Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray develops an extensive and dynamic system of symbols. The latter is devoted to revealing the idea of hedonism through the relationships and behavior of the characters in this work. According to Dorian’s conception there is a mixture of Hell and Heaven in man. The author has highlighted the individual characters with the symbolic traits of absolute good and absolute evil.
Basil becomes a symbol of the angel in the life of the protagonist. The man personifies the concept of pure and unselfish friendship, shows sincere admiration for Dorian from the first meeting. Basil compared the protagonist to Adonis, seeking to study Dorian’s nature to praise his beautiful traits (Wilde 25). That the devoted friend is a symbol of Paradise and innocence is confirmed in the episode of the last meeting with Mr. Gray. Then the man experiences a shock of decadence and planting of the young man, which he could in no way expect from the protagonist. Oscar Wilde uses the Basil to depict how doogness can be embodied in real life.
The symbol of the devil becomes Lord Henry, who preaches hedonism as the only possible way of life. This character is not afraid of losing his reputation by committing unflattering acts. Moreover, the man does not divine retribution for the pain he inflicts on those around him. The commission of sin and the consequences derived from it are, in Gray’s view, the most vivid and necessary element of existence (Wilde 28). Only through decadence can one get a true taste of freedom and experience the widest palette of emotions. Dorian eventually switches to the side of Hell, completely dissociating himself from the concept of hedonism and abandoning the spiritual ideals preached by Basil. Hence, the protagonist becomes the embodiment of spiritual disruption.
Thus, the development of the protagonist of this novel is based on the confrontation of the two concepts expressed in the faces of Basil and Henry. In the clash of Heaven and Hell, the main character is ultimately forced to make his choice. It is within the framework of symbolism built in the work, the reader can trace the dynamics of the collapse of the spiritual values of the main character and the choice of the devil’s side.
Work Cited
Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. Pearson Education, 2008.