Character Analysis: Dorian Gray

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Character Analysis: Dorian Gray As the title character of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian is the most intriguing figure of the novel. This is because Dorian goes through a drastic change in character from the beginning of the novel to the end. He goes from being a nice civilized young man to a cynic who is obsessed over his youth and beauty thanks in part to both Lord Henry and Basil. Three events specifically show this change in character: when Dorian wishes to stay young and beautiful his whole life, when Dorian murders his “friend” Basil, and when Dorian tries to destroy the painting of himself. The first event that initiates Dorian Gray’s change in character is when he wishes more than anything to stay young and beautiful his whole life. This occurs after his painting is complete and after Lord Henry corrupts him, telling Dorian how awful it is that the painting will stay young forever while Dorian himself will get old and deteriorate. However, Dorian seems to play this off at first until Basil also mentions his youth. Basil tells Dorian that he should love being youthful and good looking. This makes Dorian somewhat fall in love with his appearance. Before this event, we had always seen and heard of Dorian Gray as a beautiful and well mannered young man with a soft temperament. However, now we can infer that Dorian is very complacent, or easily influenced, since Dorian’s whole attitude seems to change after talking to both Lord Henry and Basil. Dorian is so easily influenced that he becomes appalled by the fact that he will grow old, and out of anger sells his soul to the luxury of youth. This reveals that Dorian is now more focused on his personal pleasures even if they are immoral. Another event that reveals Dorian Gray’s drastic change in character in the novel is when he murders Basil. Basil had always seemed to have been Dorian’s friend until he

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