The picture of Dorian Gray

Novel (summary)

The novel initiates when Lord Henry Wotton observes its friend Basil Hallward painting the picture of a beautiful called young person Dorian Gray. Dorian arrives shortly after and knows Lord Henry. Lord Henry to char it on its own idea of the world and Dorian begins to be convinced that the beauty is the unique thing that is worth the pain to have in the life and wishes that the picture, that Basil is painting, ages in its place. Under the influence of Lord Henry, Dorian begins to explore its senses. One night discovers to Sibyl Vane, an actress who works in a squalid theater interpreting works of Shakespeare. Dorian proposes marriage to him. Sibyl counts its plans to its mother and her brother, talking about to its fiance' like “Prince Encantador”. His brother, James, notice that if “Prince Encantador” does damage sometimes to him, will kill he it. Dorian invites to Basil and Lord Henry to see act to Sibyl in its representation of Romeo and Julieta. But Sibyl, obstructed by the emotion of the next marriage and enamored with Dorian, loses interest in the theater, reason why that night interprets terribly to Julieta. After the function, Dorian it rejects to Sibyl saying that its beauty was in its art and, as no longer could act, then Dorian no longer is interested in her. Coldly, it decides to break the marriage promise and not to see more Sibyl. Of return in house, note that the picture of Basil has changed, reason why realizes of which its desire has been fulfilled: the picture now has a subtle face of scorn. From then, the age and the sins that Dorian commits will see noticeable in the picture whereas he himself will conserve his outer aspect without no change. Dorian decides to reconcile with Sibyl, but to the morning following Lord Henry notifies to him that Sibyl has committed suicide taking prussic acid. Dorian hides the picture in a room, to which only it has access. During the following eighteen years, Dorian will undergo all the possible vices, under the influence of “ponzoñosa” a French novel, flattery of Lord Henry. One night, before starting off to Paris, Basil visits Dorian in its house to question it about all the rumors that circulate on their sins and vices and the people corrupted by their influence. Dorian blames to the own Basil of its destiny it stabs and it in a rage starting. In order to undo of the corpse, chantajea Dorian to Alan Campbell, a chemistry, so that it destroys the body with acid. Looking for lightening and forgetfulness for its crime, Dorian enters an opium smoking room. There, James Bathes, the brother of Sybil, listens a woman to call it “Prince Encantador” he follows and it with intentions to kill it, but he stops because the youthful appearance of Dorian makes improbable that been it has involved in the suicide of his sister eighteen years before. James lets go to Dorian. The woman who knew the nickname “Prince Encantador” approaches to him to protest to him by it not to have killed, revealing to him that Dorian has not aged for eighteen years, according to her, by a pact with the devil. In the course of a dinner, Dorian desmaya of terror when seeing the brother of Sibyl, Bathes, watching it. On the following day, during a hunting game, James is reached accidentally about a firing destined to kill a hare. James Bathes dies there same. After returning to London, Dorian informs to Lord Henry its decision to him to amend its way. From now on, it will correct his life and so far it leaves, without corrupting, to his last romantic conquest: a beautiful young person who lives in the called field Hetty Merton. Lord Henry does not think that this action is sincere, whereas Dorian is asked if this gesture of resignation to the vice will be reflected in the picture, improving its aspect. Once Lord Henry retires, Dorian Gray enters the room where it has maintained his picture hidden, but discovers that now its appearance is still worse. Account occurs of which the gesture that it had to leave intact the virtue of Hetty was brought about solely by vanity, curiosity or search of new sensations. Then it di

Personages [to publish]

• Dorian Gray: Extremely attractive young person, who is captivated by the new idea of the hedonismo of Lord Henry. He begins to satisfy each with his pleasures, without mattering to him if moral or they are immorally accepted.

• Basil Hallward: Artist who encapricha with the beauty of Dorian, that aid to realize its artistic potential to him, although the picture that did of Dorian turns out to be its better work. It is not more than a pure and enthusiastic artist.

 • Lord Henry Wotton: Nobleman who initially is friend of Basil, but that later is intrigued by the naivete and beauty of Dorian. He is extremely ingenious. He is seen like a critic the delayed Victorian culture that embraces an indulgent vision of the hedonismo. He corrupts to Dorian with his vision of the world, so Dorian tries to emulate it. Basil calls " Harry".

• Sibyl Vane: Actress very beautiful, but extremely poor who falls in love with Dorian. Its love by him destroys its race, since it does not find to please in the fictitious image of the love when having a true and real love. One commits suicide when Dorian no longer wants to marry with her, because there is shortage not to be enamored with her, but of her art.

• James Bathes: Brother of Sibyl that becomes sailor and march to Australia. He is extremely protective with his sister, and one does not dare to leave it because he thinks that he will harm it to Dorian. He tries to kill Dorian, but when seeing that its face is young and fresh, he thinks that he is not. Is described it like a strong and squared type.

• Mrs. Vane: Mother of Sibyl and James, old and finished actress. Sibyl and she are briefed in the poor theater to pay their debts. Extremely it is pleased with the relation between Sibyl and Dorian by the promise of estatus and wealth of the young person.

• Alan Campbell: Good friend of Dorian that finishes to its friendship with him when putting in doubt its reputation.

• Lady Agatha: Aunt of Lord Henry. She participates actively in works of charity in London.

 • Lord Fermor: Uncle of Lord Henry. He informs to him to Lord Henry on the lineage of Dorian.

• Victory, Lady Henry Wotton: Wife of Lord Henry, that only appears in the novel in a scene in which Dorian waits for Lord Henry. Later, one divorces of Lord Henry.

• Victor: Loyal crew member of Dorian that, with the increase of the paranoia of its landlord, is sent to make orders useless to dissuade to him of which it enters the room where is the picture of Dorian.