. The Preface answers critics who charged the novel with being immoral and also sets forth the tenets of Wilde’s philosophy of art. Wilde believed that art possesses an intrinsic value that is beautiful and worthy, and thus needs to serve no other purpose. In The Preface, Wilde also cautioned readers against finding meanings “beneath the surface” of art.

Oscar Wilde’s Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian Gray

Part gothic novel, part Part gothic novel, part comedy of manners, part comedy of manners, part treatise on the relationship treatise on the relationship between art and morality, between art and morality, The Picture of Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian Gray continues to present its continues to present its readers with a puzzle to sort readers with a puzzle to sort out. There is as likely to be out. There is as likely to be as much disagreement over as much disagreement over its meaning now as there its meaning now as there was among its Victorian was among its Victorian audience, but, as Wilde audience, but, as Wilde notes near the end of the notes near the end of the Preface, “Diversity of Preface, “Diversity of opinion about a work of art opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, shows that the work is new, complex, and vital.”complex, and vital.”

The Life and Death of Oscar WildeThe Life and Death of Oscar Wilde

In 1891, the same year In 1891, the same year that the second edition that the second edition

of of The Picture of Dorian The Picture of Dorian GrayGray was published, Wilde was published, Wilde began began a homosexual a homosexual relationship relationship with Lord Alfred with Lord Alfred Douglas, Douglas, an aspiring but an aspiring but rather rather untalented poet. untalented poet. The affair The affair caused a good caused a good deal of scandal, deal of scandal, and and Douglas’s father, the Douglas’s father, the Marquess of Queensberry, Marquess of Queensberry, eventually criticized it publicly. eventually criticized it publicly.

When Wilde sued the marquess When Wilde sued the marquess for libel, he himself was convicted for libel, he himself was convicted

under English sodomy laws for under English sodomy laws for acts of acts of “gross indecency.”“gross indecency.”Wilde with Lord Alfred Douglas

The Life and Death of Oscar WildeThe Life and Death of Oscar Wilde

In 1895, Wilde was sentenced to two years of hard In 1895, Wilde was sentenced to two years of hard labor, during which time he wrote a long, labor, during which time he wrote a long, heartbreaking letter to Lord Alfred titled heartbreaking letter to Lord Alfred titled De De ProfundisProfundis (Latin for “Out of the Depths”). After his (Latin for “Out of the Depths”). After his release, Wilde left England and divided his time release, Wilde left England and divided his time between France and Italy, living in poverty. He between France and Italy, living in poverty. He never published under his own name again, but, in never published under his own name again, but, in 1898, he did publish under a pseudonym 1898, he did publish under a pseudonym The Ballad The Ballad of Reading Gaol,of Reading Gaol, a lengthy poem about a prisoner’s a lengthy poem about a prisoner’s feelings toward another prisoner about to be feelings toward another prisoner about to be executed. Wilde died in Paris on November 30, executed. Wilde died in Paris on November 30, 1900, having converted to Roman Catholicism on 1900, having converted to Roman Catholicism on his deathbed.his deathbed.

Major Characters from the Major Characters from the NovelNovel

Dorian GrayDorian Gray -  A radiantly  -  A radiantly handsome, impressionable, handsome, impressionable, and wealthy young and wealthy young gentleman, whose portrait gentleman, whose portrait the artist Basil Hallward the artist Basil Hallward paints. Under the influence paints. Under the influence of Lord Henry Wotton, of Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian becomes extremely Dorian becomes extremely concerned with the concerned with the transience of his beauty transience of his beauty and begins to pursue his and begins to pursue his own pleasure above all own pleasure above all else. He devotes himself to else. He devotes himself to having as many having as many experiences as possible, experiences as possible, whether moral or immoral, whether moral or immoral, elegant or sordid. elegant or sordid.

Major CharactersMajor Characters

Lord Henry WottonLord Henry Wotton -  A  -  A nobleman and a close friend nobleman and a close friend of Basil Hallward. Urbane of Basil Hallward. Urbane and witty, Lord Henry is and witty, Lord Henry is perpetually armed and ready perpetually armed and ready with well-phrased epigrams with well-phrased epigrams criticizing the moralism and criticizing the moralism and hypocrisy of Victorian hypocrisy of Victorian society. His pleasure-seeking society. His pleasure-seeking philosophy of “new philosophy of “new Hedonism,” which espouses Hedonism,” which espouses garnering experiences that garnering experiences that stimulate the senses without stimulate the senses without regard for conventional regard for conventional morality, plays a vital role in morality, plays a vital role in Dorian’s development. Dorian’s development.

Major CharactersMajor Characters Basil HallwardBasil Hallward -  An artist, and a  -  An artist, and a

friend of Lord Henry. Basil friend of Lord Henry. Basil becomes obsessed with Dorian becomes obsessed with Dorian after meeting him at a party. He after meeting him at a party. He claims that Dorian possesses a claims that Dorian possesses a beauty so rare that it has helped beauty so rare that it has helped him realize a new kind of art; him realize a new kind of art; through Dorian, he finds “the lines through Dorian, he finds “the lines of a fresh school.” Dorian also of a fresh school.” Dorian also helps Basil realize his artistic helps Basil realize his artistic potential, as the portrait of Dorian potential, as the portrait of Dorian that Basil paints proves to be that Basil paints proves to be his masterpiece. his masterpiece.

Sibyl VaneSibyl Vane -  A poor, beautiful,  -  A poor, beautiful, and talented actress with whom and talented actress with whom Dorian falls in love. Sibyl’s love for Dorian falls in love. Sibyl’s love for Dorian compromises her ability to Dorian compromises her ability to act, as her experience of true love act, as her experience of true love in life makes her realize the in life makes her realize the falseness of affecting emotions falseness of affecting emotions onstage.onstage.

Major Themes to ConsiderMajor Themes to Consider

What is the role of influence and What is the role of influence and manipulation in manipulation in The Picture of Dorian The Picture of Dorian Gray?Gray?

What is art? What role does What is art? What role does aestheticism play in the novel?aestheticism play in the novel?

What is beauty? How does What is beauty? How does aestheticism relate to this theme in aestheticism relate to this theme in the novel?the novel?

Major Themes to ConsiderMajor Themes to Consider

What is the importance of youth and What is the importance of youth and beauty in relation to intellect and beauty in relation to intellect and soul as presented in soul as presented in Dorian GrayDorian Gray??

What role does friendship play in the What role does friendship play in the novel?novel?

What is Hedonism? How is hedonism What is Hedonism? How is hedonism a dominating theme in a dominating theme in Dorian GrayDorian Gray??

……and finallyand finally

What is the role of innocence in the What is the role of innocence in the novel? Consider specifically Dorian, novel? Consider specifically Dorian, Sibyl Vane, and Hetty Morton.Sibyl Vane, and Hetty Morton.

What is morality? What role does What is morality? What role does morality play in morality play in Dorian Gray?Dorian Gray?

What is the importance of sin and What is the importance of sin and redemption in redemption in Dorian Gray?Dorian Gray?

Some Some Golden LinesGolden Lines from the from the NovelNovel

All art is quite useless. (Page 2)All art is quite useless. (Page 2)There is only one thing in the world There is only one thing in the world

worse than being talked about, and worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. (Page 4)that is not being talked about. (Page 4)

Being natural is simply a pose, and the Being natural is simply a pose, and the most irritating pose I know. (Page 7)most irritating pose I know. (Page 7)

I like persons better than principles, I like persons better than principles, and I like persons with no principles and I like persons with no principles better than anything else in the world. better than anything else in the world. (Page 11)(Page 11)

More GMore Golden Lines olden Lines from from Dorian Dorian GrayGray

The only way to get rid of a The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. (Page 21)temptation is to yield to it. (Page 21)

Beauty is a form of Genius—is Beauty is a form of Genius—is higher, indeed, than Genius, as it higher, indeed, than Genius, as it needs no explanation. It is of the needs no explanation. It is of the graet facts of the world, like sunlight, graet facts of the world, like sunlight, or springtime, or the reflection in or springtime, or the reflection in dark waters of that silver shell we dark waters of that silver shell we call the moon. It cannot be call the moon. It cannot be questioned. (Page 24)questioned. (Page 24)

One more sampling from the One more sampling from the thousands in the novel……thousands in the novel……

There is always something ridiculous There is always something ridiculous about the emotion of people whom one about the emotion of people whom one has ceased to love. (Page 92)has ceased to love. (Page 92)

Life has always poppies in her hands. Life has always poppies in her hands. (Page 105)(Page 105)

No theory of life seemed to him to be of No theory of life seemed to him to be of any importance compared with life itself. any importance compared with life itself. (Page 136)(Page 136)

Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think not. It is merely a method by which we not. It is merely a method by which we can multiply our personalities. (Page 146)can multiply our personalities. (Page 146)

Some Lasting Images Some Lasting Images