KaterinaMahdavi

Ms.Gardner
English10Period4
9November2015
TheTransformingPictureofDorianGray
LiteraryCriticism:
Aubrey,Bryan.IraMarkMilneandTimothySisler.Vol.20.Detroit:Gale,2005.
AccordingtoBryanAubrey,thenovelisbasedaroundthethreefascinatingcharactersof
LordHenryWotton,BasilHallward,andDorianGray.Allofthesecharactersclearly
representthecorrelationbetweenethicsandbeauty,artandlife,andcontemplationand
action.Despitetheirgoalsinwhichtheyeachaspire,theyallfailterribly.InAubreys
words,
ThePictureofDorianGray
isnotanovelfortheoptimist.

Aubreyallowsthereadertoseethetruemeaningandpurposebehindthecharacters.
Eachonecontributestothenovelwiththeuseoftheirindividualconflictsinwhichthey
allfail.ThisarticleprovidesthoroughinformationanddetailregardingWildesreasoning
forhischoiceincharacters.Theoverallpointthereadermayreceivefromthisarticleis
thecharactersarethesolidfoundationfortheflowofthenovel.

LiteraryCriticism:
Buma,Michael.

VictorianNewsletter,107(Spring2005):p18.From
LiteratureResource
Center.
InMichaelBumaseyes,
ThePictureofDorianGray
canbeseenasanovelthat
measuresthedepthsofevilandneedsaconcreteconceptionofgoodasitsbackdrop.

BumathinkstheoriginofDorianGrayisbasedoffofWildesownreligiousupbringing.
BumaseesthecharacterofDorianGraymainlypresentingauniverseinwhichGod
existsandenableshumanstoknowgoodandeviltosomeextent.Bumaspointand
loudestcritiqueofthenovelishisopiniononitbeingaChristianunderstandingofthe
world.

ArelationshipbetweenthecontextandBumasopinionsisshownthroughoutthearticle.
HisthoughtsonDorianGrayandhispurposeinthenovelarefittingandappeartobean
accuratedescription.LikeBumaexpressedinhisarticle,DorianGraydoesindeed
portrayacharacterwhoseespeopleascapableofchoosingeitheramoralorimmoral
actiontheyseefit.

InformationonSubject/Issues:
GaleOnlineEncyclopedia
.Detroit:Gale.From
LiteratureResourceCenter.

Allofthetragediesandconflictsin
ThePictureofDorianGray
revolvearounda
portraitofthecharacterDorianGray.Amagnificentpaintingismaderepresenting
Doriansyouthandbeauty.AsDorianisrepeatedlyfoundinmomentsof
disappointmentandshame,theportraitbeginstochangecorrespondingtothe
unfortunateeventsoftheday.Thedisgustcausedbyhiseverchangingportrait
resultsinDorianGrayparticipatinginterribleactsofmurderandisolation.

Thisarticlegivesthereaderachancetovisualizethecontextofthenovelata
deeperperspective.BeingabletoevaluatethecharacterofDorianGrayindepth

causestheaudiencetofullyunderstandwhatdroveDoriantohisboilingpoint.
WildespurposeforincludingscenessuchastheoneregardingDoriansreaction
toSibylVanesperformancebecomeclearshowingeventhesmallsceneswere
leadupstothetragicfallout.

InformationonAuthor:
Hill,Debora.

ThePictureofDorianGray.
Detroit:St.JamesPress,1997.

OscarWildegrewupalongsidetheupperclassesofVictoriansocietyinthelate1800s,
whichhappenedtobeoneofthemoststringentsocietiestheworldhaseverknown.As
Wildebecameolderhestruggledwithdisorientationcausinghimtohaveveryfew
friendsandtriggeringhisbrilliancethroughearlypiecesofwork.Afterschool,traveling,
andstartingafamily,OscarWildebeganpublishingmultiplebooks.Despiteallofthe
negativitytowardshismostfamousnovel,
ThePictureofDorianGray
,Wildecontinued
writing,revealinghisintriguingtalent.

Wildesreasoningforthedetailsheincludesinhisnovelsseemtobecomeveryclear
afterreadingofhispast.Thearticlegoesintofulldetailregardinghisstrugglesfromhis
youthtoadulthoodwhichactasinfluencestowardshiswriting.IfOscarWildehadnt
dealtwiththestrictguidelinesoftheVictoriansociety,hisworkwouldhavehada
completelydifferentmeaningandwouldnotcontaintheintellectualviewoftheworldin
whichheemphasized.

InformationonAuthor:

Lawler,Donald.

DictionaryofLiteraryBiography
Vol.57

.Detroit:Gale,1987.

OscarWildewasamanandartistofdeterminationwhofocusedonpursuinghispassion
forwhathethoughtofasthetwogreatestarts,lifeandliterature.Schoolingwasa
largecontributiontowardsWildesfuturedevelopmentinwriting.Specifically,histimeat
Oxfordplayedaroleinshapinghismindanddevelopingthepathleadingtohismost
profoundpiecessuchas
ThePictureofDorianGray
.Wildessurroundingsduringhis
lifetimegavehimtheextrainfluentialandmotivationalpushtorevealhistrueaptitude.

Hiddeninhiswriting,Wildeenablesthereadertoseehissenseofmodernismandtaste
forartisticinspiration.Withoutknowinghispastregardinghisinfluentialencountersat
Oxford,onewouldnotbeabletoconnecthiswritingwithreasoning.OscarWildesuse
ofwhimsicaldictionisamereresultofthediverseinteractionshehadwithschoolsand
peopleduringhisearlyyears.

InformationonSubject/Issues:
NovelsforStudents
.Ed.IraMarkMilneandTimothySisler.Vol.20.Detroit:Gale,
2005.
DorianGrayseeksnothingbuteternalyouthandbeautyinhislife,infact
heevenstateshewouldgiveawayeverythingincludinghisownsoulifhe
remainedyoungandtheportraitgrewold.Theportraitwasbeautifully
paintedbytheartist,BasilHallward,itisaconstantreminderofDorians
purehandsomenessandperfectfeatures.SinceDorianfoundsuchalarge
amountofsatisfactioninthisportrait,helostcontrolatthesightofit

changing.DorianGraynolongerfoundyouthandbeautyinhisportrait,
insteadhefoundhatredanddisgust.

Notonlyshowninthenovel,butalsothearticleDorianGrayneededthe
reminderofhavingeternalyouthandbeautyinordertocontinue
throughouttheday.WIthoutthereassuranceofhisportrait,heonlysaw
himselfasatypicalpersongrowingolderbytheminute.Theportraitkept
Doriangoing,itgavehimameaningoratitlegivinghimafeelingofpower
andselflove.Thesecondhisperfect,beautifulpaintingbegantoalter
DorianGrayhadnomeaning,heresembledeveryoneelseintheworld.