The novel revolves around the egocentric, young, and beautiful man named Dorian Gray. He crosses paths with the painter, Basil Hallward, who becomes completely awestruck by Dorian's physical attractiveness, and begins to paint Dorian's portrait, labeling it as a new form of art. Dorian meets Basil's wise friend, Lord Henry Wotton, and they begin discussing youth and beauty and its temporary course in nature. Dorian becomes completely distressed at the thought of aging and decaying, so he sells his soul in order to maintain his physical beauty forever, while his portrait will endure nature's course and reveal his ageing. However, things start to decline for Dorian as he falls into a series of wicked and immoral acts. Essentially, these acts are kept secret but they are clearly portrayed on his portrait for all to see.
The Picture of Dorian Gray speaks to the importance of morals. It portrays the superficial nature of how society prioritizes beauty, and readers are able to look at Dorian and question the distinction between ethics and physical beauty. The novel speaks about the pressure of influence and of its negative consequences. Dorian is influenced by the desire to be beautiful no matter the cost. This emphasis on individualism leads to Dorian's own destruction.Because of the time and place this novel was published, the subject of homosexuality was never directly discussed, so this novel subliminally discusses homoerotic issues.- (Summary analysis by teacher,Sahar Jarad)