The Picture of Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray is posed for a portrait by Basil Hallward in Hallward's studio. During the session, he meets Basil's friend Lord Henry Wotton, whose cynical philosophy begins to charm him. The conversation exposes Dorian to a worldview that places beauty and pleasure at the center of life. This moment sets the path for Dorian's choices and the fate of the portrait to come.

Lord Henry articulates a worldview that suggests the only worthwhile life is one pursued for pleasure, and that 'what the gods give they quickly take away.' Dorian absorbs this idea and begins to imagine beauty and youth as a priceless possession. The seeds of a hedonistic path are sown in his mind. The studio becomes the incubator of his future choices.

In the presence of an Egyptian cat statue rumored to have magical powers, Dorian wishes that he might not age while his portrait grows old. The wish is granted in a supernatural sense, linking the fate of his body to the fate of the portrait. The moment marks the beginning of a cursed bargain between Dorian and his own image.

Dorian callously breaks off his engagement to Sibyl Vane, a talented tavern singer, after a disappointing performance. The rejection reveals his growing coldness and self-centeredness. Sibyl's love had given him a sense of meaning that is swiftly discarded by his pursuit of pleasure.

Dorian discovers that the portrait has begun to change, reflecting his creeping moral corruption. He fears the truth and locks the painting away in an old schoolroom to hide the evidence. His attempt to conceal the truth marks a turning point toward a life of secrecy and depravity.

Sibyl Vane dies by suicide, overwhelmed by Dorian's rejection and indifference. Her death underscores the consequences of Dorian's new persona and isolates him from genuine affection. The tragedy hardens his resolve to pursue a heartless life.

Over the years, Dorian preserves his remarkable youth, while the portrait grows uglier with each sin. London society remains astonished by his unchanging appearance, unaware of the rot within. The divide between outward beauty and inner decay widens.

Basil Hallward encounters the grotesquely changed portrait and is horrified by the monster it has become. The confrontation reveals the depth of Dorian's corruption and tears at their artistic bond. The moment foreshadows a violent rift between creator and subject.

In a desperate act of defiance, Dorian murders Basil Hallward in the very room that houses the portrait. He seals Hallward's body in the schoolroom beside the painting to hide the crime. The murder marks the first irreversible step into true villainy.

Dorian pressures his servant, Allen Campbell, to dispose of Hallward's body, leveraging a web of concealment. Campbell, distressed by his role in destroying Hallward's works and life, agrees to carry out the grisly task. The complicity deepens the web of guilt around Dorian.

Haunted by guilt over his involvement, Allen Campbell commits suicide. His death compounds the tragic toll of Dorian's influence on those around him. The city grapples with the consequences of Dorian's unchecked indulgence.

Dorian begins a romance with Basil Hallward's niece, Gladys, seeking a new distraction from his diminishing humanity. The relationship provides a temporary veneer of legitimacy to his life of sin. Yet the portrait continues to gnaw at him from the hidden room.

James Vane, Sibyl's brother, tracks Dorian to the country estate to exact revenge for Sibyl's death. A dangerous moment culminates in an accidental shooting during a hunting party, altering the trajectory of Dorian's life once again. The pursuit foreshadows looming doom for Dorian's vanity and lies.

Fearing that Gladys will be drawn into his darkness, Dorian writes a letter to break off their engagement. He resolves to confront the portrait himself, hoping to end the spell once and for all. The act removes a potential anchor to his humanity.

Dorian confronts the portrait and stabs it in the heart, crying out as if he himself has been wounded. His friends burst into the room to find him dead beside the now-broken image. The portrait, in death, reverts to showing Dorian as a young, innocent man, leaving his corpse to bear the sins he confessed only in death.