Keyword Guide · book-summary
This concise summary helps you understand Oscar Wilde’s novel fast. Use it to review the plot, track themes, and prepare for class discussions, quizzes, or essays.
The novel follows Dorian Gray, a young man whose portrait ages and records his moral decay while he remains outwardly youthful. Influenced by Lord Henry’s ideas about pleasure and beauty, Dorian pursues a life of indulgence. As his actions harm others, the hidden portrait grows increasingly distorted. Dorian’s attempt to escape responsibility ultimately leads to tragic consequences.
Dorian Gray represents the danger of valuing appearance over character. Lord Henry Wotton acts as a persuasive voice for hedonism and cynicism. Basil Hallward, the painter, believes in moral responsibility and sees art as connected to the soul. Together, these characters create a debate about ethics, influence, and identity.
The novel explores the conflict between beauty and morality, the influence of ideas on behavior, and the double life people lead between public image and private truth. It also questions whether art should be separated from ethics. Wilde presents these themes through symbols rather than direct moral lessons.
Focus on how the portrait functions as a symbol throughout the story. Track moments when Dorian chooses pleasure over responsibility. For essays, connect character choices to themes like influence and accountability. For quizzes, remember the role each main character plays in shaping Dorian’s decisions.
The novel suggests that ignoring moral responsibility and living only for pleasure can lead to self-destruction, even if consequences are hidden.
The portrait symbolizes Dorian’s inner life. It reveals the damage caused by his actions while his appearance stays unchanged.
Beauty is central, but the story is more about how obsession with beauty can distort values and ethical judgment.
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