Dorian Gray
Dorian Gray by Elsa Andersson
Dorian Gray is a complex character that changes very much throughout the book. At first sight Mr. Gray seems to be an innocent adolescent, with fair skin, gold locks and piercing blue eyes. He is received as a saint, the ideal man in the eyes of his friends and acquaintances. Throughout the beginning of the book the people that meet him find him to be a charming young man. Even though he is portrayed in this way it is also noticeable that he becomes very vain when Harry tells him that youth is everything. Dorian realizes that he only has a few more years before his youth starts to decline. It is even more noticeable that he is shallow when he becomes jealous of the painting because the painting will stay young forever. The conversation with Harry also shows how easy manipulated he is.
In the first chapters of the book, Dorian´s character is ambiguous. The reader understands that he is fighting an inner battle with himself over morals and pleasure. He had already begun to think in hedonistic terms. In his mind, he debates whether he should he do the right thing and marry Sybil Vane or enjoy the fleeting pleasures of youth as much as he can. His vanity reaches a peak when he breaks up with Sybil over her bad acting skills. Sybil then commits suicide. With Sybil´s death it all becomes clear to him that the painting will pay the price for his sins if he chooses the path of hedonism.
As a result of Harry´s advice and Dorian´s baseness, Dorian’s personality changes and he decides to seek shallow pleasure rather than to live according to his morals. The reader anticipates that this choice will lead to his downfall.
Dorian Gray is a complex character that changes very much throughout the book. At first sight Mr. Gray seems to be an innocent adolescent, with fair skin, gold locks and piercing blue eyes. He is received as a saint, the ideal man in the eyes of his friends and acquaintances. Throughout the beginning of the book the people that meet him find him to be a charming young man. Even though he is portrayed in this way it is also noticeable that he becomes very vain when Harry tells him that youth is everything. Dorian realizes that he only has a few more years before his youth starts to decline. It is even more noticeable that he is shallow when he becomes jealous of the painting because the painting will stay young forever. The conversation with Harry also shows how easy manipulated he is.
In the first chapters of the book, Dorian´s character is ambiguous. The reader understands that he is fighting an inner battle with himself over morals and pleasure. He had already begun to think in hedonistic terms. In his mind, he debates whether he should he do the right thing and marry Sybil Vane or enjoy the fleeting pleasures of youth as much as he can. His vanity reaches a peak when he breaks up with Sybil over her bad acting skills. Sybil then commits suicide. With Sybil´s death it all becomes clear to him that the painting will pay the price for his sins if he chooses the path of hedonism.
As a result of Harry´s advice and Dorian´s baseness, Dorian’s personality changes and he decides to seek shallow pleasure rather than to live according to his morals. The reader anticipates that this choice will lead to his downfall.