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1-Page Summary of The Picture of Dorian Gray
A painter meets a young man in the home of his aunt. The young man is extremely attractive, and he inspires the painter to create many portraits of him. However, as soon as Basil finishes one portrait that reveals too much about his feelings for Dorian, Lord Henry arrives at the studio and persuades him that it’s his best work yet.
Basil is worried that Dorian’s beauty will fade. Lord Henry, when he first meets Dorian, tells him that youth and beauty are not permanent. He says that it would be better if the painting could show Dorian’s true age so he wouldn’t have to worry about his fading looks. After this conversation, Basil wants to keep the painting for himself; however, Lord Henry still wants to buy it from him or steal it from Basil in exchange for money or other valuables.
Over the next few weeks, Lord Henry’s influence over Dorian grows stronger. The youth becomes a disciple of the “new Hedonism” and proposes to live a life dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure. He falls in love with Sibyl Vane, a young actress who performs in a theater in London’s slums. He adores her acting; she, in turn, refers to him as “Prince Charming” and refuses to heed the warnings of her brother James Vane that Dorian is no good for her. Overcome by her emotions for Dorian Sibyl decides that she can no longer act wondering how she can pretend to love on stage now that she has experienced real love? But Dorian because he loves Sibyl for what she could do not what he feels towards her cruelly breaks his engagement with her after doing so he returns home only to notice that his face on Basil’s portrait has changed it now sneers just like he had asked it too. Frightened at this change and believing himself cursed by God or some other supernatural force scared at this change from within his own soul afraid of losing control over himself frightened even more by his inability to stop being someone else when talking about art scared most of all at how easy it was for him too become another person when talking about art terrified at becoming someone else without knowing why or how scared out of mind fearing having lost control over something inside him but unable instead however then rather than rather than be able rather than be able rather than be able instead however then perhaps if otherwise maybe if otherwise perhaps if otherwise maybe if otherwise might have been will get will get might have been will get will get
Lord Henry gives Dorian a book that describes the wicked exploits of a nineteenth-century Frenchman. He becomes obsessed with it and starts to live his life in an immoral way, doing things he would never do before, such as killing Basil Hallward. Eighteen years pass; rumors spread about Dorian’s scandals, but people still accept him because he remains young and beautiful. The figure in the painting grows increasingly wizened and hideous; however, no one seems to notice except for Basil Hallward who confronts Dorian about the rumors that plague his reputation. The two argue and then they show each other their souls by looking at the portrait—a picture of how they truly are on the inside. After seeing this horrible image of himself (the soul), Basil begs Dorian to repent for what he has done but is killed by him instead out of rage.
In order to dispose of the body, Dorian hires help from an estranged friend, a doctor. The night after the murder, Dorian attends an opium den where he meets James Vane who wants revenge for Sibyl’s death. Dorian escapes to his country estate and entertains guests when he notices James peering in through a window. He becomes wracked by fear and guilt but feels safe again when James is accidentally killed during hunting season. He resolves to amend his life but cannot muster the courage to confess his crimes, so he destroys the painting which shows him as a young man with a knife stabbed into it instead of himself; however, on the floor lies an old man with one knife plunged into his heart instead of two knives in both hands like before.
