What Does The Color White Symbolize In The Picture Of Dorian Gray

In “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde, one of the most distinct and significant motifs is that of the color white. The color white is often associated with light, goodness, innocence, and purity. The meaning of this color evolves as the novel progresses, changing in relation to Dorian's character. The deteriorating portrait is a reminder of this loss of innocence and purity, and it shows the detrimental effects of sin. The sins Dorian commit disfigure the beauty of the portrait. Although Dorian’s face retains a flawless look of purity and innocence, the color white appears consistently throughout the novel to show the widening gulf between the beauty of his body and the corruption of his soul. While the motif may never physically alter in appearance, it succeeds in …show more content…
The conversation between Dorian and Lord Henry at the beginning of the book portrays not only Lord Henry’s shrewdness but also a change in Dorian’s character. Lord Henry claims, “I believe that the world would gain such a fresh impulse of joy that we would forget all the maladies of medievalism, and return to the Hellenic ideal” (19). Lord Henry’s version of this ideal of beauty of form is Wilde’s variation, emphasizing Aestheticism and hedonism. Wilde refers to the Hellenic Age, a time in Greek history when art, democracy, and philosophy emerged, changing the traditional school of thought, that brought about many changes in society. The Victorian Era was seen by many as a time to “rid of a temptation” if it was not accepted by society. Lord Henry uses his wit to persuade Dorian to adopt a hedonistic lifestyle and fulfill all his pleasures. This speech given by Lord Henry forms the basis of the plot for the novel where Dorian Gray begins to live his life with hedonistic