Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray arrives in Victorian London to inherit his abusive grandfather's estate. He is swept into a social whirlwind by the charismatic Lord Henry Wotton. The new wealth and freedom tempt him toward a life of pleasure and self-indulgence.

Lord Henry mentors Dorian in charm, wit, and a reckless attitude toward morality. The city offers parties, flattery, and a carefree philosophy that challenges Dorian's old values. Dorian begins to view life as a game of sensation rather than virtue.

The artist Basil Hallward captures Dorian's beauty on canvas, framing a idealized image that will later symbolize his moral drift. The portrait becomes central to the story, hinting at a hidden bargain. Basil feels a compelling, almost dangerous, connection to the young man.

After viewing the portrait, Dorian makes a flippant pledge to remain young forever, even at the price of his soul. He believes he could trade his mortality for perpetual beauty. The vow binds his fate to the painted image.

Dorian becomes enamored with the aspiring actress Sibyl Vane and proposes marriage. The romance offers a form of salvation, at least briefly, as he imagines a life of art and devotion with her. Sibyl's youthful sincerity draws him into a deeper emotional bond.

Influenced by Henry and a night of excess, Dorian breaks Sibyl's heart and leaves her. Sibyl dies by suicide, and her brother Jim confronts Dorian, attempting to strangle him before being restrained. Henry distracts Dorian, allowing the tragedy to intensify the emotional cost.

Dorian's lifestyle grows more reckless, while his friendship with Basil Hallward cools. Basil senses something malign in the moral decay reflected by the portrait and urges distance. The bond between artist and muse frays as Dorian relishes his new libertines.

Gray discovers the portrait has warped, bearing the marks of his sins as he remains outwardly intact. Realizing his pledge has literalized, he lures Basil to see the image and kills him to keep the secret. His body is dumped in the River Thames, and the remains are recovered.

Dorian invites Henry to travel the world with him, seeking new experiences and exhilaration. Henry declines, citing his wife's pregnancy, which anchors him to home. The invitation foreshadows Dorian's increasingly solitary, ageless life.

Two decades pass as Dorian travels abroad and appears unchanged by time. He returns to London with his youth intact, shocking those who have aged around him. The city prepares for a dramatic reopening of old wounds.

Dorian's return is met with a party where his ageless appearance unsettles society. Emily, Henry's daughter, becomes captivated by him despite her father's disapproval. Sibyl's memory resurfaces as a reminder of past consequences.

Jim Vane stalks Dorian and is killed by an oncoming train in the London Underground, a brutal reminder of the costs surrounding Sibyl's fate. The loss unsettles Henry and underscores the perilous path Dorian has chosen. Dorian remains emotionally distant from the consequences.

Henry obtains a copy of Dorian's attic key and enters the space where Basil's blood-stained scarf is found. The discovery heightens the stakes of the secret that still binds Dorian. Henry's discovery accelerates the approach of the story's climax.

In the attic, Dorian confronts Henry while Emily's voice momentarily distracts him. Henry exposes the portrait, which horrifies both men, and he sets it on fire, locking Dorian in the attic. Dorian rages as he impales the painting with a fire poker, and the mansion is consumed by flames while the years catch up with him. Henry helps Emily escape the burning house.

A few months pass and Henry returns to the burning attic. The portrait has seemingly returned to its original state, its eyes briefly glowing as if alive again. The final image hints that Dorian's soul remains trapped within the painted image.