Exploring the Downfall of Dorian Gray: A Journey of Corruption
School
New York University**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
FMTV-UT 20
Subject
Arts & Humanities
Date
Dec 10, 2024
Pages
2
Uploaded by HighnessSardinePerson1233
s9/22/22Famous painter Basil Hallward is finishing up his latest portrait of Dorian Gray, a man who is remarkably young and beautiful, in the company of Lord Henry, who is visiting. Lord Henry asks Basil who the man the painting is but Basil refuses to tell him. Henry has a scandalous identity and Basil fears he will corrupt the perfect young Dorian. However, Dorian decides to visit Basil at his studio, so Basil has no choice but to introduce them. Henry immediately influences Dorian; telling him that he should treasure his youth and beauty while he still can because they will fade. Unsettled, Dorian states that he wishes he could trade his soul to stay as young as he is depicted in Basil’s painting. Although Henry asserts his desire to have the painting to himself, Basil refuses, insisting it belongs to Dorian, and so Dorian takes it home. Later, Dorian falls in love with an actress named Sibyl Vane— he barely knows her but he becomes obsessed with her passion for acting and her performances. They are soon engaged. However, once Dorian and Sibyl are engaged, Sibyl’s acting talent suddenly disappears—she says that her reality (and love for Dorian) is so amazing, that her performances on stage seem insignificant in comparison. Because Dorian’s love for Sibyl grew from his admiration for her passion for acting and her amazing performances on stage, when these are no more, he suddenly loses interest and abruptly dumps her. Later, Dorian returns home and notices that the perfect face depicted in Basil’s painting has shifted; his expression appears crueler. This alarms Dorian and pushes him to realize his wrongdoing, he had been much too harsh, he rushes to find her and take back what he said. However, he is too late— Sibyl had already committed suicide. After Sibyl’s suicide, the trajectory of Dorian’s life changes completely. Under the influence of Lord Henry, who gives him a book about a man who leads an unapologetically hedonistic life, Dorian ultimately decides to pursue something similar. Becoming immersed in the sinful and indulgent world of his new mentor, Dorian resolves to hide Basil’s portrait away in his attic where only he can bear witness to its transformation. As the years go by, he abandons morality and becomes increasingly immersed in this life of mindless pleasure. Rumors are spread, his good reputation is spoiled, he thinks of no one but himself…Dorian remains young and beautiful, but the man in the portrait becomes ugly and old in proportion with his actions, a reflection of his soul: corrupted. When Dorian is 38, he encounters Basil once again, who begs to know whether all of the horrible rumors about him are true—Dorian shows him the ruined portrait proving that they are indeed true. Basil is horrified and begs Dorian to repent, Dorian refuses and kills Basil in a fit of rage. He blackmails a friend to help hide the body, then goes to an opium den. There, he finds James Vane who had long been waiting to encounter Dorian and avenge his sisters death. James pursues Dorian, but he ultimately dies (killed by a hunting party). Dorian is relieved that he is free of this enemy, but this sparks an awakening in him, he begins to question whether the horrible and destructive life he leads is really worth it. Six months later, he has dinner with Henry. Dorian implores him never to give the book to anyone else. That night, while Dorian examines the portrait, he decides that he cant bear to confront it any longer. He tries to destroy it with the knife he used to kill Basil. His attempt, is however, in vain; his servants rush into the room later to find an ugly old man lying dead on the floor below a portrait of a young and perfect Dorian.
Main character: Dorian GraySetting: LondonInciting Incident: Dorian meets HenryCall to Action: Dorian reads the book given to him by HenryThe Journey: Dorian lives a life of corruption, the portrait degradesClimax: Dorian kills BasilResolution: Dorian tries to destroy the painting to hide his sins, the painting represents his soul, he diesWhat’s the story about: A man’s descent into corruption and hedonism, external and internal “purity”What does it teach the main character: Living with no regard for the world around him may not degrade him internally, but it rots his soul. Pursuing pleasure can be shallow, the guilt will ultimately eat you alive.