Comparing Dorian Gray And Frankenstein

The Picture of Dorian Gray and Frankenstein connect the ideas of man and monster through representation of characters who influence a monster and characters who are the physical distorted monster. Both Dorian Gray and the creation are the physical monsters that are involved with murder and sin. These are the ones hated by other characters in their respected stories. Lord Henry and Victor Frankenstein are the characters who create the monsters. While Lord Henry does it from a psychological standpoint whereas Victor did it from a physical standpoint in physically creating a monster. Overall, these four characters all show monstrous traits which in turn creates the idea that man can be monster in the case of Victor, Lord Henry, and Dorian,

He becomes Dorian’s best friend through Basil, and he sneaks his thoughts as well as opinions into the mind of Dorian Gray. Lord Henry could be considered the true monster by constituting Dorian’s monstrous uprising. The knowledge Lord Henry gives to Dorian corrupts his soul and causes the third state of Nassaar’s four states where he is stuck between good and evil. Lord Henry describes how every person will become old and ugly at some point, but he puts an emphasis on “Youth! Youth! There is absolutely nothing in the world but youth!” (Wilde 25). This idea of youth being everything is a very key point the corruption of Dorian Gray. Lord Henry frightens Dorian which makes him believe there must be something done to stay in his youth forever. Dorian goes on to say “If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old . . . I would give my soul for that!” (Wilde 28). The idea of selling his soul becomes the turning point in the story because of Lord Henry and his monstrous effects on Dorian. Dorian Gray is corrupt and is blind by youth at this point in the novel. Lord Henry has described youth to be everything which in turn causes Dorian to sell his soul for it. Lord Henry continues to make matters worse for Dorian. After the death of Sybil Vane, Lord Henry gives a yellow book to Dorian. This book inevitably changes his soul for good because he could not rid himself from the influence of the book or of Lord Henry. His wrong but fascinating theories poisoned the soul of Dorian, for it gives evidence as to why he is a monstrous man. These events cause the fourth stage of the development of Dorian Gray. Nassaar concludes his argument by giving a result of the fourth state, “He murders Basil, then tries to kill his conscience, which he identifies with his picture. Instead he himself dies: human nature is ‘gray’ and no one