Dorian Gray

Hi, I am Kiwi Kawaii ^^ Dorian Gray is an archetypal tale of a young man who purchases eternal youth at the expense of his soul, a romantic exposition of Wilde's own Aestheticism. Dorian Gray is the subject of a full-length portrait in oil by Basil Hallward, an artist impressed and infatuated by Dorian's beauty; he believes that Dorian's beauty is responsible for the new mood in his art as a painter. Through Basil, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, and he soon is enthralled by the aristocrat's hedonistic world view: that beauty and sensual fulfilment are the only things worth pursuing in life. Newly understanding that his beauty will fade, Dorian expresses the desire to sell his soul, to ensure that the picture, rather than he, will age and fade. The wish is granted, and Dorian pursues a libertine life of varied amoral experiences while staying young and beautiful; all the while, his portrait ages and records every sin. The picture represents the degradation of the soul, and portrays the consequences of pursuing pleasure above all else. The picture teaches the audience the dangerous effects that sin and excess can have on the soul.