The Picture Of Dorian Gray Summaries

Chapter 1 Summary Dorian Gray (Basil rambles about DG)

- Basil lovingly rambles about DG to Lord Henry

-Basil in love (repressed homosexual)

-Discuss why Basil cannot sell the portrait = too much of him in it.

Chapter 2 Summary Dorian Gray (hellish introduction to DG)

-Lord Henry introduced to DG

-DG fascinated with his talk about youth, temptation and morality.

- Basil jealous about DG's attention being on LH.

Chapter 3 Summary Dorian Gray (LH investigates)

-Lord Henry curious for background info on DG given by Uncle Fermor. (He relates that Dorian's mother, a noblewoman, eloped with a poor soldier; the woman's father, a villainous old lord, arranged to have his daughter's husband killed just before Dorian was born. The grieving widow died soon thereafter, leaving Dorian to be raised by a loveless tyrant.)

-Lord Henry goes to Lady Agatha's house

DG really enjoys the conversation and is still fascinated by the talks about society.

Chapter 4 Summary Dorian Gray (Dorian falls in love)

-DG expresses his love to Sibyl to Henry after he sees her acting.

-Henry think hes foolish because he is cynical and does not seem to believe in love.

Chapter 5 Summary Dorian Gray (the vane family)

-Sybil's brother James Vane is overprotective over Sibyl and thinks Dorian will break her heart. Sybil's mother tells James the truth about his Father admitting he and Sybil were illegitimate.

Chapter 6 Summary Dorian Gray (Dorian engaged)

Transitional chapter

-Basil learns about engagement meets DG + Henry.

That evening over dinner, Lord Henry announces to Basil Dorian's plan to marry Sibyl, Lord Henry thinks DG will be ruined. DG recalls the story of how they kissed and he proposed to her.

Chapter 7 Summary Dorian Gray (DG breaks Sybil, the painting changes)

-DG calls it quits with Sibyl as she act properly - excuse is she's in love so cant act in love with other actors.

- she and DG are embarrassed in front of Henry + Basil.

DG walks through sinful london, Important for setting.

DG notices the painting has changed—a faint sneer has appeared at the corner of his mouth. Remembering his wish that the painting would bear the burden and marks of age and lifestyle for him, Dorian is suddenly overcome with shame about his behavior toward Sibyl and decides to make amends

Chapter 8 Dorian Gray Summary (learning of Sybil's death)

-Then DG decides he will marry Sibyll to keep painting pretty and be good

-He is spooked by the painting's change.

-LH visits and tells him Sybil killed himself.

-DG is devastated but LH mocks his grief and makes cynical comments about love.

Chapter 9 Dorian Gray summary (DG fights with Basil about exhibiting

-Basil explains why he did not want to exhibit the picture at first.

-DG threatens Basil if he talks again about exhibiting the picture

-DG adopts Henrys words + viewpoint

Chapter 10 Dorian Gray Summary (paranoia, hiding the painting and the yellow book)

-DG paranoid about ugly painting so hides it in the attic schoolroom

-DG becomes "fascinated" about yellow book from LH

Chapter 11 Dorian Gray summary (Yellow book continued)

Reads bad book, awful, demonic book from LH. Name in decadence context notes (influential on Wilde)

Chapter 12 Dorian Gray Summary (reputation arguments

-Basil meets DG saying everyone's speaking badly about him

-DG does not care

-Basil goes up to see DG soul''s, DG decides to kill them

Chapter 13 Dorian Gray summary (Killed and favours)

-Basil ends up killed by DG

-DG wants chemist friend Alan Campbell to clean up evidence

Chapter 14 Dorian Gray summary (clean-up)

-Alan Campbell got rid of Basil's body, using scientific methods.

Chapter 15 (dinner, stress and burning evidence

-DG goes to Lady Narborough for a meal sees Harry

-trying to find him a girl

-Burns Basils clothes

-Turns to opium for relief

Chapter 16 Dorian Gray summary (opium den and james vane threat)

-Goes to an opium den in East end, sees old disgraced friend Adrian Singleton.

-Important for setting.

-James Vane sees him and is about to kill because a random lady calls him "prince charming"

-DG uses his unatural youth to protect himself as Sybil was killed 18 years ago

Chapter 17 Dorian Gray (James vane reappears

-DG at Gladys' house

-DG faints because he sees JV hiding in bushes

-Duchess of Monmouth flirts with DG even though married

Chapter 18 (james vane is the victim)

- goes shooting but James Vane gets shot accidentally in the way to probs catch DG

-DG close to death in fear but J

Chapter 19 Dorian Gray summary (I spared her)

-DG meets poor working class villager Hetty who he loves and leaves

-Henrys ex wife ran off with a musician shows she did what Henry says she would do e.g cynical about marriage

Chapter 20 Dorian Gray (painting stabbed)

-goes to picture because it won't reflect his good action e.g not taking Hetty's virginity. He stabs painting but his youthful image becomes the painting and the ugly, shriveled corrupt old man's dead body is found