Themes in The Picture of Dorian Gray: Beauty and Morality

Superficiality and Social Status in Victorian London

It is no surprise that a society that prizes beauty above all else is a society founded on a love of surfaces. What matters most to Dorian Gray, Lord Henry, and the polite company they keep is not whether a man is good at heart, but rather whether he is handsome. As Dorian evolves into the realization of a type—the perfect blend of scholar and socialite—he experiences the freedom to abandon his morals without censure.

Indeed, even though, as Basil Hallward warns, society’s elite question his name and reputation, Dorian is never ostracized. On the contrary, despite his "mode of life," he remains at the heart of the London social scene because of the "innocence" and "purity of his face." As Lady Narborough notes to Dorian, there is little (if any) distinction between ethics and appearance: "You are made to be good—you look so good."

The Destructive Power of Influence and Idolatry

The painting and the Yellow Book have a profound effect on Dorian, influencing him toward predominantly immoral behavior over the course of nearly two decades. Reflecting on Dorian’s power over Basil and deciding that he would like to seduce Dorian in much the same way, Lord Henry points out that there is "something terribly enthralling in the exercise of influence."

Falling under the sway of such influence is, perhaps, unavoidable, but the novel ultimately censures the sacrifice of one’s self to another. The consequences of this loss of autonomy are severe:

• Basil’s idolatry of Dorian leads to his murder.
• Dorian’s devotion to Lord Henry’s hedonism and the Yellow Book precipitate his own downfall.

It is little wonder, in a novel that prizes individualism—the uncompromised expression of self—that the sacrifice of one’s self, whether it be to another person or to a work of art, leads to one’s destruction.

Homoeroticism and Aesthetic Values in Wilde’s Work

The homoerotic bonds between men play a large role in structuring the novel. Basil’s painting depends upon his adoration of Dorian’s beauty; similarly, Lord Henry is overcome with the desire to seduce Dorian and mold him into the realization of a type. This camaraderie between men fits into Wilde’s larger aesthetic values, for it returns him to antiquity, where an appreciation of youth and beauty was not only fundamental to culture but was also expressed as a physical relationship between men.

As a homosexual living in an intolerant society, Wilde asserted this philosophy partially in an attempt to justify his own lifestyle. For Wilde, homosexuality was not a sordid vice but rather a sign of refined culture. As he claimed rather romantically during his trial for "gross indecency" between men, the affection between an older and younger man places one in the tradition of Plato, Michelangelo, and Shakespeare.

Defining the Aesthetic Philosophy

Aesthetic: A combination of things that are pleasing to look at, relating to the enjoyment or study of beauty. It is used to talk about beauty or art, and people's appreciation of beautiful things.