The Change In Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray

In “The Picture of Dorian Grey” by Oscar Wilde, Dorian has a profound reaction each time he views the change in the painting, and he reacts with a self-pitying, vain attitude. Vanity haunts Dorian, and he cares only about how this change in the painting will affect himself and his outer beauty only. At first, Dorian worries about how his treatment of Sibyl Vane will affect the painting. He cares not about the cruel acts he committed, but rather dwells on how it will taint or tarnish the beauty of his portrait. (“A sense of infinite pity, not for himself, but for the painted image of himself, came over him. It had altered already, and would alter more. Its gold would wither into grey. Its red and white roses would die. For every sin that he
What did it matter what happened to the coloured image on the canvas? He would be safe. That was everything.” - Chapter 8) Lord Henry convinces Dorian that Sibyl’s suicide was a remarkable feat he wishes he could himself have accomplished. Dorian falls captive to his words, and deems the events a “marvelous experience”, and wishes an experience as marvelous should come again. Henry assures him such an event will come, for as long as Dorian’s beauty is retained. Thus, the change in Dorian’s paradigm occurs, as he realizes his beauty will be retained, for as long as the portrait will change. He disregards his past reactions to the change: of worry for the portrait’s beauty, or regret for his cruelty against Sibyl, and his vanity consumes him; he believes he is safe, for as long as his outer beauty is maintained. The change in the painting was proof that he will remain young and beautiful while the painting loses its youth and beauty, and this now pleases him. Dorian has many different reactions to the change in the painting, however, all display his newly obtained vain and selfish attitude; his reaction is a demonstration of his corruption at the hands of Lord Henry, and the fall of his