Essay on Picture of Dorian Gray: The Rotting of the Spirit :: Picture Dorian Gray Essays

The Rotting of the Spirit in The Picture of Dorian Gray Oscar Wilde, author of The Picture of Dorian Gray, makes basils action change drastically by having him pigment a portrait of Dorian Gray and submit too much of himself in it, which, in Wildes mind, is a troublesome rampart to circumvent. Wilde believes that the artist should not portray any of himself in his work, so when basil does this, it is he who creates his own downfall, not Dorian (Shewan 36). Wilde introduces sweet basil to Dorian when common basil begins to notice Dorian staring at him at a party. basil suddenly became conscious that someone was looking at him. He turned center(a) around and saw Dorian Gray for the first time (Wilde 24). Basil immediately notices him, however Basil is afraid to talk to him. His reason for this is that he does not want any external influence in his life (Wilde 24). This is almost a paradox in that it is eventually his own intrinsic influence that destroys him. Wilde does this many times throughout the book. He loved utilise paradoxes and that is why master Henry, the character most similar to Wilde, is quoted as cosmos called Price Paradox. Although Dorian and Basil end up hating each other, they do enjoy meeting each other for the first time. Basil finds something dissimilar about Dorian. He sees him in a different way than he sees other men. Dorian is not only beautiful to Basil, but he is also gentle and kind. This is when Basil falls in love with him and begins to paint the picture. Basil begins delineation the picture, but does not tell anyone about it, including Dorian, because he knows that there is too much of himself in it. Lord Henry discovers the painting and asks Basil why he will not display it. Lord Henry thinks that it is so beautiful it should be displayed in a museum. Basil argues that the reason he will not display the painting is because he is afraid that he has turn outn in it the secret of his soul (Wilde 23). This is ano ther paradox because he has not only shown the secret of his soul, but the painting eventually comes to show the secret of Dorians soul also. In the preface to The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde explains that to say art and conceal the artist is arts aim (Wilde 17).