How Did Dorian Gray Lose His Innocence?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Lord Henry feeds Dorian with thoughts of staying young forever, this causes Dorian to think irrationally. Dorian feels guilty for Sybil’s suicide. At this point, Dorian loses all innocence

because he feels responsible for the death of another

. Dorian wishes that his portrait would grow old while he stays young forever.

How does Dorian Gray lose his innocence?

Basil believes that Dorian’s outer beauty reflects his inner goodness.

Hedonism’

. This, together with Basil’s portrait – which encourages Dorian’s narcissism and prompts him to wish he could remain forever young and attractive – initiates Dorian’s loss of innocence.

Was Dorian Gray innocent?

That is to say,

even Dorian isn’t truly innocent

. Sibyl’s innocence, like Dorian’s own, is what makes her so very appealing. At this early stage, Dorian still retains some of his boyish innocence – something that Lord Henry strives to take away from him.

What did Dorian Gray do that was so bad?

As the novel progresses, Gray becomes increasingly immoral, indulging in all manner of vices, eventually including

the murder of the portrait-painter

. Gray only ends the split by plunging a knife into the painting and killing himself.

Was Dorian Gray abused?


Dorian has been abused emotional and potentially physically as well

, trapping him in a cycle of abuse. With the utilization of modern psychological research and studies, the psychological turmoil within Dorian is evident to the reader.

What is Dorian Grays secret?

To escape the guilt of his crime, Dorian

goes to an opium den

, where James Vane is unknowingly present. James had been seeking vengeance upon Dorian ever since Sibyl killed herself, but he had no leads to pursue; the only thing he knew about Dorian was the name Sibyl called him, “Prince Charming”.

How did Dorian Gray sell his soul?

The legend tells of a learned doctor who sells his soul to

the devil

in return for knowledge and magical abilities. Although Dorian Gray never contracts with the devil, his sacrifice is similar: he trades his soul for the luxury of eternal youth.

Is Dorian Gray evil?

At the beginning of the novel, Dorian is simple and nature; however, after his excess discovery of hedonism,

Dorian’s soul became irretrievably evil and corrupted

.

What sins did Dorian Gray commit?

Throughout the story, Dorian commits

many sins

, for example, using his influence to ruin others’ lives and the murdering of Basil Hallward. However, Dorian’s appearance is still young and beautiful because the portrait suffers from all the sins he commits but not him.

Is Dorian Gray immortal?

Immortality: After having his soul trapped within a painting,

Dorian gained immortality

. He does not age and seems to be immune to all conventional illnesses, diseases, viruses and infections.

Is Dorian Gray an orphan?

Lady Margaret never spoke to her father again, and died within a year, leaving a son, Dorian Gray. Dorian was raised, ironically, by his grandfather, the man who was so instrumental in making him

an orphan

(chapter 3). … Dorian’s mother died within a year, and Dorian was raised by his grandfather.

Was Dorian Gray raised by his grandfather?

He learns that Dorian is the son of a low level officer, in a foot regiment and his mother is Lady Margaret Devereux. His mother’s father is Lord Kelso, who had Dorian’s father killed and a year after his father’s death, his mother died. This left Dorian to be

raised by his heartless grandfather

, Lord Kelso.

Is Dorian Gray based on a true story?


Dorian Gray was clearly based on a living person

, a member of Wilde’s literary homosexual circle in the early 1890s when the story was first published. If Wilde’s fiction is strange, the real life story of John Gray, Dorian’s original, is even more bizarre.

Is Dorian Gray in love with Lord Henry?

Men do have relationships with women in the novel—

Dorian falls in love with Sibyl and Lord Henry himself is married

—but the novel’s heterosexual relationships prove to be rather superficial and short-lived. If the novel is homoerotic, it is also misogynistic.

Is the picture of Dorian Gray banned?

Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of those books that’s been nothing but trouble since it was first published.

It has been banned, demonized

, and was once used as evidence in a trial held against Wilde.

What happened to Dorian Gray’s father?

What happened to Dorian Gray’s father? Dorian’s

father was killed in a duel

. It was rumored, but never proved, that this duel was set up by Dorian’s grandfather because he despised the young man who had married his daughter.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.