The Picture of Dorian Gray Shyla Pounj Youth and Beauty The Picture of Dorian Gray Shyla Pounj

What would you do for eternal beauty and youth? Youth and beauty is a wonderful thing to have- Would you go so far as to selling your soul for eternal youth and beauty?

Lord Henry and Dorian When we meet Dorian, he does not exactly appreciate his beauty as he does not realise what he has. When Lord Henry opens Dorian’s eyes, he gradually begins to become obsessed with his beauty Dorian claims he cannot feel his youth and beauty and it doesn’t matter, until Lord Henry states that ‘it should matter everything to you’ and he will feel it when he grows old and loses the thing that should be most important to him. After listening to Lord Henry’s epigram, Dorian seemingly ‘had recognised himself for the first time’ and begins to appreciate his youth and beauty but indeed goes too far and unwillingly makes a pact with the Devil…

What price does Dorian pay for youth and beauty? As we learn, Dorian exceeds the limits after listening to Lord Henry’s epigram about appreciating youth and beauty and sells his soul to the devil “I would give my soul for that!” Unknowingly, he has sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for eternal youth and beauty The portrait will now bear any sin that Dorian commits and will begin to drastically change ‘The portrait was to bear the burden of his shame’ 85 However, he will remain forever young and beautiful… But without a soul

Dorian’s actions Dorian’s relationships comes to a tragic end with Sibyl, resulting in her committing suicide When Dorian hears the news, ‘a cry of pain broke from the lad’s lips’ At first, Dorian was in shock, disbelief and was essentially heartbroken. He realises how horrible he had been to Sibyl but that guilt does not overcome him for much longer. He begins to conclude the event by exclaiming ‘So I have murdered Sibyl Vane’ and even says ‘why is it that I cannot feel this tragedy as much as I want to?’ The foreshadowing here suggests that Dorian is not yet aware that he has no soul

Dorian’s devotion to beautiful things Dorian’s biggest devotion to beautiful thing’s was indeed his lover, the delicate Sibyl Vane whom he wanted to place ‘on a pedestal of gold, and to see the world worship the woman that is mine’ He was in love with her beautiful acting, although was disappointed when he went to see her perform with Lord Henry and Basil Basil also worships beautiful things, including Dorian as he paints the portrait of him revealing his inner feelings for Dorian. Lord Henry claims to value beauty and youth above all else. It is this belief, when imparted to Dorian, that drives the protagonist to make the wish that ultimately damns him Even after Dorian shows Basil his corrupt painting, Basil can still see elements of beauty within it

The ultimate price Dorian pays The effects of eternal youth and beauty are to everyone’s advantage on the outside, but for Dorian it was getting uglier by the day on the inside. As the portrait of Dorian became filled with his sin, it haunts Dorian He savagely murders his dear friend Basil shortly after he speaks about God and repentance, stating that it is not too late to ask for forgiveness. ‘How quickly it had all been done! He felt strangely calm, and walking over to the window, opened it and stepped out on the balcony.’ – He did not feel any remorse or guilt seconds after he has stabbed Basil to death. After Basil has died, this demonstrates the end of youth and beauty. ‘How horrible that was! Such hideous things were for the darkness, not for the day’ Yet Dorian’s response to the man he murdered was ‘Poor Basil! What a horrible way for a man to die!’

Dorian’s death The final chapter, leading up to Dorian’s doom shows that Dorian fully regrets wishing for eternal beauty: It was his beauty that had ruined him, his beauty and the youth that he had prayed for. But for those two things, his life might have been free from stain. His beauty had been to him but a mask, his youth but a mockery. What was youth at best? A green, an unripe time, a time of shallow moods and sickly thoughts. Why had he worn its livery? Youth had spoiled him. Dorian thought that if he had stabbed the portrait with the same knife he had killed Basil with, he would be at peace. As he attempted this, he stabbed the portrait several times and as a result, the youth and beauty was restored in the portrait yet Dorian was found lying on the floor, dead with a knife in his heart.

So… If Basil had initially painted the stunning portrait of Dorian, would the tragedy take place? Or If Lord Henry had corrupted Dorian after flattering him by complimenting Dorian’s good looks, making Dorian realise that his youth and beauty will not last forever, would the tragedy have taken place? If Dorian, the protagonist himself, made an exclamation to selling his soul to the devil for eternal youth and beauty which lead him to commit every sin possible, would the tragedy have taken place?