Dorian Gray is a
classic novel published in 1891. It features many conflicts and reflects Oscar
Wilde’s frustration at the time. Many of the early readers of the book were
shocked by the references of homosexuality and crime. In fact the book was
later used as evidence against Wilde at his trial at the Old Bailey in 1895.
There are two conflicts between Dorian and objects. One of
these is his conflict with the painting drawn by Basil Hallward. While the
picture is drawn Dorian becomes angry that one day he will age and the painting
will stay the same. So he subconsciously asks for the painting to age not him. In the text he says “If it were I who was to
be always young, and the picture to grow old! For that-for that- I would give
everything!” The quotation shows that Dorian is desperate to gain eternal youth
but later regrets it. Here there is a clear conflict between Dorian and the
painting. He despises it because it will eventually have all the things he will
not such as beauty and youth. Which according to Lord Henry are the only things
worth having. Basil gives the painting to Dorian who hangs it proudly in his
house. The conflict with the painting is
evident when Dorian sees the first signs of aging in the portrait. At this
point he describes it as “horrible” and he “drew a large screen in front of the
portrait”. He knows that the portrait holds all the secrets to his life “For
every sin he committed, a stain would fleck and wreck its fairness”. This was
the conflict which would kill Dorian. He kept the painting hidden away and
became obsessed with checking it hadn’t been stolen. He said that “the portrait
must be hidden away at all costs”. The conflict between Dorian and the picture
grows as he would hate for anyone to know how he may look. The final piece of
conflict he suffers with the painting is his death. Before the suicide the text
says “He seized the thing, and stabbed the picture with it”. We know that he
has killed himself as we are told at the end. What he despises in the end is
the opposite of what he despised at the start of the conflict. He despised the
fact that the painting would stay the same and he wouldn’t. He didn’t want the
wrinkles and creases of old age and guilt. He became the painting because he
had swapped his soul for his looks. He killed the painting because the painting
was the real Dorian Gray. The conflict is ended with the painting changing back
to its original form with the death of Dorian Gray. The full cycle is ended and
the reader is left understanding that Dorian Gray had died as the painting.
Only death had brought back his soul. The other conflict between Dorian Gray
and objects is between him and a book given to him by Lord Henry. He is at
first disgusted by the book but becomes intrigued, just like the painting and
he blames it for all things he could do bad. But he has an air of villainy
which leads him to take this book and order it in lots of different colours; he
becomes obsessed just as he was with the painting.
Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton seem to reach a
conflict due to their differences in opinions on how to shape Dorian for the
future. It seems Dorian is driving them apart. Before meeting Dorian Lord Henry
seems contempt with Basil but there is no evidence of Lord Henry going to meet
Basil again in the text. In the text there are plenty of points where Basil
suppresses his anger or frustration. For example in the text it says “Hallward
bit his lip” when Basil has Dorian taken away from him by Lord Henry Basil
reacts inwardly. Although a minor conflict it is still important as it is a
conflict caused by Dorian Gray.
The relationship between Dorian Gray and Sibyl Vane is a
short one. Dorian fell in love with
Sibyl Vane at the theatre she worked at. The conflict arose from a bad
performance of Sibyl in front of Dorian, Basil and Lord Henry. Dorian is upset
by this because Lord Henry dismisses her talent. Dorian wants to be proud of
Sibyl but isn’t. He wanted to change her but it wasn’t possible and the
conflict he had begun, he carried forward saying phrases to her such as “You
used to stir my imagination” and “You are nothing to me now”. But the key point
is that Dorian has made the conflict, prolonged the conflict and in doing so he
has pushed Sibyl Vane to suicide. The book has a centre off conflict
surrounding Dorian.
James Vane, Sibyl’s brother is in deep conflict with Dorian
before they have even met. On a walk
with Sibyl he stresses that he is willing to take action if Dorian hurts Sibyl
in any way by saying to her “if he ever does you any wrong, I shall kill him”.
James Vane made his intentions clear and when he does finally see Dorian it is
highly unpleasant for Dorian. He becomes faint and scared. The conflict is down
to Dorian inadvertently killing Sibyl who meant everything to James, hence
James wanting to kill him if he did her any wrong. Dorian seems more scared of
James than anything else in the book. In
the text it says that Dorian “did not leave the house, and, indeed spent most
of his time in his room sick with terror of dying”. This shows Dorian’s personality
as one of cowardice and selfishness. The death of Sibyl hit him nowhere near as
much as the thought of dying. This can be illustrated when Dorian finds James
dead and is overjoyed, Dorian didn’t want to face up to his mistakes. ‘He knew he was safe’ shows his egotism that
he thinks more of his own safety than a dead man. All of the conflicts with
Dorian seem to end up in deaths. Dorian may have obtained a sweet face but his
personality is quite clearly the opposite.
Alan Campbell was introduced into the book after Basil
Hallward’s death. After murdering someone Dorian panicked and relied upon
others to sort out his mistake. For one reason or another two individuals have
differences despite being friends at one point. When Dorian mentions their past
friendship Alan says “Don’t speak about those days Dorian they are dead”. This
suggests that Dorian has done or said something horrible to Alan just like
Sibyl. Dorian uses blackmail to get Alan Campbell to do exactly what he wants.
Later he commits suicide. Dorian doesn’t understand the influence that he has
over people’s life even though people he used to know and love are dying all
around him and he is the conflict point.
Oscar Wilde is keen to present Basil Hallward as a genuine
gentleman of the time. It seems having given opportunities to Dorian Basil is
taken for granted and once Dorian meets Lord Henry he is largely ignored apart
from his death. He suffers in silence as
he sees Dorian slip away from him he has conflict with Dorian because of this
but doesn’t tell him. Dorian eventually kills Basil in a strange and
spontaneous moment. The conflict in Dorian’s view is that Basil has stolen his
soul. This suddenly hits him as represented in this quotation “suddenly an
uncontrollable hatred for Basil Hallward came over him” Dorian has a carefree
attitude towards this murder suggesting this wouldn’t have been the last of his
conflicts.
It is hard to tell whether there is conflict between Dorian
and Lord Henry, Dorian admits it himself “he explained to me the wonder of
youth” “I don’t know whether I regret it or not”. As Basil painted his portrait
Lord Henry introduced Dorian to many ideas which were novel to Dorian, and it
is clear ton see he liked them. Most telling of all these signs has to be Lord
Henry doesn’t die. This is important as most of the people Dorian meets in the
play do because of him.
In conclusion nearly all the conflict in The Picture of Dorian Gray revolves
around Dorian. He becomes more influenced by objects over the book forcing him
to kill and force suicides. His secret of eternal youth proving fatal in the
end.
