The issue of immortality as portrayed in the novel ‘The Portrait of Dorian Gray’ is one of the main themes, which the novel unveils throughout its plot. In this novel, the writer tries to bring out the issue of immortality in which various happenings seem to portray an aspect of immorality; as various events unfold from one scenario to another (Kohl, 1989: 138-145).
One situation where immortality is well reflected is when Lord Henry tells Dorian to seek to preserve her beauty and seek pleasurable activities. Dorian on learning this seems to think his beauty is ‘long-lasting’; thus his portrait that Basil was painting seemed to be the one which was mortal on his behalf (Gillespie, 1995: 24-54).
This character of Dorian expressing both good outward appearance and bad inner self is shown when Lord Henry says, “Crime belongs exclusively to the lower orders… I should fancy that crime was to them as art is to us, simply a method of procuring extraordinary sensations” on explaining the character of Dorian. As Dorian sins refusing Sybil’s hand in love affairs; compelling her not to stop acting, he notices she is not interested anymore in the art of acting. Sybil’s act of showing Dorian true love and not interested in acting anymore reveals the immortality of love in Sybil for Dorian, but not the pretended love in acting (Kohl, 1989: 138-145).
The portrait of Dorian is unveiling the untold immortality in it; when Dorian is killed by James and his portrait left lying by his side showing his beauty yet, he as the living had died. Further, it is ironic that Dorian previously was referring to his image as mortal while he was describing himself as the mortal one. This novel ends up by showing how the mortal beauty can still be preserved in portraits while our human body can never be immortal; as shown by the killing of Dorian by James, Sybil’s brother (Gillespie, 1995: 24-54).
The separation of the body from the character is well explicated by Dorian who to a great extent is very handsome physically, but his character does not reflect his physical appearance. As Dorian’s body is very beautiful his personality on the other hand is portrayed as quite daring, and this is shown when he kills Basil just because he focused on the sneering of his portrait once he sins. The portrait of Dorian is showing the shadow of Dorian’s beauty; which is the controversy with Dorian’s personality (Kohl, 1989: 138-145).
For instance, as it happens to Sybil who falls deeply in love with Dorian explains how she was easily carried away by Dorian’s beauty; when she explains of him as ‘the charming Prince’. He falls in love with Dorian so deeply that she even extends to leave her career of acting to show her real love to Dorian, instead of the pretended love she showed in acting. This to a great extent shows the immortality of the love in Sybil for Dorian; which she finds it hard to mix with the temporary and pretended love in her acting (Gillespie, 1995: 24-54).
Generally, the theme of immortality as it is revealed throughout the plot of the book seems to constitute the writer’s main focus on writing this novel. To a great extent, the author succeeds to bring into focus the issue of symbolism and how various happenings or objects reflect immortality in this book to a greater insight of the book.
Works cited
Gillespie, Michael. “The Picture of Dorian Gray: What the World Thinks Me.” Twayne: Twayne Publishers, 1995: 24-54.
Kohl, Norbert. “Oscar Wilde: The Works of a Conformist Rebel.” Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1989: 138-145.