THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

This novel, expression of extreme Decadents is a really mystery's story, deeply allegorical and full of symbolic meanings, centred on the theme of the double, typical of the psychological horror stories (Stevenson). The picture represents Dorian's double side, the dark side that is the symbol of immorality, of dirty conscience and also of Victorian middle class. On the other side Dorian with his pure innocent appearance represents the Victorian bourgeois Hypocrisy. In others words Dorian's double existence reflect the contradictions of the Victorian Age and his beauty represents the importance given to external appearance. This novel banned as immoral when it appeared later proved to be full of morality, in fact the message convained by this book is that the excesses must be punished and the reality can not be avoided. In fact when Dorian tries to destroy the painting he's punished with the worst punishment: his own death. Besides the return of the picture to its original beauty soon after Dorian's death expresses Wilde's conception of Art that remind us to Keats art theories. Wilde, in fact, asserts the superiority of the art over life.

However Wilde's popularity rests on his light comedies such as "An ideal husband", but the greatest one was "the importance of Being Earnest", in this comedy W. shows all his humour, irony, satirical vein, originality, verbal agility, presenting situation full of miser understanding, paradoxes, mistakes identities, and equivocal episodes.

Moreover these comedies are built on brilliant dialogues and absurd characters used to criticize all Victorian bourgeoisie values.

THE STORY

This story is about wanting to stay young and not knowing the consequences of such a desire. Everything starts out in Basil Hallward's studio. Basil is a painter that is obsessed with Dorian Grey, a young beautiful gentleman that catches everyone's eye thanks to his beautiful and innocent aspect. On this particular day, Basil is accompanied by Lord Henry, one of his close friends, who is very fascinated by Dorian aspect. In the same day, Dorian posses for his portrait and then retires to the garden with Lord Henry. They talk about youth and its great importance, about how it shouldn't be taken for granted, etc. When the picture is finished, Dorian makes a simple wish. He asks for his picture to grow old instead of him. Dorian keeps the picture and is fond of his new friend, Lord Henry. They go everywhere together and Henry teaches Dorian new things about life that he never knew existed. Dorian falls in love with an actress (Sybil Vane) from the lower sides of London. But after she messes up in one of her plays, he despises her and decides never to see her again because he doesn't like her way of acting. He goes home and realizes that his picture has changed; it had grown old and shows the sign of Dorian's first cruel action. The next day he is told that the actress he used to admire had committed suicide. Dorian fells no sorrow and Lord Henry tells him to take it as if it were just part of a play, a tragic scene that had come to a dramatic end. He realizes that his stupid wish had come true, and the portrait is the mirror of his soul. So he decides to hide the painting so no one else can see it. Dorian's life changes because of a book, ( rebours by Huysman) that he receives from Lord Henry. The protagonist of this book is a young Parisian very handsome that with the passing of time became old and doesn't tolerate his image reflected in the water or in the mirrors. Dorian fells a sort of pleasure mixed with cruelty thinking that he has never feel the same sensation of the Parisian because he will be young forever. As the years go by, people start to hate the once beloved Dorian Grey. Rumours are spread that he is a bad influence and that evil follows him wherever he goes. Many people don't believe that nonsense, and are still blown away by his ravaging good looks. Dorian Grey lives a double life: in one hand he takes part with Lord Henry to many parties and is taken like a model of elegance by youth, on the other hand sometimes he disappears and frequents sordid taverns. They can't believe that such a handsome man can do such terrible things. Then one night, Basil visits him. They have a chat about the reputation that Dorian is getting on the streets. Basil tells him that such affairs, as he had been known to be a part off, were bad for the soul. Dorian tells him he no longer has a soul, and decides to show him the picture he once had painted of him. The picture had become horrid, old, and had lost all the beauty it once possessed. Basil is amazed and can't believe his own eyes. Dorian becomes mad at him, he blames him for all that has happened in his life, for he was the one that started the whole thing. Dorian takes a knife and stabs his good friend to death. The next day he gets rid of the body and of all the evidence that can link him to the murder. Dorian continues his life as if nothing had ever happened. A couple of days later, he is confronted by James Vayne, the actress's brother, the one he had sent to her death 18 years before. He wants to kill him for what he had done, but his good looks and his young face save his life. Now everywhere he goes he is afraid of being killed, until one day he goes hunting with a friend, and they shoot Vayne by mistake. The voice of the consciens becomes strong and stronger and  He decide to destroy the portrait (his corrupted side). He stabs the painting that had caused him all this pain. A scream is heard, and his servants enter the room. They find the picture hanging on the wall, as beautiful as it ever was, and an old and ugly man lying dead on the floor. He realized that he was is master thanks to a ring who is Dorian's.

Alessandra Marroni IV B