The picture of Dorian Grey

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The Picture of Dorian GreyAuthor – Oscar WildePublishing company – Pearson Education

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Main character - Dorian Grey  A radiantly handsome, impressionable, and wealthy

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

Setting of the storyThe story takes place around 100 years ago, in

London, England. The main characters are Dorian Grey, Basil Hallward, Lord Henry Wotton. Painter Basil Hallward is impressed by the beauty of Dorian Grey and paints his portrait.

The PlotThe famous London artist Basil Hallward shows his

dear friend Lord Henry Wotton his new painting: a portrait of a young and noble man, named Dorian Grey. Basil is really attracted by Dorian’s charm and beauty, and considers the youth an inspirational gift  for his art. Lord Henry asks the painter to meet Dorian and Basil; after some hesitation, he agrees. The young man becomes enthralled by Lord Henry’s eloquence and his worldly view. As a new kind of hedonism, according to Lord Henry, the only aims in life are to pursue  beauty and to satisfy one’s own senses. He persuades Dorian not to waste his beauty, but to make use of it, and to  indulge in any pleasurable experience.

In fact, when Dorian realises that one day his beauty will disappear, he wishes that the portrait painted by Basil would age instead of him. His wish comes true, indeed  he finds  that the portrait’s expression changes and ages for every sin he commits. For eighteen years he experiments with every kind of vice, and step by step Dorian loses his innocence, behaving in a sinful way. In fact, he causes the death of a young and talented actress, who had fallen in love with him; he ruins and corrupts a lot of friends and young noble men;

he even kills his friend Basil, but his outward appearances remains unchanged. Instead, the portrait, now old and ugly, is a sort of mirror of the effect of each sin  upon his soul. At the end, he decides to be really good and to forget the past. He decides to destroy the portrait, and does so, in a fit of range, by stabbing it. The servants hear his cry, and  call the police, who find the corpse of Dorian suddenly aged, and the portrait in its original form. They identify the corpse through the rings on his hand.

ConclusionI was deeply impressed by this book, it is a

psychological one that puts the readers to think about human being, about life itself. I gave the highest rate to it. I would recommend it to you, because it is useful for our souls, it guides us to think about the consequences of our actions and that self-worship leads to self-distruction.