The Mayor of Casterbridge

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a short novel by Oscar Wilde originally published in 1890. The story begins at the home of Basil Hallward and opens with a conversation between him and Lord Henry Wotton. Lord Henry is fervently admiring Basil’s latest portrait of a young, beautiful man, Dorian Gray. Dorian Gray is the main protagonist in the story. He is described as having a “simple and beautiful nature”, and he remains this way until he is corrupted by the antagonist of the story, Lord Henry, who reveals himself to be the epitome of selfishness and egocentricity. He convinces Dorian that he must hold on to his youth as it will fade fast and he will grow old, which causes Dorian to wish that the painting Basil has crafted will grow old instead of him. His wish comes true, and with no immediate or obvious repercussions to himself, he allows himself to be corrupted by Lord Henry’s poisonous and immoral outlook on life. The granting of his wish prompts a complete downward spiral in which Dorian the man becomes a heartless wretch. His sins gradually distort his painting, which represents his soul. Towards the end of the novel he attempts to atone for his misdeeds, but is met with just smirks of hypocrisy that become evident on his painting. He ultimately pulls a knife and attempts to destroy the painting, but as he stabs the painting he himself is killed and while his body is transformed to a disgusting, old state his painting reverts to its original rendition of a beautiful, young man.

Throughout The Picture of Dorian Gray many themes, symbols, and other literary elements become evident. The most important theme in this book is the superficial nature of society. Since the beginning of time society has prized beauty over all else, a...

... middle of paper ...

... being good-hearted. Such an ideology has the power to captivate, but most individuals are able to recognize that they must live respectful and moral lives. When this book was first published in 1890 people were taken aback by the atrocious message found in it, but I believe they were just hiding from the truth; that the message portrayed was enormously prevalent in their society, they just did not want to recognize it.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Because of its early setting story line, inspiring quotes, and small climaxes throughout that eventually snowballed into an unforgettable ending The Picture of Dorian Gray kept me hooked from start to finish. I have always been captivated by little sayings that make me think about times in my own life, and this novel is full of them! I would suggest this book for anybody who is looking for an exquisite read.