a pacture of dorian gray

The Picture Of Dorian Gray




“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde is a gothic novel set in the late eighteenth century. The main theme of the novel is the relationship between beauty and soul. Wilde has used Dorian's “good looks” and his unconventional actions to question the significance of both soul and beauty in society. The author’s use of vivid descriptions of the changes that occur in the portrait conveys the idea that: the price one has to pay for his sins is exceedingly high. At the end it is morals that reign; the portrait returns to its original form and Dorian pays for all his sins in multitude. The relevance of the portrait in the novel is hinted at in the title “The Picture of Dorian Gray”. This reflects the importance of the changes in the appearance of the portrait in highlighting the theme that, although beauty and appearance play a big role in life, it is the soul and conscience that are of greater importance.

The two principle character...