Literary Techniques in the Picture of Dorian Gray
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Running head: LITERARY TECHNIQUES IN THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
ANALYSIS OF LITERARY TECHNIQUES IN THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note
ANALYSIS OF LITERARY TECHNIQUES IN THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note
LITERARY TECHNIQUES IN THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY1
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a novel written by Oscar Wilde that is rich in literary
techniques. This is the only novel of Wilde and in that, he has revealed the beauty of English
language with metaphors, similes, irony and foreshadowing. The narrative technique that has
been used in the novel clearly describes the association of the author with the literary and artistic
movement of Aestheticism (Ariyanto 2015). The paper highlights the witty use of the literary
techniques, rhetorical devices and dialogues that help the readers to perceive the meaning of the
novel in a lucid manner.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” first came out in the year 1891 and still continues to amaze
people with its complex theme. The main theme of the novel is that when people try to evaluate
physical beauty and charm more than the morals and ethical values, they suffer greatly in life, as
they have to pay a huge price for it. The novel focuses on three main characters Dorian Gray,
Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton. They all place more value on outside beauty and are
obsessed with it. The plot revolves around the painting of Dorian Gray that was created by Basil
Hallward, a good friend of Gray who was a painter. Gray is a handsome, young man whose life
turns completely over because of the painting. He rashly makes a wish of staying young, healthy
and handsome forever and to his surprise, the wish does come true. Gray says, “If only I would
remain young while the portrait grows old. I would give my soul for that!” (Wilde 2003). He
discovers that he is still the same good-looking young man after years while his painting has
become grotesque. The monstrous face of Gray in the painting is the symbol of the corrupt soul
of Dorian Gray. He uses many conative words like “reverie”, “unconscious” to have a hypnotic
effect on the reader. The plot is similar to the legend of Faust where the devil persuades a
German necromancer to exchange his soul for all his desires of power and knowledge (Dita
2019). The Faustian character can escape from this deal by asking forgiveness from God
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” is a novel written by Oscar Wilde that is rich in literary
techniques. This is the only novel of Wilde and in that, he has revealed the beauty of English
language with metaphors, similes, irony and foreshadowing. The narrative technique that has
been used in the novel clearly describes the association of the author with the literary and artistic
movement of Aestheticism (Ariyanto 2015). The paper highlights the witty use of the literary
techniques, rhetorical devices and dialogues that help the readers to perceive the meaning of the
novel in a lucid manner.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” first came out in the year 1891 and still continues to amaze
people with its complex theme. The main theme of the novel is that when people try to evaluate
physical beauty and charm more than the morals and ethical values, they suffer greatly in life, as
they have to pay a huge price for it. The novel focuses on three main characters Dorian Gray,
Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton. They all place more value on outside beauty and are
obsessed with it. The plot revolves around the painting of Dorian Gray that was created by Basil
Hallward, a good friend of Gray who was a painter. Gray is a handsome, young man whose life
turns completely over because of the painting. He rashly makes a wish of staying young, healthy
and handsome forever and to his surprise, the wish does come true. Gray says, “If only I would
remain young while the portrait grows old. I would give my soul for that!” (Wilde 2003). He
discovers that he is still the same good-looking young man after years while his painting has
become grotesque. The monstrous face of Gray in the painting is the symbol of the corrupt soul
of Dorian Gray. He uses many conative words like “reverie”, “unconscious” to have a hypnotic
effect on the reader. The plot is similar to the legend of Faust where the devil persuades a
German necromancer to exchange his soul for all his desires of power and knowledge (Dita
2019). The Faustian character can escape from this deal by asking forgiveness from God
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