The Picture of Dorian Gray (Wilde)
Concise Plot Summary
London, late 19th century. Basil Hallward painted a portrait of Dorian Gray, a young man of extraordinary beauty. Dorian viewed the finished picture alongside Basil and Lord Henry Wotton (Harry). Influenced by Lord Henry's hedonistic ideas, Dorian wished the portrait would age instead of himself, allowing him eternal youth.
Dorian soon fell in love with Sibyl Vane, an actress. When Sibyl's performance deteriorated due to her love for him, he cruelly rejected her. Afterward, he noticed a cruel expression appear on his portrait and realized that his wish had been granted: the painting would reflect his soul's corruption. Sibyl killed herself, plunging Dorian further into depravity under Lord Henry's cynical guidance. He hid the increasingly gruesome portrait in his locked attic, preserving his outward innocence and beauty.
For years, Dorian indulged in hedonism and immorality, his youthful appearance unchanged. Rumors surrounded him, while friends suffered tragic fates. Eventually, Basil confronted him about his notorious deeds. Dorian revealed the grotesque portrait to Basil, then, in a surge of loathing, murdered him. Consumed by guilt and paranoia, Dorian attempted to erase all evidence. Pursued by Sibyl's vengeful brother, who soon died accidentally, Dorian momentarily felt relief. Later, he tried doing a good deed by rejecting a young girl, yet found the portrait mocking his attempt.
Determined to destroy the portrait and its judgment of his soul, Dorian stabbed the canvas. Servants who entered afterward witnessed a shocking scene:
"When they entered they found, hanging upon the wall, a splendid portrait of their master as they had last seen him, in all the wonder of his exquisite youth and beauty. Lying on the floor was a dead man..."
...identified as the now grotesque and aged Dorian Gray, his sins finally catching up to him.
Detailed Summary by Chapters
Chapter titles are editorial.
Chapter 1. Basil Hallward's Mysterious Portrait
In Basil Hallward's London studio, filled with the rich scent of roses and lilac, Lord Henry Wotton reclined on a divan smoking cigarettes while observing the studio's ambiance. On an easel stood a full-length portrait of a strikingly beautiful young man. Basil sat before it, contemplating his work, which had caused public excitement due to his sudden disappearance years prior.
Lord Henry praised the portrait as Basil's best work and suggested exhibiting it at the Grosvenor Gallery, but Basil refused, stating he wouldn't exhibit it anywhere. When questioned, Basil claimed he had put too much of himself into the painting. Lord Henry mocked this statement, unable to see any resemblance between the artist and the beautiful subject. He theorized that intellect destroys beauty and that the young man must be brainless.
Basil revealed the subject's name was Dorian Gray and spoke of a fatality associated with beauty and intellect. Lord Henry pressed Basil to explain his reluctance to exhibit the portrait. Basil confessed that every portrait painted with feeling reveals the artist's soul. He recounted meeting Dorian at a party and feeling an immediate fascination, fearing Dorian's personality would absorb his entire being and art. Basil explained that Dorian had become essential to his art, inspiring a new manner and style. Just then, the butler announced Dorian's arrival.
Chapter 2. The Introduction of Dorian Gray
Dorian Gray was playing the piano when Basil and Lord Henry entered. He expressed his dislike for sitting for the portrait and was initially embarrassed by Lord Henry's presence. Lord Henry charmed Dorian, mentioning his aunt, Lady Agatha, and making light of Dorian's missed engagement with her. He observed Dorian's striking beauty and innocent demeanor, understanding Basil's captivation.
When Basil asked Lord Henry to leave so he could finish the portrait, Dorian insisted he stay, intrigued by his views. Lord Henry and Dorian engaged in a philosophical discussion about influence and self-development. Lord Henry argued that all influence is immoral as it prevents individuals from realizing their true nature. He advocated for a life of self-expression and indulgence, warning Dorian about the fleeting nature of youth and beauty.
"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful."
Dorian was deeply affected by Lord Henry's words, feeling a new awareness of life and its possibilities. Basil completed the portrait, and both he and Lord Henry admired it. Dorian was struck by the realization that his beauty would fade while the portrait would remain eternally young. He made a desperate wish to trade places with the painting, declaring he would give his soul for eternal youth. Basil was shocked by Dorian's reaction, while Lord Henry was amused. The scene ended with Dorian choosing to accompany Lord Henry to the theatre, much to Basil's disappointment.
Chapter 3. Lord Henry's Philosophy and Dorian's Heritage
Lord Henry visited his Uncle George, Lord Fermor, to inquire about Dorian Gray's mother. Lord Fermor recounted the story of Margaret Devereux, a beautiful woman who eloped with a penniless soldier. The soldier was later killed in a duel orchestrated by her father, Lord Kelso, and Margaret died within a year, leaving behind her son, Dorian. Lord Henry learned that Dorian was not yet of age and possessed the Selby estate.
Later, Lord Henry attended lunch at his Aunt Agatha's, where he encountered Dorian and several other guests. The conversation revolved around social topics, with Lord Henry engaging in lively debates and showcasing his paradoxical views on life and society. He dismissed the importance of sympathizing with suffering, arguing for focusing on beauty and joy. Dorian was captivated by Lord Henry's words, and at the end of the gathering, he asked to accompany Lord Henry, abandoning his promise to Basil.
Chapter 4. Dorian Falls in Love with Sibyl Vane
A month later, Dorian waited for Lord Henry in his luxurious Mayfair library. Instead, Lady Henry arrived first, engaging Dorian in a superficial conversation about music and society before Lord Henry finally appeared. After she departed, the conversation shifted to love, with Lord Henry advising Dorian against marriage. Dorian revealed he was in love with an actress, which Lord Henry dismissed as commonplace.
Dorian described Sibyl Vane, the actress, as a genius. He recounted his experience of going to a tawdry theatre in the East End and being captivated by her performance as Juliet. He explained how he met her and how she referred to him as "Prince Charming." Dorian expressed his complete devotion to her, stating that she was divine and lived with her mother. Lord Henry suggested that he and Basil should see Sibyl act, and they arranged to attend her performance the following night.
After Dorian left, Lord Henry reflected on Dorian's fascination with Sibyl Vane and how he had influenced him. He saw Dorian as a subject for psychological experimentation and found his sudden love a complex passion. Later, he received a telegram from Dorian announcing his engagement to Sibyl.
Chapter 5. Sibyl's Family and James Vane's Warning
Sibyl Vane expressed her overwhelming happiness to her mother, Mrs. Vane, due to her love for "Prince Charming." Mrs. Vane was more concerned with their financial situation and reminded Sibyl of their debt to Mr. Isaacs, the theatre owner. Sibyl dismissed the importance of money, declaring that love was more important. Mrs. Vane emphasized Mr. Isaacs's generosity in providing them with fifty pounds and an outfit for James, Sibyl's brother, who was about to leave for Australia.
James entered, and Sibyl affectionately greeted him. He expressed his desire to take her for a walk before leaving for Australia. During their walk, James questioned his mother about Sibyl's admirer, expressing concern for her safety. Mrs. Vane dismissed his concerns, explaining that such attention was common in their profession and that the young man appeared wealthy.
During their walk, James revealed his knowledge of Sibyl's new friend and accused him of meaning her no good. Sibyl defended her love for "Prince Charming," but James vowed to kill him if he ever wronged her. Sibyl was horrified by his words. As they were leaving the park, Sibyl spotted Dorian in a carriage and excitedly pointed him out as "Prince Charming," but the carriage was blocked by another before James could see him.
Chapter 6. Discussion of Dorian's Engagement
Lord Henry informed Basil that Dorian was engaged to an actress, which shocked Basil. He expressed concern about Dorian marrying beneath his station. Lord Henry, however, found the situation intriguing and encouraged it, arguing that experience is valuable. He dismissed the importance of morality and embraced individuality.
Dorian arrived, ecstatic about his engagement. He described seeing Sibyl Vane as Rosalind, captivated by her beauty and performance. He recounted their kiss and how it felt like a perfect moment. He admitted the engagement was a secret, even from Sibyl's mother, and that his guardians would disapprove. Dorian declared his love for Sibyl and his desire to place her on a pedestal. He felt changed by her and forgot Lord Henry's theories when with her.
Lord Henry argued that pleasure is Nature's test and sign of approval. He claimed that individualism is the higher aim and that accepting the standard of one's age is immoral. Basil suggested that living only for oneself comes at a terrible price. Dorian said pleasure is adoring someone, but Lord Henry found being adored a nuisance. They prepared to go to the theatre, with Basil feeling a sense of loss, realizing Dorian would never be the same to him.
Chapter 7. Sibyl's Failed Performance and Dorian's Rejection
Dorian, Lord Henry, and Basil attended a performance of Romeo and Juliet starring Sibyl Vane. Dorian was excited to show off his fiancée's talent, but the theater was tawdry and the audience coarse. Lord Henry was amused by the setting, while Basil focused on the audience. Dorian defended Sibyl, claiming she transforms the common people who watch her.
When Sibyl appeared on stage, Lord Henry acknowledged her beauty. However, her performance was terrible. She delivered her lines in an artificial manner, devoid of emotion. The balcony scene was equally poor, with Sibyl's acting stagy and over-emphasized. The audience became restless and began to heckle. After the second act, Lord Henry suggested leaving, but Dorian insisted on staying. He expressed his disappointment in Sibyl, claiming she had lost her artistic talent and become commonplace.
After Lord Henry and Basil left, Dorian watched the rest of the play. He then went backstage to confront Sibyl. He found her radiant and joyful, despite her poor performance. Sibyl explained that she acted badly because, since falling in love with Dorian, she had realized that acting is merely a shadow of true reality. She declared that Dorian had freed her soul and shown her what real love is.
Dorian was enraged by her explanation. He accused her of killing his love and throwing away her genius. He declared that she was now shallow and stupid, and that he would never see her again. Sibyl pleaded with him, begging for forgiveness and promising to improve. She reminded him of her love for him, but Dorian remained unmoved. He left her weeping on the floor and wandered through the streets, eventually finding himself at Covent Garden market.
Chapter 8. Sibyl's Suicide and the First Change in the Portrait
Returning home, Dorian noticed a change in the portrait Basil had painted of him. There was a touch of cruelty in the mouth. He recalled his wish that the portrait would bear the burden of his sins and aging while he remained young. Dorian wondered if his wish had been fulfilled. He reflected on his cruelty towards Sibyl and felt a pang of regret. He resolved to make amends, marry her, and resist Lord Henry's poisonous influence.
"How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day of June.... If it were only the other way!"
The next day, Lord Henry visited Dorian and revealed that Sibyl Vane was dead. She had committed suicide by taking poison at the theater. Dorian was initially in disbelief and grief. Lord Henry advised Dorian to avoid involvement in the inquest and focused on maintaining appearances. He suggested dining and attending the opera to distract Dorian from the tragedy.
Lord Henry dismissed Dorian's guilt, arguing that marrying Sibyl would have been a mistake. He rationalized her death as a dramatic event and encouraged Dorian to view it artistically. He claimed women appreciate cruelty and that Sibyl's death was beautiful. Dorian found comfort in Lord Henry's words, feeling understood.
After Lord Henry departed, Dorian returned to the portrait and confirmed that it had not changed further. He contemplated the portrait's connection to his soul and the events of his life. He acknowledged that life had decided his path: eternal youth, infinite passion, and secret pleasures, with the portrait bearing the burden of his shame. He decided to watch the portrait's changes, seeing it as a magical mirror to his soul.
Chapter 9. Basil's Visit and Confession
Basil Hallward visited Dorian the morning after Sibyl's death, expressing his distress and concern. He revealed that he learned about Sibyl's death from the newspaper and was worried about Dorian. He expected Dorian to be grieving or to have visited Sibyl's mother. Dorian, however, appeared indifferent and bored. He recounted attending the opera with Lady Gwendolen, Lord Henry's sister, and dismissed Basil's concerns about Sibyl.
Basil was shocked by Dorian's callousness and questioned how he could attend the opera while Sibyl's body lay in a sordid lodging. Dorian angrily told Basil to stop talking about it, claiming the past is the past. He argued that he can control his emotions and doesn't want to be at their mercy. Basil accused Lord Henry of corrupting Dorian, saying he used to be simple, natural, and affectionate.
Dorian revealed that Sibyl killed herself, horrifying Basil. Dorian romanticized her suicide as a great tragedy, comparing her to Juliet and praising her for living her finest tragedy. He claimed to have suffered immensely but that the emotion had passed. Basil, moved by Dorian's words, agreed not to speak of the matter again, hoping Dorian's name wouldn't be connected to the inquest.
Basil asked to see the portrait, but Dorian forbade him, threatening to end their friendship if Basil tried to look at it. Basil was thunderstruck by Dorian's reaction. He mentioned his plan to exhibit the portrait in Paris, which terrified Dorian, who feared his secret would be revealed. Basil confessed his extraordinary influence over him, stating that he worshipped Dorian as the visible incarnation of an unseen ideal.
Chapter 10. Hiding the Portrait
Dorian was paranoid that his servant, Victor, suspected something about the hidden portrait. He sent Victor to fetch the housekeeper and frame-maker, watching him closely for any sign of suspicion. Mrs. Leaf, the housekeeper, arrived, and Dorian asked for the key to the old schoolroom. She was reluctant, citing its disuse and dusty condition, but Dorian insisted.
Dorian took a large, purple satin coverlet to conceal the portrait. He briefly regretted not confiding in Basil, believing Basil's love could have saved him from Lord Henry's influence and his own temperament. Mr. Hubbard, the frame-maker, and his assistant arrived, and Dorian sent Victor away with a note to Lord Henry before he could discover the portrait's new location.
"What the worm was to the corpse, his sins would be to the painted image on the canvas. They would mar its beauty, and eat away its grace. They would defile it, and make it shameful. And yet the thing would still live on."
The men carried the bulky portrait to the old schoolroom, a place filled with memories of Dorian's lonely childhood. He reflected on the purity of his youth and the horror of hiding the portrait there. He rationalized his actions, deciding that no one would see the portrait's corruption. He briefly considered that he might purify himself and show the masterpiece to the world, but dismissed the idea, knowing the portrait would age hideously.
Chapter 11. Years of Hedonism and Corruption
Dorian Gray became obsessed with a mysterious book given to him by Lord Henry. The book profoundly influenced him, and he procured nine copies bound in different colors to match his various moods. He identified with the protagonist, a young Parisian who blended romantic and scientific temperaments, seeing the book as containing his own life story written before he lived it.
Unlike the book's protagonist who developed a fear of mirrors due to his decaying beauty, Dorian remained eternally youthful despite rumors of his depraved lifestyle. His pure appearance contradicted his actions, making people unable to believe the evil stories about him. Dorian regularly visited the locked room containing his portrait, comparing his unchanged, beautiful reflection with the hideous, aging image on canvas, deriving pleasure from the contrast and becoming increasingly fascinated with his soul's corruption.
Despite his private depravity, Dorian maintained a respectable public persona, hosting exquisite dinners and musical evenings. Young men admired him as the embodiment of their ideal - combining scholarly culture with worldly grace. He influenced fashion trends in London society, though he privately aspired to develop a new philosophy of life based on sensual experience.
"Dorian Gray had been poisoned by a book. There were moments when he looked on evil simply as a mode through which he could realise his conception of the beautiful."
Dorian developed various aesthetic obsessions, including music, perfumes, and jewels. He collected exotic musical instruments from around the world, studied the psychological effects of different scents, and amassed an impressive collection of precious stones. He researched historical stories about jewels with magical properties, fascinated by their alleged powers. He also developed a passion for ecclesiastical vestments and embroideries, collecting elaborate textiles and church garments.
As Dorian's reputation deteriorated, he faced social rejection. He was nearly blackballed from a club, and rumors circulated about his associations with criminals in Whitechapel. Women who once adored him grew pale with horror at his presence. Yet his wealth and charm provided some protection from complete social ostracism. He developed a theory that the human ego is not simple but complex, containing multiple personalities and inherited traits.
Chapter 12. Basil Confronts Dorian About His Reputation
On the eve of his thirty-eighth birthday, Dorian Gray encountered Basil Hallward near Grosvenor Square. Basil explained that he had been waiting for Dorian in his library, intending to see him before departing for Paris on the midnight train. Dorian reluctantly agreed to speak with him, and they entered his library.
Basil declared his intention to speak seriously with Dorian about the dreadful rumors circulating about him in London. He recounted instances of social rejection Dorian had faced, such as the Duke of Berwick leaving a room upon his entrance and Lord Staveley's condemnation of Dorian's influence on young women. He also mentioned the suicide of a young man in the Guards and the tarnished reputations of Sir Henry Ashton and Adrian Singleton, all associated with Dorian.
Dorian dismissed Basil's concerns, attributing the rumors to English hypocrisy and the tendency to slander those with distinction and brains. Basil countered that Dorian's influence corrupts his friends, leading them into depths of pleasure and dishonor. He implored Dorian to lead a life that commands respect and to sever ties with his corrupting companions.
Visibly shaken, Dorian challenged Basil to see his soul that very night. He seized a lamp and invited Basil to view his handiwork, suggesting that Basil could share the experience with the world, knowing no one would believe him. Basil recoiled, calling Dorian's words blasphemous. Dorian remained defiant and led Basil upstairs to see the portrait.
Chapter 13. Dorian Murders Basil
Dorian led Basil to the old schoolroom at the top of the house, where the portrait was hidden. Upon entering the room, Basil observed its disused state, noting the faded tapestry, curtained picture, and dusty condition. Dorian tore down the curtain, revealing the hideously altered portrait. Basil was horrified by the grotesque image, recognizing Dorian's features but distorted by sin and age.
Basil questioned Dorian about the portrait's transformation, recalling his initial idealization of Dorian's beauty and youth. Dorian reminded him of their first meeting and Lord Henry's influence, hinting at a wish or prayer he made regarding the portrait. Basil refused to believe the transformation was real, attributing it to dampness or flawed paints. Dorian insisted that the portrait had destroyed him, not the other way around.
Basil examined the portrait closely, noting that the corruption seemed to emanate from within. He collapsed in despair, urging Dorian to pray for forgiveness and repentance. He acknowledged his own excessive worship of Dorian and suggested they were both being punished. Dorian claimed it was too late for repentance, dismissing Basil's pleas as meaningless.
Overwhelmed by a sudden surge of hatred for Basil, influenced by the portrait's image, Dorian seized a knife he had left in the room. He attacked Basil from behind, stabbing him repeatedly until he was dead. Dorian was strangely calm after the murder. He briefly observed the body before cleaning up and leaving the room, locking it behind him.
Dorian returned to the library and hid Basil's coat and bag in a secret press. He considered the implications of his crime and the lack of evidence against him, planning to use Basil's intended trip to Paris as a cover story. He staged a scene to establish an alibi, waking his valet and claiming to have forgotten his latch-key. He asked if Basil had called, confirming the valet's statement that Basil left to catch his train to Paris.
Chapter 14. Blackmailing Alan Campbell
The morning after Basil's murder, Dorian woke peacefully, seemingly untroubled by the previous night's events. However, the memory of the murder gradually returned with vivid and disturbing clarity. He feared dwelling on the event, recognizing it as a sin that must be suppressed rather than savored. He meticulously dressed and spent a considerable amount of time at breakfast, discussing liveries with his valet and reviewing his correspondence.
Dorian wrote to Alan Campbell, requesting his presence. He attempted to distract himself with a book but grew increasingly nervous and terrified that Campbell might be unavailable or unwilling to help. He reflected on his past friendship with Campbell, which had ended abruptly. He remembered Campbell's scientific pursuits and musical talent, and the intense attraction Dorian once held for him.
When Campbell arrived, Dorian revealed that a dead man was in a locked room and that Campbell must destroy the body. Campbell initially refused, unwilling to be involved in Dorian's life. Dorian pleaded with him, appealing to his scientific nature and emphasizing the need to eliminate the evidence. When Campbell continued to refuse, Dorian wrote a note and threatened to send it, implying blackmail. Campbell, now trapped, reluctantly agreed to help.
Campbell wrote a list of items needed from his laboratory, which Dorian sent his valet to retrieve. After the valet returned with the chemicals, Dorian sent him on another errand to ensure he would be gone for several hours. Campbell proceeded to the locked room to perform the gruesome task. Hours later, he emerged, stating that he had done what was asked and wanted nothing more to do with Dorian.
Chapter 15. Lady Narborough's Dinner and Destroying Evidence
Dorian Gray, impeccably dressed, attended a small party hosted by Lady Narborough. Despite his inner turmoil following Basil's murder and Alan Campbell's assistance in disposing of the body, he maintained a composed and graceful demeanor. The party guests were described as rather tedious, but Dorian perked up when Lord Henry arrived, bringing some relief to the dull atmosphere.
At dinner, Dorian was unable to eat, and Lord Henry observed his silence and abstracted manner. Lord Henry questioned Dorian about his well-being, and Lady Narborough suggested he was in love. The conversation shifted to marriage and relationships, with Lord Henry making cynical remarks. Dorian expressed his disappointment with life, prompting Lady Narborough to encourage him to find a wife.
Driving home, Dorian was overcome by terror. He realized he must destroy evidence related to Basil's murder. He burned Basil's coat and bag in a fire, feeling faint and sick from the smell. He then became fixated on a Florentine cabinet containing a small Chinese box with a green paste. He hesitated before putting the box back and going to his bedroom. As midnight struck, Dorian dressed in common clothes and left his house, hiring a hansom cab to take him to a distant location by the river.
Chapter 16. The Opium Den and James Vane's Return
Driven by guilt and a desire for oblivion, Dorian traveled in a hansom cab through a dark and rainy London night towards an opium den. The city's sordid atmosphere mirrored his inner turmoil, and he clung to Lord Henry's hedonistic philosophy as a means of escape. He reflected on the murder of Basil Hallward and sought forgetfulness through new sins, attempting to crush the memory like a venomous snake.
"To cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul." Yes, that was the secret. He had often tried it, and would try it again now. There were opium-dens, where one could buy oblivion...
He arrived at a shabby house near the quay, an opium den, and entered without a word to the figure at the door. The room was filled with the sights and smells of opium use. He found Adrian Singleton, a former friend, already there. Adrian expressed his isolation and dependence on opium. Dorian, troubled by Adrian's presence and his own memories, decided to move on to another opium den.
As Dorian walked along the quay, he was suddenly seized from behind and confronted by James Vane, Sibyl Vane's brother, who sought revenge for her death. James threatened to kill Dorian, believing him responsible for Sibyl's suicide. Dorian, terrified, denied knowing Sibyl. James revealed that he had been searching for him for years, only knowing him by the pet name Sibyl used.
Dorian desperately asked how long ago Sibyl died. When James replied eighteen years, Dorian seized on his unchanging youthful appearance as proof of his innocence, demanding James look at his face under the light. James was momentarily deceived by Dorian's youthful face and released him. However, a woman from the opium den revealed to James that Dorian was indeed the man he sought, claiming he hadn't aged in eighteen years. James, enraged and determined, rushed to find Dorian, but he had already disappeared.
Chapter 17. Dorian's Terror at Selby Royal
A week after the events at the opium den, Dorian hosted a house party at Selby Royal. During tea time, he sat in the conservatory conversing with the beautiful Duchess of Monmouth, while her elderly husband discussed his beetle collection with Lady Narborough. Lord Henry lounged nearby, observing Dorian and the Duchess with interest.
Lord Henry and the Duchess engaged in a verbal sparring match, touching on beauty, ugliness, England's virtues and vices, art, love, religion, and skepticism. Lord Henry delivered his characteristic paradoxes and cynical observations, while the Duchess matched his wit with her own clever retorts. Throughout this exchange, Dorian participated minimally, seemingly distracted.
When Lord Henry mentioned that Dorian was once called 'Prince Charming,' Dorian protested, not wanting to be reminded of this nickname—which Sibyl Vane had used. The discussion turned to love, with the Duchess claiming women love with their ears while men love with their eyes. Dorian remarked that men seem to do nothing but love, to which the Duchess responded that he had never truly loved.
Dorian offered to get the Duchess orchids and walked down the conservatory. Suddenly, a stifled groan and the sound of a heavy fall came from the far end of the conservatory. Everyone rushed to find Dorian lying face down in a death-like swoon. When he regained consciousness, he appeared disoriented and began trembling. He later revealed that he had seen James Vane's face pressed against the conservatory window, watching him.
Chapter 18. The Hunting Accident and Death of James Vane
Dorian was consumed by terror and guilt following the incident at the conservatory. He spent the next day confined to his room, oscillating between a fear of death and indifference to life. He felt hunted and haunted by his conscience, imagining vengeance lurking in every shadow. He attempted to rationalize his fears, attributing them to an overactive imagination.
Three days later, Dorian ventured outside, finding some solace in the crisp winter air. He convinced himself that his fears were exaggerated and looked back on them with contempt. He spent an hour walking with the Duchess in the garden and then joined the shooting party. During the shooting, a hare bolted from the grass, and Dorian, inexplicably charmed by its grace, urged Sir Geoffrey not to shoot it. Sir Geoffrey ignored him and fired, hitting a beater instead. The man was killed instantly.
Dorian was horrified, feeling that misfortune followed him. He expressed his belief that the accident was a bad omen, but Lord Henry dismissed his fears. Dorian insisted that he would gladly trade places with the dead peasant, revealing his deep-seated unhappiness. He claimed to see someone watching him from behind the trees, but Lord Henry dismissed it as the gardener.
"I wish I could love," cried Dorian Gray, with a deep note of pathos in his voice. "But I seem to have lost the passion, and forgotten the desire. I am too much concentrated on myself. My own personality has become a burden to me."
The head-keeper arrived, seeking compensation for the beater's family. Dorian was initially bored but became alarmed when he learned that the dead man was not one of their workers and appeared to be a sailor. Dorian questioned the head-keeper further, learning about the sailor's tattoos and the lack of identification. A terrible hope arose within him. He demanded to see the body.
Dorian rode to the Home Farm, where the body was being kept. He hesitated at the door, feeling that he was on the verge of a life-altering discovery. He entered and found the body covered with a handkerchief. When the face was revealed, Dorian cried out in joy. The dead man was James Vane. He was safe.
Chapter 19. Dorian Claims to Reform
Lord Henry dismissed Dorian's declaration of wanting to be good, asserting his inherent perfection. Dorian insisted he had done dreadful things and intended to change, revealing he began his good actions the previous day. Lord Henry mocked Dorian's attempt at goodness in the country, arguing that civilization requires either culture or corruption, both absent in rural life.
Dorian recounted his act of sparing a beautiful village girl named Hetty, who resembled Sibyl Vane. He explained how he had intended to elope with her but decided against it, leaving her untouched. Lord Henry cynically suggested Dorian merely broke her heart with good advice. Dorian vehemently denied breaking Hetty's heart, envisioning her living a simple life. Lord Henry mocked his naivety, suggesting Hetty would be forever discontented and possibly driven to tragedy.
Dorian shifted the conversation, inquiring about town gossip. Lord Henry mentioned the ongoing discussion surrounding Basil's disappearance, now compounded by Alan Campbell's suicide. Dorian calmly questioned Lord Henry's thoughts on Basil's disappearance. Lord Henry expressed indifference, stating that death terrified him.
Dorian directly asked Lord Henry what he would say if Dorian confessed to murdering Basil. Lord Henry dismissed it as an unsuitable pose, asserting that crime is vulgar and beneath Dorian. He believed crime is a means for the lower classes to experience extraordinary sensations. Lord Henry advised against actions one cannot discuss after dinner and suggested Basil likely died accidentally.
Chapter 20. The Destruction of the Portrait and Dorian's Death
Dorian Gray walked home on a warm night, reflecting on how he used to enjoy being recognized. Now, he found solace in anonymity. He recalled a village girl, Hetty Merton, whom he had lured with false pretenses of poverty. She had laughed at his claim of being wicked, associating wickedness with old age and ugliness.
Reaching home, Dorian dismissed his servant and contemplated Lord Henry's words, questioning the possibility of change. He yearned for the purity of his youth, lamenting the corruption he had embraced and the harm he had inflicted on others. He wondered if redemption was possible.
"It was his beauty that had ruined him, his beauty and the youth that he had prayed for. But for those two things, his life might have been free from stain. His beauty had been to him but a mask, his youth but a mockery."
Dorian resolved to start a new life, clinging to the memory of sparing Hetty Merton. He believed he had already begun to change and vowed to never tempt innocence again. He decided to be good. He wondered if the portrait had changed, hoping that his newfound purity would diminish its horror. He went to the locked room to inspect it.
Upon unveiling the portrait, Dorian cried out in pain and indignation. He saw no improvement; instead, the eyes appeared cunning, the mouth hypocritical, and the bloodstain on the hand brighter. He questioned his motives for sparing Hetty, wondering if it was merely vanity, a desire for a new sensation, or a performance of goodness. He contemplated destroying the portrait, the last piece of evidence against him.
Dorian seized the knife used to kill Basil Hallward and stabbed the portrait. A horrible cry and crash were heard. Servants and passersby were alerted, and the police were summoned. Eventually, the servants forced their way into the locked room. They found a magnificent portrait of Dorian in his youthful beauty. On the floor lay a dead man in evening dress, with a knife in his heart, withered, wrinkled, and loathsome. They recognized him by his rings: it was Dorian Gray.