Oscar Wilde s The Picture Of Dorian Gray - 2021 Words

Alexandra Lappin Professor McNeight English Lit II 3/1/15 Dorian Gray: A Battle With One’s Self Oscar Wilde’s â€Å"The Picture of Dorian Gray† is a story that focuses on the journey of an innocent and pure man, and his downward spiral of giving into temptation and committing crime, and living a life of pleasure. The story is centered around the idea of aestheticism. Everything is beautiful, the thought of something having any kind of â€Å"moral† meaning is just absurd. â€Å"The Picture of Dorian Gray† by Oscar Wilde both honors and condemns the pure aesthetic theme through the conflicting standpoints of three different characters. Throughout the story he portrays the constant altercation between what is virtuous and unethical, which is played out in†¦show more content†¦There is a constant moral triangle between three characters throughout the book: Basil, who has aesthetic traits but means well and does not want to see Dorian be debased, Lord Henry Wotton, the hedonistic aesthete, and Dorian, who is battling a constant pull between the two. While working on his masterpiece, Basil’s dear friend Lord Henry Wotton is also present. Lord Henry Wotton is the kind of man that oozes the aesthetic mindset. Even his vivid language reflects his carefree and effervescent standpoint on life. Eventually when he and Dorian meet, Dorian is unsure of whether or not he likes his portrait. Lord Henry insists and reassures him of his beauty and declares that â€Å"people say sometimes that beauty is only superficial. That may be so. But at least it is not so superficial as Thought is. To me, Beauty is the wonder of wonders. It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances...† (Wilde, 16). He finds more than just beauty in a piece of art or a pretty sunset; he feels as if he must take it the extra mile. Dorian’s portrait is the most beautiful thing that Henry Wotton feels he has ever seen. He is good, whole, and innocent, and very handsome. Basil sees this too, however he is very dubious about Lord Henry Wotton’s intentions with Dorian. Basil knows that Dorian is pure with only good intentions, and he is aware that a friendship with Lord Henry may corrupt him. In a way Dorian is naive in the beginning of the