An Oscar Wilde classic, which the 2009 film adaption simply does not do justice to. A must read full of wit, murder and mystery.

Who?

Dorian Gray – an impressionable young man, whose main asset is his remarkable beauty. He gets his portrait painted by Basil Hallward, who also introduces him to Lord Henry Wotton. Gray’s friendship with Lord Henry ultimately makes triggers the events of the novel, in which Gray becomes concerned with the passing of nature.

Lord Henry Wotton – a nobleman with a particular interest in “new hedonism”, who peruses pleasure without any regard for morality. He becomes a major influence for Dorian.

Basil Hallward – a painter, who regarded Dorian’s beauty as a way to create a new form of art. His portrait of Dorian becomes a masterpiece, but also leads to Gray’s demise.

What?

Dorian Gray, upon learning from Lord Henry of the fleeting nature of physical beauty, curses his portrait, offering his soul in return for endless beauty. He wishes that the portrait reflected all his sins and age, whilst he himself remained forever young.

Meeting actress Sibyl Vane is the first act on Gray’s way to ultimate self-destruction. The heartbreak he causes her leads to her suicide, the act of which becomes engrained on the portrait.

As Gray commits sin after sin, his portrait turns increasingly repulsive. Yet, on the surface, his beauty seems utterly untouched, even as the years fall away. The painting became a reflection of his soul. He eventually hides it in his room, so that only he can witness these horrid changes.

After showing Basil what has become of the painting, he kills the artist for his attempt to make Dorian to repent.

As years pass, and Sibyl’s brother James tries to avenge his sister’s death, Gray starts living in fear. He tries to repent for all he has done, but is unable to. He stabs the painting with the same knife he murdered Basil with. His servants later find an untouched painting of the beautiful young Dorian, and a hideous disfigured Gray with a knife in his heart by its side.

Sofia Dedyukhina

 

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