Summary
On an evening in London, the artist, Basil, meets Dorian Gray. Basil immediately captures Dorian’s beauty while Dorian is observing Basil’s artistic imagination. He tells Dorian to sit for one of Basil’s paintings so Basil can make the most beautiful painting he has ever painted. After he has painted the picture of Dorian Gray, he admits that it reveals too much of himself and that it disappoints him. Afterward, Lord Henry enters the story as a deceptive wit that focuses on beauty and youth more than anything else in a person. Lord Henry says that the painting of Dorian is a masterpiece and should be exposed to the public. Shortly after, Basil introduces Lord Henry to Dorian keeping an eye out that Lord Henry will have a damaging influence on Dorian.
When Lord Henry and Dorian finished their first conversation, Lord Henry informs Dorian on the characteristics of youth and how youth always leaves once one reaches a certain age. This statement made Dorian upset that he pledges his soul into the painting so that the painting ages and loses youth while he stays forever young. After all of this chaos, Basil hands the painting to Dorian to own forever.
Over time, Lord Henry’s influence is slowly getting absorbed into Dorian’s mind, which is having a negative affect on Dorian’s actions. Dorian falls in love with an actress, Sibyl Vane. He talks to her after one of her shows and explains about how much her acting career mean to her. She then starts to fall in love with Dorian and refers to him as “Prince Charming.” Her brother, James Vane, warns Sibyl that Dorian is not a good person for her to get involved with; however, she ignores that. After declaring their engagement, Sibyl’s acting starts to go downhill because of all the emotions she is feeling at this period of time. Unfortunately, Dorian only has feelings for the way she acts, not for whom she actually is; in result he breaks his engagement with her. Sibyl gets so upset as Dorian is leaving her dressing room that very day. The next day, Lord Henry brought the news that Sibyl Vane has killed herself to Dorian. Surprisingly, he puts the matter aside considering it artistic triumph and goes to view his painting. He is shocked to see it has worry lines over the mouth, so he hides it upstairs.
Dorian’s attitude and actions continue to gradually become more negative. His friends still accept him as a friend because of his everlasting youth and beauty. After years of committing sins, he checks his painting again and it has become hideous. On a foggy night, Basil visits Dorian’s house to inform him about the rumors that have spread about him. Dorian offers Basil a sight of his true sole and shows him his transformed painting of a hideous Dorian Gray. He gets so angry with Basil for creating the painting in the first place that he brutally stabs Basil instantly killing him.
Dorian calls over a friend, Alan Campbell, to help him dispose of Basil’s body. Alan wishes to not help in that matter, yet Dorian threatens to send a letter that might ruin his whole reputation. The night after the murder, he goes to the opium dens, after he exits them he has an encounter with James Vane. He attempts to kill Dorian because of Sibyls death but it fails. When Dorian goes out hunting later on, he accidentally shoots James Vane and immediately after that he feels a sense of safety. He then goes back to his house to view how bad his painting looks now, once he sees it he is trying to find the courage he once had to admit the sins he has committed but he cannot. That is when he grabs the knife he killed Basil with and stabs the painting in order to destroy it. Since he pledged his soul into the painting, right after he stabs the painting, Dorian Gray dies.
On an evening in London, the artist, Basil, meets Dorian Gray. Basil immediately captures Dorian’s beauty while Dorian is observing Basil’s artistic imagination. He tells Dorian to sit for one of Basil’s paintings so Basil can make the most beautiful painting he has ever painted. After he has painted the picture of Dorian Gray, he admits that it reveals too much of himself and that it disappoints him. Afterward, Lord Henry enters the story as a deceptive wit that focuses on beauty and youth more than anything else in a person. Lord Henry says that the painting of Dorian is a masterpiece and should be exposed to the public. Shortly after, Basil introduces Lord Henry to Dorian keeping an eye out that Lord Henry will have a damaging influence on Dorian.
When Lord Henry and Dorian finished their first conversation, Lord Henry informs Dorian on the characteristics of youth and how youth always leaves once one reaches a certain age. This statement made Dorian upset that he pledges his soul into the painting so that the painting ages and loses youth while he stays forever young. After all of this chaos, Basil hands the painting to Dorian to own forever.
Over time, Lord Henry’s influence is slowly getting absorbed into Dorian’s mind, which is having a negative affect on Dorian’s actions. Dorian falls in love with an actress, Sibyl Vane. He talks to her after one of her shows and explains about how much her acting career mean to her. She then starts to fall in love with Dorian and refers to him as “Prince Charming.” Her brother, James Vane, warns Sibyl that Dorian is not a good person for her to get involved with; however, she ignores that. After declaring their engagement, Sibyl’s acting starts to go downhill because of all the emotions she is feeling at this period of time. Unfortunately, Dorian only has feelings for the way she acts, not for whom she actually is; in result he breaks his engagement with her. Sibyl gets so upset as Dorian is leaving her dressing room that very day. The next day, Lord Henry brought the news that Sibyl Vane has killed herself to Dorian. Surprisingly, he puts the matter aside considering it artistic triumph and goes to view his painting. He is shocked to see it has worry lines over the mouth, so he hides it upstairs.
Dorian’s attitude and actions continue to gradually become more negative. His friends still accept him as a friend because of his everlasting youth and beauty. After years of committing sins, he checks his painting again and it has become hideous. On a foggy night, Basil visits Dorian’s house to inform him about the rumors that have spread about him. Dorian offers Basil a sight of his true sole and shows him his transformed painting of a hideous Dorian Gray. He gets so angry with Basil for creating the painting in the first place that he brutally stabs Basil instantly killing him.
Dorian calls over a friend, Alan Campbell, to help him dispose of Basil’s body. Alan wishes to not help in that matter, yet Dorian threatens to send a letter that might ruin his whole reputation. The night after the murder, he goes to the opium dens, after he exits them he has an encounter with James Vane. He attempts to kill Dorian because of Sibyls death but it fails. When Dorian goes out hunting later on, he accidentally shoots James Vane and immediately after that he feels a sense of safety. He then goes back to his house to view how bad his painting looks now, once he sees it he is trying to find the courage he once had to admit the sins he has committed but he cannot. That is when he grabs the knife he killed Basil with and stabs the painting in order to destroy it. Since he pledged his soul into the painting, right after he stabs the painting, Dorian Gray dies.