what year is dorian gray set in

Full Answer

What is the setting of the picture of Dorian Gray?

The Picture of Dorian Gray begins on a beautiful summer day in Victorian England, where Lord Henry Wotton, an opinionated man, is observing the sensitive artist Basil Hallward painting the portrait of Dorian Gray, a handsome young man who is Basil's ultimate muse.

Is there a movie of Dorian Gray?

Dorian Gray (2009 film) Dorian Gray is a 2009 British fantasy-horror drama film based on Oscar Wilde's 1890 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.

What was the first edition of the picture of Dorian Gray?

PR5819.A2 M543 2003. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a Gothic and philosophical novel by Oscar Wilde, first published complete in the July 1890 issue of Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. Fearing the story was indecent, the magazine's editor deleted roughly five hundred words before publication without Wilde's knowledge.

Who is the inspiration for Dorian Gray?

It was purported that Wilde's inspiration for the character was the poet John Gray, but Gray distanced himself from the rumour. Basil Hallward – a deeply moral man, the painter of the portrait, and infatuated with Dorian, whose patronage realises his potential as an artist. The picture of Dorian Gray is Basil's masterpiece.

What era was Dorian Gray written in?

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Moral fantasy novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. It was published in an early form in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in 1890. The only novel written by Wilde, it had six additional chapters when it was released as a book in 1891.

What is the setting of Dorian GREY?

The novel is set in London at the end of the nineteenth century; one chapter is set at Dorian Gray's country estate, Selby Royal.

Was The Picture of Dorian Gray set in the Victorian era?

Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, written in 1890 takes audience on a journey to Victorian England and explores the hidden sides of humanity through romanticism and further enhances the views through the gothic aesthetic.

How old is Dorian Gray at the end?

Although he does not intend to tell Lord Henry anything about the young man in the picture, Basil lets slip that his name is Dorian Gray. Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton admire one of Basil's paintings of Dorian Gray. 1908 illustration by Paul Thiriat. Basil explains that Dorian Gray is 20 years-old.

Is Dorian Gray based on a true story?

Dorian Gray was clearly based on a living person, a member of Wilde's literary homosexual circle in the early 1890s when the story was first published. If Wilde's fiction is strange, the real life story of John Gray, Dorian's original, is even more bizarre.

What was Dorian Gray's secret?

Immortality: After having his soul trapped within a painting, Dorian gained immortality. He does not age and seems to be immune to all conventional illnesses, diseases, viruses and infections.

When did the Victorian era begin?

June 20, 1837 – January 22, 1901Victorian era / PeriodQueen Victoria ruled Britain for over 60 years. During this long reign, the country acquired unprecedented power and wealth.

Why was the picture of Dorian GREY so controversial?

While much of the uproar was directed at the homosexuality of not only themes in the novel but Oscar Wilde himself, there was also a stir over the immoral influences. Many attempted to argue that the acts encouraged by Lord Henry were damaging to those who read the horrifying story of young Dorian Gray.

Why was The Picture of Dorian Gray controversial?

Front cover to the Lippincott's Magazine publication of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde's only novel, July 1890. The Picture of Dorian Gray was a Gothic novel that skirted scandalous behaviour: the transgressive, supernatural elements of the genre provided a frame for speaking unspeakable things.

How does Dorian say Basil died?

Glancing at his picture, Dorian feels hatred welling up within him. He seizes a knife and stabs Basil repeatedly. He then opens the door and listens for the sound of anyone stirring. When he is satisfied that no one has heard the murder, he locks the room and returns to the library.

What did Dorian blackmail Alan with?

Alan Campbell was an acquaintance of Dorian Gray's while Dorian was first living in Mayfair and spending time with Lord Henry Wotton and Basil Hallward. After Dorian murders Basil in a fit of spiteful rage he blackmails Alan into destroying Basil's body using his skills as a chemist.

What is Dorian Gray's birthday?

Born on the 10th of November 1862, Dorian was raised by his mother and father. (The Prime of Deacon Brodie) By the time he was ten years old, his mother gave birth to his sister, Isadora Gray.

When was Dorian Gray first published?

For the character, see Dorian Gray (character). For other uses, see Dorian Gray (disambiguation) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (disambiguation). The novel was first published in 1890 in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine.

How many chapters are there in The Picture of Dorian Gray?

The magazine edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) was expanded from thirteen to twenty chapters; the final chapter being divided into two, which became the nineteenth and twentieth chapters in the book edition, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891).

Why does Dorian love Sibyl?

Sibyl, too enamoured with Dorian to act, performs poorly, which makes both Basil and Lord Henry think Dorian has fallen in love with Sibyl because of her beauty instead of her acting talent. Embarrassed, Dorian rejects Sibyl, telling her that acting was her beauty; without that, she no longer interests him. On returning home, Dorian notices that the portrait has changed; his wish has come true, and the man in the portrait bears a subtle sneer of cruelty.

Which anonymous French novel leads Dorian to his fall?

The anonymous "poisonous French novel" that leads Dorian to his fall is a thematic variant of À rebours (1884), by Joris-Karl Huysmans. In the biography Oscar Wilde (1989), the literary critic Richard Ellmann said:

What is the temptation in Dorian Gray?

As in the legend of Faust, in The Picture of Dorian Gray a temptation (ageless beauty ) is placed before the protagonist, which he indulges. In each story, the protagonist entices a beautiful woman to love him, and then destroys her life.

What does Basil do to Dorian?

The portrait has become so hideous that Basil is only able to identify it as his by the signature he affixes to all of his portraits. Basil is horrified, and beseeches Dorian to pray for salvation. In anger, Dorian blames his fate on Basil and stabs him to death. Dorian then calmly blackmails an old friend, the scientist Alan Campbell, into using his knowledge of chemistry to destroy the body of Basil Hallward. Alan later kills himself.

How many words were deleted in the book The Picture of Dorian Gray?

Overview of publication history. Fearing that the story was indecent, J. M. Stoddart, who edited Lippinocott's, deleted around five hundred words without Wilde's knowledge prior to the novel's publication. Even bowdlerized, The Picture of Dorian Gray offended the moral sensibilities of British book reviewers, to the extent, in some cases, ...

Where does Dorian go in the movie?

Dorian goes to an opium den, where Sibyl’s vengeful brother, James, finds him, but the fact that Dorian still appears quite young dissuades him from acting. However, another patron of the den later divulges Dorian’s age. At a subsequent hunting party at Dorian’s country estate, one of the hunters accidentally shoots and kills James, who was hiding in a thicket.

How long does Dorian spend in the book?

Under the book’s influence, Dorian spends the next 18 years in the pursuit of capricious and sybaritic excess, and he becomes increasingly drawn to evil. He frequently visits the portrait, noting the signs of aging and of corruption that appear, though he himself remains unblemished.

What does Basil tell Dorian about the painting?

Basil declares that he clearly does not know Dorian, who responds by taking him to the attic to see the portrait. The painting has become horrifying. Basil tells Dorian that if this is a reflection of his soul, he must repent and pray for forgiveness, and a suddenly enraged Dorian murders Basil. He blackmails another former friend into disposing of the body.

What does Dorian tell Henry about the portrait?

Some weeks later Dorian tells Henry that he has decided to become virtuous and recently decided against taking advantage of a young girl who was smitten with him. Dorian goes to see if the portrait has improved because of his honourable act, but he sees rather that it has acquired a look of cunning.

What is the difference between Dorian and Wilde?

Whereas Wilde’s essays advocated individualism and self-realization as a route to a richer life and a more just society, Dorian follows a path of hedonism, self-indulgence, and the objectification of others. It is nonetheless a story that poignantly reflects Wilde’s own double life and anticipates his own fall.

Why was the picture of Dorian Gray used as evidence against Wilde?

Publication of the novel scandalized Victorian England, and The Picture of Dorian Gray was used as evidence against Wilde when he was tried and convicted in 1895 on charges related to homosexuality.

What does Henry decide to do with Dorian?

Henry decides to take on the project of molding Dorian’s personality. A few weeks later, Dorian tells Henry that he has fallen in love with an actress, Sibyl Vane, because of her great beauty and acting talent. Henry and Basil go with him to a dingy theatre to see Sibyl, but her performance is terrible. Sibyl explains to Dorian that now that she knows what real love is, she can no longer pretend to be in love on stage. Dorian is repulsed and wants nothing further to do with her. When he returns home, he sees a cruel expression on the face of his portrait, and he decides to seek Sibyl’s forgiveness. Henry arrives the next day, however, with news that Sibyl committed suicide the previous night, and he convinces Dorian that there is no reason for him to feel badly about it.

What is the movie Dorian Gray based on?

Dorian Gray is a 2009 British fantasy - horror drama film based on Oscar Wilde 's 1890 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. The adaptation is directed by Oliver Parker, written by Toby Finlay (his first screenplay), and stars Ben Barnes as Dorian Gray and Colin Firth as Lord Henry Wotton. It tells the story of the title character, an attractive Englishman whose image is captured in an enchanted painting that keeps him from aging. His portrait becomes tainted with every sin he commits, while he remains young and handsome.

Who is the artist who paints Dorian Gray?

Lord Henry's friend, society artist Basil Hallward, paints a portrait of Gray to capture the full power of his youthful beauty. When the portrait is unveiled, Gray makes a flippant pledge: he would give anything to stay as he is in the picture—even his soul.

What does Gray impales the painting with?

Resolving to end his suffering, Gray impales the painting with a poker, causing his body to age rapidly, before the attic is consumed by an explosion.

What happened to Gray in Sibyl?

After a few weeks, he proposes marriage to her. Lord Henry tells Gray that having children is "the beginning of the end", and after the two men visit a brothel, Gray leaves Sibyl. Heartbroken, the young woman commits suicide by drowning.

What does Lord Henry suggest Gray exchange his soul for?

Meanwhile, as Gray makes arrangements to leave London with Emily, Lord Henry's suspicions are confirmed when a study of old photographs triggers a memory where he jokingly suggested that Gray exchange his soul in return for eternal youth and beauty.

Why does Gray leave London?

Gray decides to leave London to travel the world and he invites Lord Henry to join him as his companion, but he declines, citing his wife's pregnancy. After a 25-year absence, Gray stuns everyone at the welcoming party with his unchanged youthful appearance.

Who does Gray fall in love with?

Gray meets and falls in love with budding young actress, Sibyl Vane. After a few weeks, he proposes marriage to her.

What is the genre of the picture of Dorian Gray?

full title The Picture of Dorian Gray. author Oscar Wilde. type of work Novel. genre Gothic; philosophical; comedy of manners. language English. time and place written 1890, London. date of first publication The first edition of the novel was published in 1890 in Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine.

Who did Dorian kill in the climax?

climax Dorian kills Basil Hallward. falling action Dorian descends into London’s opium dens; he attempts to express remorse to Lord Henry; he stabs his portrait, thereby killing himself. themes The purpose of art; the supremacy of youth and beauty; the surface nature of society; the negative consequences of influence.

Where is the picture of Dorian Gray set?

The novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by, Oscar Wilde is set in London England in the nineteenth century; the setting is credible for many reasons first of all because the setting is not based in a fictional place but a real world place (London England). The setting is also credible because Dorian lives in the upper west side where he lives ...

What are the themes of the picture of Dorian Gray?

A hundred and twenty one years have passed since Oscar Wilde published his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, with its controversial themes of hedonism, duplicity and worship of youth and beauty.

What is the message of Dorian Gray?

The message of the story, that everything comes with a price, resonates better with the everyday man or woman. T.

What is the Devil's bargain in the East End?

In the East End, however, he becomes a creepy, skulking, unambiguously evil specter (the “devil’s bargain”) – just as desperate as the next guy for an opium hit and generally trying to find ways to forget his criminal life in the city. Wilde vividly creates a doubled setting for a doubled life.

Where does Dorian live in the novel?

The setting in the novel holds great importance, because of where Dorian lives he is freely able to moove between two major parts of London, the wealthy West End and the decrepit East End. In the West End, mostly in the super-ritzy Mayfair district, Dorian establishes his home, frequents various gentlemen’s clubs, theatres, and symphony halls.

Where is Dorian in the East End?

In the East End, near the dock, the disguised Dorian steals into grotesque saloons-turned-opium-dens for an occasional high, and disgustedly rubs elbows with the various underworld characters whose lives he’s destroyed. The two settings represent Dorian’s two sides.

What are the two sides of Dorian's life?

The two settings represent Dorian’s two sides. In the West End, he is the gallant gentleman, fashionable trendsetter, cultured aristocrat, and scandalous local celebrity . There he enjoys the highest art forms civilization has to offer – opera, theatre, painting, French cuisine – to fulfill his refined appetite.

Where was the picture of Dorian Gray set?

The Picture of Dorian Gray was set around the 19th century also known as the Victorian era, specifically the year 1890 in London, England a period of time when famine, poverty and even racism such as slavery were at an all-time high, while the wealthy almost did absolutely nothing but to continue on with being rich.

What is the expectation of Dorian Gray?

Another expectation of Dorian Gray is for the devil or some type of evil to play a key roll in setting up the story. Often “gothic text concerns its representation of ‘evil’” as “demonisation of of particular types of behaviour makes visible the covert political views of the text” (Smith 2013)

What are some examples of violence in Dorian Gray?

The best example of power and violence in Dorian Gray is the murder of Basil Hallward by Dorian. Wilde describes dorian as gaining ‘suddenly an uncontrollable feeling of hatred for Basil Hallward came over him. The mad strong emotions of a hunted animal stirred within him, and he hated the man who was seated at the table, more than he had ever hated anything in his whole life’. Another thing to point out is the depth of the description of the murder and, especially, the blood as it is simply described as ‘Something [beginning] to trickle on the floor’ adding a much more gruesome layer to the act.

Why is Dorian Gray amoral?

One could argue that Dorian’s moral scale shift and becoming amoral is a result of his youth/desire for eternal youth and the vainness that came along with it. He could have been doomed due to his amoral ways regardless if Lord Henry had been influencing him or not as Dorian was simply being his real self. The idea of Dorian’s desire for eternal youth is brought up early in the novel when he exclaims “How sad is it! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young ] If it were only the other way!” (Wilde 19). Dorian continues to exclaim that “When I find that I am growing old, I shall kill myself” (Wilde 19). Through Dorian’s desire to remain young forever, he becomes vain and selfish. When Basil is upset with Lord Henry for negatively influencing Dorian, Lord Henry responds with “It is the real Dorian Gray – that is all” (Wilde 20). Dorian was not an amoral person when the novel began. He neither had high morals or was amoral. He was simply an innocent young man. It was Lord Henry who instilled his wretched ideas into Dorian along the way until Dorian eventually became amoral. Had Lord Henry not been influencing Dorian, he would not have abandoned and killed Sibyl Vane and he thus would not have killed Basil. Lord Henry knowingly worked to corrupt Basil throughout the course of the novel.

What did Lord Henry do to Dorian Gray?

Lord Henry was a wicked man of manipulation, leading the innocent Dorian Gray to commit inhumane acts, especifically murder. He also gave a gift to the naive youngman a venomous yellow book, which Mr. Gray would read religiously as if its his holy bible, completely dominating and influencing his ways of life.

What was the main cause of Dorian's downfall?

Also, the main cause of dorians downfall was wanting to stay young and beautiful forever, an idea that was only implanted in his head by Henry saying beauty is genius and even more powerful still.

Is the picture of Dorian Gray gothic?

To conclude, expectations of the gothic genre are mostly met within The Picture of Dorian Gray to a large degree as the novel does in-keep with 4 of the main tropes of the gothic genre to a great deal of success. Despite Dorian Gray not appearing as a gothic text in the beginning, as the story progresses, the novel transforms into one of the finest examples of gothic literature as it sophisticatedly incorporates the main themes of the supernatural, power and constraint and the possible presence of evil concisely into a well developed tale, whilst providing eery settings for the story to take place in. This then means that, whilst there are many expectations that come with being labelled a gothic text, The Picture of Dorian Gray rises to these expectations and stands out from other texts because of it.

What is the setting of the picture of Dorian Gray?

In his novel of 1891, ‘ The Picture of Dorian Gray ’, Wilde uses setting and location to explore not only the character and moral conscience of his protagonist but also the divides inherent within Victorian society as he contrasts the wealthy homes of Mayfair with the crowded poverty of London’s East End. The dissimilarities between locations so geographically close reflect the duality of Dorian Gray’s own identity while simultaneously raising questions as to the hypocrisy of aristocratic life towards the close of the nineteenth century.

What is the setting of Dorian Gray's novel?

The dissimilarities between locations so geographically close reflect the duality of Dorian Gray’s own identity while simultaneously raising questions as to the hypocrisy of aristocratic life towards the close of the nineteenth century. London, the setting for the majority of the novel, is throughout personified as something monstrous.

What chapter does Dorian visit the opium den?

For example, Chapter XVI sees Dorian visiting an opium den by the docks while the chapters both before and after depict Mayfair homes and drawing rooms. This could be seen to illustrate the duality of society, providing a direct comparison and showing with what ease Dorian moves from one to the other.

Where is Dorian first encountered?

He is first encountered, “untouched”, in the prelapsarian enclosure of Basil Hallward’s studio and garden. However, as his sin increases, the novel follows him to Whitechapel and the docks, “the sordid shame” of the city. This descent into sin echoes the fall of Lucifer, ...

Who is the key figure in the opening Eden?

The key figure in the opening Eden is, in fact, Dorian himself, the very image of classical beauty with his “passionate purity”. Contrastingly, the people of the East End are often dehumanized in their presentation, described as “monstrous marionettes”.

Is Dorian a corrupt man?

Additionally, it is only in the East End that people see Dorian for what he is: a man corrupt. Though there are “whispered scandals” and “strange rumours” about him in the West End clubs, these words suggest that they are unsubstantiated, mere speculation. Indeed, few ever appeared able to entirely believe these stories as there was “something in the purity of his face that rebuked them”. This purity does not appear to affect the people of the East End, who openly insult him, declaring him “the Devil’s bargain”. Perhaps then it could be said that the people from the lower, darker parts of London see the truth more clearly; they are closer to reality. This is seen again in the way they are almost always portrayed outside, people of the streets rather than of indoor rooms. They are experiencing the world rather than shutting it out. In the West End, however, the novel almost always focuses on the indoors, on drawing rooms, parlors and ballrooms. A layer of etiquette and gentility hangs over everything. It could then be said that the people of the upper classes are detached from reality whereas the lower classes or not. Similarly, Dorian’s beauty and charm hiding his corruption parallels the beauty and charm of the homes of the aristocracy, perhaps a subtle commentary on the darker secrets concealed by the outer appearances of Victorian Society.

When was Dorian Gray published?

Huysmans—means that Dorian must be living some time after its publication in 1884.

Where is Dorian in the East End?

In the East End, near the dock, the disguised Dorian steals into grotesque saloons-turned-opium-dens for an occasional high, and disgustedly rubs elbows with the various underworld characters whose lives he's destroyed. The two settings represent Dorian's two sides.

Where does Dorian live?

Okay, on to location: Dorian moves freely between two major parts of London, the wealthy West End and the decrepit East End. In the West End, mostly in the super-ritzy Mayfair district, Dorian establishes his home, frequents various gentlemens' clubs, theaters, and symphony halls. In the East End, near the dock, the disguised Dorian steals into grotesque saloons-turned-opium-dens for an occasional high, and disgustedly rubs elbows with the various underworld characters whose lives he's destroyed.#N#The two settings represent Dorian's two sides. In the West End, he is the gallant gentleman, fashionable trendsetter, cultured aristocrat, and scandalous local celebrity. There he enjoys the highest art forms civilization has to offer—opera, theater, painting, French cuisine—to fulfill his refined appetite.

What era was the Decadent Movement?

Interestingly, the Decadent movement took place in the broader setting of the Victorian era, which is mainly known for its prudish, priggish social mores and über-judgmental standards.

Overview

Origins

Publication and versions

Preface

Summary

Characters

Influences and allusions

Reactions

Overview

Plot

Cast

Production

Reception

See also

External links