The Picture of Dorian Gray Merlin Vettik 11B

1. The Picture of Dorian Gray Merlin Vettik 11B

2. The Picture of Dorian Gray • England in 1890, Estonia in 1929 • The only published novel by Oscar Wilde • First appeared in a magazine • Added seven chapters • Alternations • Homoerotic overtones • Belief in hedonism

3. Plot description • The story tells of a man called Dorian Gray • Young nobleman, rich, but pure-hearted • New way of thinking - the only things worth pursuing in life are beauty and fulfilment of the senses • Wishes the portrait grew old, instead of him • Drawn into a new lifestyle • Actions and aging are displayed in his portrait

4. The Main Characters • Dorian Gray – a young gentleman who begins to indulge himself every kind of pleasure • Basil Hallward - an artist who paints the portrait of Dorian and becomes infatuated with his beauty. • Lord Henry Wotton or “Harry” - is an extremely witty and sharp-tongued nobleman, who conveys his views to Dorian

5. Other Characters • Sibyl Vane – Dorian’s lover • James Vane – Sibyl’s brother • Alan Campbell – Dorian’s friend • Victoria, Lady Henry Wotton – Lord Henry’s wife • Victor – Dorian’s servant

6. Key Facts • Protagonist: Dorian Gray • Major conflict: Dorian secretly promises his soul to maintain his youth forever • Rising action: Dorian remarks changes in his portrait after committing his first sin • Dorian is doubt-troubled and paranoid. He kills Basil • He regrets many things he has done. By stabbing his wretched portrait, kills himself • www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-zjVKLxhk4

7. Aestheticism and double life • Classic example of aestheticism and double life • Wilde emphasises his pleasure of living double life • Constantly worried about his image within Victorian society • Enjoys his hedonistic side when being alone • Dorian is both the aesthete and the criminal combined in one man

8. Quotations • "The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely. All art is quite useless." • "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." • "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." • "Men marry because they are tired; women, because they are curious: both are disappointed." • "Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is far the best ending for one." • "To be in love is to surpass one's self." • "The real drawback to marriage is that it makes one unselfish. And unselfish people are colourless. They lack individuality." • "To get back my youth I would do anything in the world, except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable." • "One should never do anything that one cannot talk about after dinner."

9. Dorian Gray Syndrome • DGS - excessive preoccupation with the person’s own appearance accompanied by difficulties coping with the aging process and with the requirements of maturation • Using cosmetic products or proce- dures • Dysmorphophobics

10. Adaptions • Contemporary dance adaptation of Dorian Gray, by Matthew Bourne • Film "The Picture of Dorian Gray", released in 1945 • Film "Dorian Gray", released in 2009 • "Dorian, an Imitation", a novel by Will Self http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VjY725fRjk&feature=related

11. Thank You!