Conflict in 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'

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.