Exploring Dorian Gray's Transformation and Hedonism in Wilde's Novel

This essay delves into the profound transformation of Dorian Gray in Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray,' examining his descent into hedonism and its impact on his life and the infamous portrait. It explores the initial allure of youth and beauty, influenced by Lord Henry Wotton, and Dorian's subsequent moral decay, symbolized by the portrait's grotesque changes. The essay analyzes key events such as Dorian's cruel rejection of Sybil Vane, the murder of Basil Hallward, and his eventual attempt at reformation. Ultimately, it argues that the novel portrays transformation as a complex process with severe consequences, reflecting Wilde's commentary on art, morality, and the human condition. The essay concludes that the transformation of both Dorian and his portrait underscores the price of unchecked hedonism and the elusive nature of redemption. Desklib provides students with access to a wealth of past papers and solved assignments for further study.

Running Head: THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Name of the Student
Name of the INSTITUTION
Author Note

1THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
The picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde has a distinctive position in the history of
English literature and in the life of the author because of its dazzling yet grotesque plot and
the very apparent embodiment of the art for art's sake movement1. This still has a history of
stirring scandals in the Victorian moralistic Circles and it is because of this that Oscar Wilde
had to face legal charges. This story deals with everything flamboyant and hedonistic all the
while subtly dealing with the price that one has to pay for limitless hedonism. In this paper,
the very mysterious and strange transformation of the protagonist Dorian Gray is explored
along with the significance and the importance of the event on the entire novel.
To explore the transformation of the protagonist the painting and the theory behind it
must be understood. Dorian was incredibly handsome and young, he looked charming and
alluring and it was impossible not noticing him. This was the cause of the painter Basil
Hallward taking deep interest in him and creating a portrait just as beautiful as the subject it
portrayed. The connection between these two characters is Lord Henry Wotton, who was
quite the hedonist and believed in pursuing beauty over everything else. This fascinates
Dorian who sets out to explore his sensuality in quite hedonistic ways2. In his pursuit of
pleasure quite a number of unfortunate incidents happen like him courting Sybil, a young
actress in the slums who irrevocably falls in love with him but is soon refused, cruelly, by
Dorian. This act of heartlessness had put a sneer on the face of the portrait. Apparently while
being handed over the portrait Dorian realized that his youth and beauty would never last
forever because humans only fade over time so he sold his soul to the devil hoping that it is
the picture that bears the burden of his sins than him and it did bear the burden.
1 Wilde, Oscar. "The Picture of Dorian Gray. 1891." Complete Works of Oscar
Wilde (2003): 17-167.
2 Riquelme, John Paul. "Oscar Wilde's Aesthetic Gothic: Walter Pater, Dark
Enlightenment, and The Picture of Dorian Gray." MFS Modern Fiction Studies 46, no. 3
(2000): 609-631.

2THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
The theme of transformation in the novel is very evident. The metamorphosis of
Dorian can be metaphorically put forward as a reverse of the normal metamorphic process.
The beautiful butterfly had reduced to a caterpillar. A beautiful and pure person went on to
realise the pleasures of the world which were quite plenty and could not turn away from it.
Hedonism appears like an addiction and when one is afflicted with, changing monsoon waves
can be tremendously difficult, especially when someone has been so heavily influenced by
someone else. It is like Dorian had a new perspective of life, he realized the power beauty can
provide and was interested in ensuring that it lasts.
This transformation is also all very powerful social message about choices. Hedonism
or debauchery is one's own choice despite the questions of morality and good and evil
coming in between. Humans have been gifted with the ability to make a choice and to indulge
in a life of lust and depravities. This is how the author made the statement about the artists’
personal choice and freedom to express whatever he or she may be feeling because art cannot
be clubbed into submission through limits and barriers that are set by the society. Art is
nonconformity and freedom.
Youth is the eternal fountain of possibilities. It is when one is young that he or she
sets out to explore the world in its countless shades. Growth only makes things watch war
stagnant, as a result of exploration that is already been conducted. Dorian was convinced of
how youth tends to be able and important when it comes to a life of hedonism. Is beauty and
useful appearance is what earned him whatever his heart desired.
The transformation that occurs in the novel is a gradual change. This is evident one
Dorian regrets hurting Sibyl and hopes to make it up with her. This is because what he did to
her was a very unlike him and he was still retaining his older characteristics that could not
completely accept what has been done to her. When he comes to know that she had killed

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herself he realized that he had hammered the final nail into his coffin and that the path of
beauty and last was his only path then. It was the point of no return.
The portrait is degrading day by day because of dorian's activities and Dorian contect no
longer and he locked The portrait up. He then set out to live a very self-indulgent life, 18
years he kept on experimenting with all kinds of vice that is mentioned in a particular French
novel that had been given to him by Lord Wotton. This French novel is is assumed to be a
novel by Joris-Karl Huysmans, called A Rebours.
Not only do the vices stay limited to the imaginable but it soon turns into murder
when Dorian kills Basil the painter who had painted the portrait. All of this surprisingly
happens when Basil had gone to check on the man after hearing of his vibrant and sensual
life. Dorian admits the same and soon they both take a peek at The portrait which had become
so hideous that only Basil's signature could be used to identify it. This made Dorian lose his
calm and blame his feet on the painter who had in actuality stepped in when he sold his soul
to the devil. Dorian then stops the man and takes help of a scientist Alan Campbell to get rid
of the body. The scientist kills himself later too. The guilt of his deeds was overwhelming and
Dorian then headed to opium them in order to relieve himself of the grief. That is when he
comes across the brother of the women Sybil, who had plotted to kill the man who killed
sister since a long time. Dorian is quick to make him understand that he is too young to have
known his sister. James bought the lie because Dorian had not aged at all. The only
transformation Dorian had gone through was the transformation of personality and not of his
youth.
Later in his life when Dorian meets Hetty Merton, he is a reformed man as the fear of
James had subsided because the man died in a shooting accident. He was absolved of the fear
and the guilt of the incident that happened 18 years ago. He was willing to start a fresh and he

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wondered why the transformation happened. Falling in love with the new woman he gives up
his hedonistic life and sensualist tendencies to setting into something much more purer and
better for his heart. He realized that he had strayed from the normal path because you wanted
to experience and learn about the new and interesting facts that he had yet to explore. i
Transformation is shown again as he looks forward to giving up all his vanity and
need to explore uncharted and unnecessary territories, and attain reformation. In order to start
a new you want to restore the beauty of picture by confessing all his wrongdoings and since
open that water is left of his moral conscience is redeemed. You also hoped that the painting
which is the proof of his crimes is also redeemed and turned back into the beautiful portrait
that it was. The portrait had turned grizzly and ugly, it was a reminder all the court decisions
taken by Dorian and the results of his sins.
To transform back into a state of purity Dorian stabs the picture and that only results
in him killing himself. When he drops to the floor is reduced to a very old carcass while The
portrait goes back to its former stage of beauty.
Transformation that is shown in the novel is the transformation of both the man and
the portrait. The portrait serves as the collateral damage of all his sins. And when he
transforms back into something purer, he pays a price fit for redemption of his soul. Not only
does Dorian transform but also does the portrait along with the people around him while time
races and transforms into different things all together. Transformation it is very evident
throughout the novel and is shown as the result of once and ending curiosity about the
hedonistic side of Life and all the sins that follow3. Transformation does not come so easy
and one always needs to pay a price. This transformation at first was initiated by a deal made
3 Carroll, J., 2005. Aestheticism, Homoeroticism, and Christian Guilt in The Picture of
Dorian Gray. Philosophy and Literature, 29(2), pp.286-304.

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with the devil and the second transformation was initiated by stabbing The portrait. Neither
came up with good results.
In picture of Dorian Gray the theme of transformation plays an essential role because
without it the Nobel will not retain its depth and metaphors. The gradual transformation of
Mr Dorian Gray into someone who was bought by the devil and his attempt at transforming
into someone who is willing to make radical changes his life important parts of the novel and
help in the foundation of the same. With a theme as interesting and relevant as
transformation, this book is a reminder of how consequences can tend to be for the same.

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References
Wilde, Oscar. "The Picture of Dorian Gray. 1891." Complete Works of Oscar Wilde (2003):
17-167.
Riquelme, John Paul. "Oscar Wilde's Aesthetic Gothic: Walter Pater, Dark Enlightenment,
and The Picture of Dorian Gray." MFS Modern Fiction Studies 46, no. 3 (2000): 609-631
Carroll, J., 2005. Aestheticism, Homoeroticism, and Christian Guilt in The Picture of Dorian
Gray. Philosophy and Literature, 29(2), pp.286-304.

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