Concetti Chiave
- Dorian Gray is influenced by artist Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton, who introduce him to the philosophy of Hedonism, impacting his life profoundly.
- Dorian's desire for eternal youth is mysteriously fulfilled, with his moral decay instead manifesting on his portrait as he remains young and beautiful.
- His relationship with Sybil Vane ends tragically after he breaks their engagement due to her quitting acting, ultimately leading to her suicide.
- The "yellow book" given by Lord Henry becomes Dorian's guide to a life of pleasure and indulgence, disregarding moral conventions.
- The story concludes with Dorian attempting to destroy his portrait, resulting in his own death while the portrait regains its original beauty.
The novel is made up of 20 chapters.
Indice
Meeting with Basil and Lord Henry
The protagonist is Dorian Gray, a handsome young man. The artist Basil Hallward meets him at Lady Brandon’s (his aunt) home and Dorian’s beauty immediately attracts him. When the novel opens, Basil is completing his first portrait of Dorian. However, he’s not happy with his work because in his opinion it reveals his feelings for Dorian. His friend Lord Henry Wotton, who is obsessed with Beauty and Youth, introduces Dorian to the philosophy of Hedonism, that is a lifestyle based on the search for pleasure to please the five senses. Lord Henry has a negative influence on the gullible young man. As a matter of fact, Dorian wishes never to grow old; his desire comes true: he stays young and beautiful while the marks of his moral decay appears on his portrait.
What is the relationship with Sybil Vane?
Dorian meets Sybil Vane, a young actress who performs in a theatre situated in a slum and they fall in love each other. However, Sybil’s brother, James, thinks Dorian is not the suitable man for his sister. Sybil decides to stop acting because she can no longer pretend to be in love now that she has experienced it. Dorian, who loves Sybil because of her ability to act, breaks his engagement with her. Once back home, he realizes that his portrait has changed: it now sneers. Dorian fears all his sins will be recorded on the canvas and tries to reconcile with Sybil, but he learns that the young woman has killed herself. Then Dorian hides his portrait in the attic so that no one else can watch its change.
The Yellow Book
Lord Henry gives Dorian a book (the “yellow book”, which is “A Rebours” by Huysmans) which is about the hedonistic life of Frenchman. The “yellow book” becomes Dorian’s bible: he devotes himself to the search for pleasure and new experiences and disregards moral conventions and even human feelings. 18 years pass. Rumours about Dorian’s lifestyle spread, but London’s high society continues to admire him because he stays handsome and young. On a dark night, after an argument, Dorian proposes Basil to have a look at his soul: he shows him his portrait, which is now horrid. Basil tries to persuade him to repent, but Dorian replies it’s too late and eventually kills him.
Meeting with James Vane
The following night Dorian meets James Vane, who tries to kill him in order to take revenge. Dorian manages to escape but he’s persecuted by fear and guilt.
Dorian finally tries to destroy his portrait but, as soon as he does it, he dies. The picture recovers it beauty, while the marks of age and corruption appear on Dorian’s body.
Domande da interrogazione
- How does Dorian Gray's relationship with Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton influence his life?
- How does the "yellow book" influence Dorian Gray's lifestyle?
Dorian Gray's life is significantly influenced by his relationships with Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton. Basil, an artist, is captivated by Dorian's beauty and paints his portrait, while Lord Henry introduces Dorian to a hedonistic lifestyle focused on pleasure. This philosophy leads Dorian to wish for eternal youth, a desire that is mysteriously granted, causing his moral decay to manifest on his portrait instead of his own appearance.
The "yellow book," given to Dorian by Lord Henry, becomes his guide to a hedonistic lifestyle. It encourages him to pursue pleasure and new experiences without regard for morality or human feelings. Over 18 years, Dorian's adherence to the book's philosophy leads to rumors about his decadent lifestyle, yet he remains admired for his unchanging youth and beauty.
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