Essay on Picture of Dorian Gray: Art Cannot Substitute Life :: Picture Dorian Gray Essays

The Picture of Dorian Gray Art Can non Substitute life story The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde, is the story of moral corruption by the means of aestheticism. In the novel, the well meaning creative person Basil Hallward presets schoolboyish Dorian Gray with a portrait of himself. After conversing with cynical entitle Henry Wotton, Dorian makes a wish that dreadfully affects his life forever. If it were I who was to be always young, and the picture that was to grow old For that I would ca-ca everything Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give I would give my soul for that (Wilde 109). As it turns out, the devil that Dorian sells his soul to is Lord Henry Wotton, who exists not only as something away to Dorian, but also as a voice within him (Bloom 107). Dorian continues to lead a life of sensuality which he learns about in a book given to him by Lord Henry. Dorians unethical allegiance to pleasure arrests his way of life. The novel underscores its disapproval of aestheticism which negatively impacts the main characters. all(prenominal) of the three primary characters is an aesthete and meets some form of terrible person-to-person doom. Basil Hallwards aestheticism is manifested in his dedication to his workmanic creations. He searches in the outside world for the perfect manifestation of his own soul, when he finds this object, he fuel create masterpieces by painting it (Bloom 109). He refuses to ostentation the portrait of Dorian Gray with the explanation that, I have put too untold of myself into it (Wilde 106). He further demonstrates the extent to which he holds this philosophy by by and by stating that, only the artist is truly reveled (109). Lord Henry Wotton criticizes Basil Hallward that, An artist should create beautiful things but should put nothing of his own life into them (Wilde 25). Ironically, the purpose of Basil Hallwards existence is that he is an aesthete striving to become one with his art (Erik sen 105). It is this very work of art which Basil refuses to display that provides Dorian Gray with the idea that there are no consequences to his actions. Dorian has this belief in mind when he murders Basil. Here we see that the artist is killed for his excessive love of physical beauty the same art that he wished to merge with is the cause of his mortal downfall (Juan 64).