Study notes: The Picture of Dorian Gray
A handsome young man wishes that his portrait would grow old instead of him. The wish comes true: Dorian stays young while the painting shows every cruel thing he does. Wilde writes with sharp, funny dialogue, but the story is a warning about living only for pleasure.
Themes
Beauty and vanity. Influence of friends. Conscience.
People to follow
Dorian Gray, Basil Hallward the painter, and Lord Henry Wotton.
Talk about
- How does Lord Henry change Dorian?
- What does the portrait represent?
- Can Dorian escape his choices?
Public-domain text. First published in 1891; Oscar Wilde died in 1900, so this text is in the public domain in the US, Canada, the EU and India. Summary and notes written by ViralScopeHub.