The Picture of Dorian Gray Video

The Picture of Dorian Gray is the first and only novel written by Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. The story can be described as “Faustian,” as it follows a man who trades the purity of his soul for undying youth. In the novel, Dorian becomes obsessed with his image after posing for a portrait painting. Overwhelmed by the fear that the youth and beauty captured in the portrait will fade, Dorian passionately wishes for the picture to age and for him to remain as he is captured. Dorian’s wish comes true, but he soon finds that the portrait records each of the sins he commits over time. Ultimately, Dorian is driven to madness as he tries to reconcile the bodily decay recorded in his portrait.

The story begins on a beautiful summer day in 19th century Victorian London. Basil Hallward, a respected and reclusive painter, entertains his aristocratic friend, Lord Henry Wotton, at his home. The two admire a portrait that Basil is working on, and their discussion turns towards the sitter, a handsome and charming young man named Dorian Gray. Lord Henry insists on meeting Basil’s muse, but he refuses, hoping to shield the innocent boy from Lord Henry’s cynicism. Much to the painter’s chagrin, Basil’s butler announces that Dorian has arrived unexpectedly.

Upon their introduction, Lord Henry is immediately enraptured by Dorian’s charm and good looks. Lord Henry, who is particularly opinionated and persuasive, begins talking to Dorian about the ephemerality of beauty. Dorian is horrified by the idea that someday his beauty will fade. When Basil shows Dorian his completed portrait, Dorian is overcome with horror by his realization that he will not look like he appears in the portrait forever. Influenced by his discussion with Lord Henry, Dorian exclaims that he would “give his soul” in order for himself to remain young while his picture grows old. Shocked by the young man’s reaction, Basil grabs a knife and moves to destroy the painting. Dorian stops him, declaring such an act would be murder. Basil then vows to give Dorian the painting as a gift.

A month later, Dorian visits Lord Henry in order to tell him some news. Dorian has fallen in love with an outstanding actress named Sibyl Vane, who performs in Shakespearean plays that are put on by a lower class theater troupe. Dorian proposes to an enthusiastic Sibyl, the bride’s family has their reservations––Sibyl’s mother is hesitant to allow her daughter to wed an upper class man because the family is plagued by their own financial issues. Meanwhile, Sibyl’s younger brother, James, is suspicious of Dorian’s intentions and vows to murder anyone who puts his sister in harm’s way.

Dorian invites Lord Henry and Basil to watch Sibyl perform in Romeo and Juliet. Lord Henry is swiftly judgmental, and he mocks the “low class” behavior of the theater goers. To everyone’s surprise, Sibyl performs terribly. The performance is unbearable to sit through, and Lord Henry and Basil leave an embarrassed Dorian alone in the theater. Following the performance, Dorian confronts Sibyl and expresses his disgust. She tells him that she was unable to perform “being in love” when she feels so strongly enamored with Dorian. Dorian reacts to Sybil’s compliment rather callously, leaving the theater in a huff. When he returns home, he finds that Basil’s portrait of him now bears a “touch of cruelty in the mouth.”

The following day, Lord Henry arrives at Dorian’s residence unannounced. Dorian tells his friend about his intention to reconcile with his fiancée, but Lord Henry informs Dorian that he is too late––Sibyl has killed herself with poison following their fight. Lord Henry advises Dorian to maintain a low profile so that he is not a suspect in Sibyl’s death. Basil then visits Dorian and is aghast to learn that Dorian appears unmoved by Sibyl’s suicide. Basil notices that the portrait he has painted of Dorian is now covered. Basil inquires a bit about the portrait, but Dorian finds the questions invasive. Dorian decides to lock the covered painting in the attic for the foreseeable future.

Eighteen years pass, and Dorian garners an atrocious reputation among London society for his frivolous lifestyle. After a prolonged period of not seeing one another, Dorian runs into Basil and invites the artist back to his home to see the portrait. When Basil sees his painting, he is horrified––it’s entirely unrecognizable, identifiable only by its frame and his own signature. Basil exclaims that Dorian is diabolic, and in a fit of rage, Dorian retaliates by stabbing and killing Basil. Dorian calls upon his chemist friend, Alan Campbell, to help him dispose of Basil’s body. Following the murder, a gleam of red blood appears on the hands of Dorian Gray’s portrait. Alan Campbell is later revealed to have committed suicide after assisting with Dorian’s request.

To escape the guilt of his crime, Dorian goes to an opium den. While there, he runs into James, the brother of the late Sibyl Vane, who recognizes Dorian after he is called “Prince Charming'' by a passerby. James vows to kill Dorian, which leads Dorian to pretend that he never knew Sibyl Vane. In order to defend himself, Dorian asks James to look into his eyes––how could he have possibly been Sibyl’s ex lover if Sibyl died eighteen years ago and he appears to be no older than twenty? James apologizes and Dorian leaves quickly, but another female patron in the den explains that James’s hunch was right. James runs after Dorian, who has already fled the scene.

Although Dorian dodges James, Sibyl’s brother is thirsty for revenge. James begins to stalk Dorian, causing the protagonist to fear for his life. Dorian locks himself inside his home for three days, finally leaving to accompany Lord Henry and some others on a short hunting excursion. During the hunt, a person hiding in a nearby thicket is shot and killed. The body is identified as that of James. Dorian is relieved to know that he is no longer targeted, and he spends the next few months trying to reverse his corrupt behavior.

Although Dorian has been rather nonchalant about his previous actions, he does think about those that have (whether directly or indirectly) died “under his name” : Sibyl, Basil, Alan, and James. He is desperate to undo his wrongs, and he begins to behave in a morally virtuous way - for example, he chooses to treat a young lady that he is courting with more care and respect. Dorian wonders if his newfound “goodness” is reflected in the portrait. However, when he looks at Basil’s painting, his image appears even more grotesque. Haunted, Dorian turns his attention to a knife on a nearby table, which he notices is still stained by Basil’s blood. He takes it and stabs the picture.

Dorian’s servants awake to a dreadful shriek coming from the attic. They go upstairs to investigate when, to their disgust, they find the body of an unrecognizable man lying on the floor with a knife pierced through his chest. The body resembles the last incarnation of Basil’s portrait––mangled and withered. The servants identify the disfigured body as Dorian only by the rings on their boss’s fingers. Besides Dorian is his portrait, young and beautiful once again.