Dorian Gray
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Describe the personality of a particular character. Include example.
Basil Hallward is an artist and a friend of Lord Henry. On his search for pure beauty to put into his paintings he met Dorian Gray. He befriends him, and starts to paint him in all sorts of environments. After a while he decides to paint Dorian as he is. Basil becomes obsessed with Dorian Gray after meeting him at the party. He claims that Dorian possesses a beauty so rare that it has helped him realize a new kind of art through Dorian. Dorian also helps Basil realize his artistic potential, as the portrait of Dorian that Basil paints proves to be his masterpiece. “I won’t tell you that I am dissatisfied with what I have done of him, or that his beauty is such that Art cannot express it. There is nothing that Art cannot express, and I know that the work I have done, since I met Dorian Gray, is good work, is the best work of my life.” (Pg. 13) Basil assured Lord Henry. He's an eternal perfectionist who truly believes in the goodness of mankind. What he doesn't realize is that he's a good man living in a bad world. He continues to have faith in the possibility of redemption and he's a firm believer in pure values like beauty, truth, and love. The problem is he tends to confuse these things because Dorian continues to be beautiful. Basil refuses to believe that his friends, Henry and Dorian, can be truly evil. Basil is a very good painter, which according to Lord Henry makes him a rather dull person. He is also very naïve, he does not see much evil in other people, and tends to believe people when they lie. This painting becomes his masterpiece, and is so close related to Dorian.
State your opinion whether you like or dislike the main characters. Why do you feel so?
The main characters of this book are Dorian Gray, the young and beautiful boy with a wonder of the world, Basil Hallward, the amazing artist that helps the book start on its evil journey by creating
Describe the personality of a particular character. Include example.
Basil Hallward is an artist and a friend of Lord Henry. On his search for pure beauty to put into his paintings he met Dorian Gray. He befriends him, and starts to paint him in all sorts of environments. After a while he decides to paint Dorian as he is. Basil becomes obsessed with Dorian Gray after meeting him at the party. He claims that Dorian possesses a beauty so rare that it has helped him realize a new kind of art through Dorian. Dorian also helps Basil realize his artistic potential, as the portrait of Dorian that Basil paints proves to be his masterpiece. “I won’t tell you that I am dissatisfied with what I have done of him, or that his beauty is such that Art cannot express it. There is nothing that Art cannot express, and I know that the work I have done, since I met Dorian Gray, is good work, is the best work of my life.” (Pg. 13) Basil assured Lord Henry. He's an eternal perfectionist who truly believes in the goodness of mankind. What he doesn't realize is that he's a good man living in a bad world. He continues to have faith in the possibility of redemption and he's a firm believer in pure values like beauty, truth, and love. The problem is he tends to confuse these things because Dorian continues to be beautiful. Basil refuses to believe that his friends, Henry and Dorian, can be truly evil. Basil is a very good painter, which according to Lord Henry makes him a rather dull person. He is also very naïve, he does not see much evil in other people, and tends to believe people when they lie. This painting becomes his masterpiece, and is so close related to Dorian.
State your opinion whether you like or dislike the main characters. Why do you feel so?
The main characters of this book are Dorian Gray, the young and beautiful boy with a wonder of the world, Basil Hallward, the amazing artist that helps the book start on its evil journey by creating