The Picture of Dorian Gray Flashcards

Why does Basil Hallward find Dorian Gray so artistically inspiring?

Basil believes Dorian embodies pure beauty and an almost spiritual innocence that elevates his art to a higher level, making the portrait the best work he’s ever produced.

How does Lord Henry first influence Dorian during their meeting?

He overwhelms Dorian with seductive ideas about the supremacy of youth, beauty, and pleasurable living, awakening Dorian’s fear of aging and sparking his desire to stay young forever.

What wish does Dorian make after seeing the completed portrait?

He wishes that he could stay young forever while the portrait bears the marks of age and sin instead of him.

Why is Lord Henry’s philosophy of youth and beauty so persuasive to Dorian?

Dorian is young, impressionable, and sensitive to flattery; Henry frames youth as the only truly valuable thing, making Dorian suddenly terrified of losing it.

What does the portrait symbolize throughout the novel?

It represents Dorian’s inner self—his corruption, cruelty, and moral decay—which increases even as his outward appearance remains perfect.

How does Dorian’s relationship with Sibyl Vane show his preference for artifice over reality?

He falls in love with her acting rather than her actual personality; when she performs poorly, he loses interest because the illusion he adored collapses.

Why does Sibyl’s bad acting break Dorian’s enchantment with her?

Without the “art” of her performances, she seems ordinary to him; he values aesthetic beauty over emotional sincerity.

What appears in the portrait after Dorian ends things with Sibyl?

A faint hint of cruelty around the mouth—the first sign that the portrait will reflect his moral actions.

How does Lord Henry’s hedonism shape Dorian’s life?

Dorian adopts Henry’s pursuit of pleasure without restraint, using this ideology to justify increasingly selfish and destructive actions.

How does Basil serve as Lord Henry’s moral opposite?

Basil believes in virtue, sincerity, and moral responsibility. He admires Dorian’s beauty but fears influencing him wrongly, contrasting with Henry’s reckless encouragement.

Why does Dorian lock the portrait in the upstairs room?

He becomes terrified of anyone discovering the changes in it, and he wants to hide the physical evidence of his sins.

How do changes in the portrait mirror Dorian’s behavior?

Each cruel, selfish, or sinful act adds new signs of degradation—bloodstains, twisted features—reflecting his true moral state.

What is the significance of Dorian’s visits to the opium dens?

They show his desire to escape guilt and numb his conscience, and they reveal how far he has fallen socially and spiritually.

How does Dorian’s influence corrupt other young men?

His charm draws them into immoral or scandalous behavior, though the novel only hints at specifics to emphasize secrecy and rumor.

What does the yellow book symbolize in Dorian’s life?

It embodies decadent philosophy and becomes a blueprint for Dorian’s pursuit of sensual experience, deepening his moral decay.

Why does Basil confront Dorian about the rumors surrounding him?

Basil is disturbed by what he has heard and wants to believe Dorian is still good; he seeks an explanation or confession from him.

What drives Dorian to murder Basil?

Basil’s moral reproach and his demand to see the portrait provoke Dorian’s rage and fear, leading him to silence the one man who knew the truth.

How does Dorian attempt to dispose of Basil’s body?

He blackmails Alan Campbell, a former friend, into chemically dissolving the body, showing Dorian’s desperation and cruelty.

Why is Alan Campbell’s strained history with Dorian important?

It implies Dorian once had a damaging influence on him, reinforcing Dorian’s corrupting effect on others and explaining why blackmail works.

What motivates James Vane’s pursuit of Dorian?

He seeks revenge for his sister Sibyl’s death, believing Dorian wronged and destroyed her.

What is the symbolic meaning of James Vane’s sudden death?

It represents fate or chance intervening to protect Dorian temporarily, allowing him to continue his corrupted lifestyle.

How does the passage of time ultimately affect Dorian?

Although he stays physically young, he becomes increasingly paranoid, jaded, and haunted by the weight of his sins.

How does the portrait act as Dorian’s conscience?

Its grotesque changes reflect his guilt and force him to confront the reality of his corruption, even when he tries to suppress it.

What prompts Dorian’s brief desire to reform?

A moment of self-disgust and fear after James Vane’s pursuit leads him to wonder if living “virtuously” might reverse the portrait’s decay.

Why does Dorian stab the portrait at the end?

He wants to destroy the evidence of his corruption and free himself from guilt, hoping the act will cleanse him.

What do the servants discover after Dorian’s death?

They find an old, withered man stabbed through the heart on the floor, while the portrait has returned to its original, youthful beauty.

How does the novel critique Victorian society’s obsession with appearances?

Through Dorian’s life, it exposes how society values outward respectability while ignoring inner corruption, enabling hypocrisy.

In what ways does the novel reflect aestheticism?

It champions beauty, art, and sensory experience while also questioning whether aestheticism can become morally dangerous when detached from ethics.

How does Wilde use descriptions of interiors and objects to reflect psychological states?

Lavish rooms, exotic objects, and decaying settings mirror Dorian’s shifting emotions—pleasure, decadence, fear, and moral collapse.

How does the novel explore the tension between free will and influence?

Dorian is shaped by Lord Henry’s ideas but ultimately chooses his actions; the novel suggests influence can be powerful but does not remove accountability.